I found this article from the David Suzuki Foundation written in October of 2006 very disturbing. It states that a new study has found Canadians may be ingesting more toxins than other nations. Here’s an excerpt:

Canada allows pesticide residues on foods at levels that are 10 to 400 times higher than allowed in European nations … The report The Food We Eat compares three areas of government activity related to pesticide use: registering pesticides for specific uses; setting maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides on food; and monitoring the food supply for pesticide residues.

The report provides conclusive evidence that Canadian regulations governing the use of pesticides and the potential impact of pesticides on food and health are among the weakest in the industrialized world. At least 60 active ingredients, used in 1,130 pesticide products available in Canada, have been banned in other western industrialized nations. Among these pesticides are some of the most heavily used agricultural and household pesticide products in Canada, such as atrazine and 2,4-D.

The health concerns associated with chronic exposure to pesticides include increased risk of cancer, organ damage, birth defects, and neurological impairments such as Parkinson’s disease. Two recent Canadian studies found numerous pesticides in the blood and urine of Canadians from across the country.

I hate reading articles like this; I find them utterly depressing. But instead of sitting home and sulking (or cursing our government for not looking out for us) I’ve decided to work on turning the tide.

Easier said than done, right? Where to start? If you’re anything like me, you probably find the situation rather overwhelming. Well, don’t freak out. I believe the key is to take a moderate approach: start small, and take incremental steps in the right direction. Here’s what I’m doing:

Step 1: I’ve resolved to stop complacently supporting companies that are feeding us unhealthy foods and putting poisonous chemicals into our soil and water. Where reasonable I intend to buy organic foods and products that are natural and do not pollute or off-gas. I’m hoping that if enough other people do the same, healthy products will proliferate and prices will drop. (Don’t you love economics?)

Step 2: I found a list of foods that were tested for pesticide content. (Scroll to the bottom of their page for the full list.) I’m finding this to be a helpful tool when deciding which foods to buy, and whether to purchase standard food items or hold out for organic. I hope this helps you too.

More steps to come as I figure them out!

Technorati Tags: pesticides, health, organic food, guvmint