Concluding that pesticides may have a
large-scale negative effect on amphibian health, they stated, “Terrestrial pesticide exposure might be underestimated as a driver of their decline.”
The researchers called for more attention to this issue in conservation efforts,
and pointed out that risk assessment
procedures in place do not protect this
vanishing animal group.
Six: Avoid antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
In 2013, the Center for Disease Control
(CDC) released a report detailing the
threats of antibiotic-resistant diseases
on the public.
and antibiotic resistance has been
linked to this use of antibiotics in
conventional animal rearing. Many
people are infected with antibiotic
strains of bacteria each year, which
can be especially dangerous to children. Studies have also found that
because organic management does
not use antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria are less prevalent in organically produced milk,
eggs, and meat than conventionally
produced products.
Several studies this year have supported the claim that conventional
livestock operations are more risky
when it comes to antibio tic resistance. For example, one study by
researchers at the Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health
found antibiotic-resistant bacteria
associated with industrial livestock
workers, but not antibiotic-free livestock workers.
ty members have been concerned by
this because, without bees, many important crops would disappear, such
as apples, almonds, blueberries, cherries, avocados, and oranges.
Some of the awareness campaigns addressing honey bee loss have been especially poignant, such as the pictures
of a Whole Foods Market in Rhode
Island that pulled all bee-dependent
fruit and vegetables off its shelves for
a day, revealing a near-empty produce
department.
One of the most recent studies examining honey bee population declines
showed that a combination of insecticides and fungicides can have a negative impact on bees’ immune systems,
resulting in decreased ability to resist infection by the parasite Nosema
ceranae implicated in colony collapse
disorder. Researchers found that the
pollen bees collect to feed to their
larvae contained an average of nine
The U.S. Food and Drug Adminis- different pesticide contaminants, and
tration has responded to these con- made bees three times as likely to be
cerns by announcing its commit- infected by the parasites.
ment to phasing out the agricultural
use of antibiotics, but currently one
of the only ways to ensure your animal products are antibiotic free is by
choosing organic!
Another study, published in the journal PNAS, showed that intensive land
use can reduce the biodiversity of soil
organisms and can have a negative impact on nitrogen and carbon cycling.
Finally, researchers at Kansas State
University published a study showing
that the use of conventional fertilizers can decrease soil macro aggregate
stability, which is a key indicator of
soil structural quality because it affects how resistant soil is to erosion
and how well water is able to move
through the soil.
•
One of the factors contributing to
antibiotic resistance is the broad application of low doses of antibiotics Seven: Bee friendly.
in rearing animals.
Unfortunately, 2013 saw a continued
About 80 percent of all antibiotics trend of bee population decline. Many
sold are used in livestock facilities, gardeners, farmers, and communi-