New study shows we’re eating WAY more chemicals than we thought

Pesticide use on commercially grown crops has increased dramatically  even more than consumers have been led to believe. According to figures recently released by the Soil Association – the UK’s leading food and farming charity and organic certification body – show the number of chemicals on supermarket vegetables has increased up to 17 fold in the past 40 years.

Roundup without Glyphosate? They have it, just not in the U.S.

Roundup and Monsanto have been taking some pretty hard hits from environmentalists, farmers, scientists and others because of the highly toxic main ingredient glyphosate. Even though the EPA, now being strong-armed by our current administration, never finalized its findings about the chemical’s toxicity, there’s plenty of evidence around the world that this is a seriously bad thing for the environment.

But there may be a small ray of hope out there.

Transgenic maize not allowed to be cultivated in Mexico

Mexico’s native maize is a little safer after winning an appeal to keep a ban on planting GE corn

Maize, a staple in the Mexican diet, has been cultivated there for hundreds of years. This important crop has been threatened by the introduction and cross-pollination of transgenic or genetically engineered corn.

But a group of scientists have succeeded in standing in Monsanto’s plan to expand the territory for its GE corn.

Dr. Seralini to speak this weekend in San Diego

For those who will be in or around the San Diego, California area this weekend, there’s a very special event taking place you may want to get to. Dr. Gilles-Eric Seralini, the scientist who exposed the dangers of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in what turned out to be a hotly contested study, will headline the Environmental Health Solutions Public Forum in San Diego this Sunday, March 6, 2016, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm.

A great way to understand the issues surrounding glyphosate

Glyphosate is all over the news. The World Health Organization declared it a likely carcinogen yet the U.S. EPA continues to drag its feet adding it to the list of chemicals banned for use.

For those who don’t know or aren’t sure, glyphosate is the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide. It’s also found in 750 or more other products in the U.S. Tests have shown that people in 18 countries across Europe have glyphosate in their bodies. Another study revealed that the chemical has estrogenic properties and drives breast cancer proliferation in the parts-per-trillion range. And in February 2012, a shocking study published by the journal Archives of Toxicology showed that Roundup is toxic to human DNA even when diluted to concentrations 450-fold lower than used in agricultural applications.

Toxic pesticide turning up everywhere we don’t want it

Consumers should be concerned that the toxic chemical glyphosate, shown here being sprayed on crops, is being found in places we really don’t want it to be

The push to get glyphosate – – a key ingredient in Monsanto’s cash cow RoundUp – banned by the U.S. EPA as a highly toxic pesticide continues. Even more of a concern to consumers is the fact that traces of glyphosate are showing up in a lot of things Americans use every day.

Home Depot – pulling a fast one with neonicotinoids ?

As an environmental journalist and an organic home gardener, I’m very aware of how pesticides and neonicotinoids such as Roundup and glyphosate are having a devastating effect on bees and butterflies. I work diligently to not only provide this information to others but also to avoid bringing any of said ingredients into or around my home.

USDA poised to approve new GMO seed

GMO corn field, photo by Bob Bell, flickr

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) may well give its approval to a new genetically modified (GMO) seed which is manipulated to live through sprayings of Dow’s Enlist Duo herbicide, a chemical cocktail containing both glyphosate and an older toxic chemical 2,4-D.

Concerns for toxic chemical use in the news

Consumers have reason to be concerned. The use of toxic chemicals is seriously on the rise. And their effects, although our federal “watchdog” agencies are officially touting them to be safe, look to be real cause for concern (to put it mildly).

Here are a few stories that hit the news today. Judge for yourselves, then you might want to make some changes.