It's in the water

Seriously, your drinking water may be harming you. A recent study in Acta Pædiatrica confirmed that pesticides were found in over half of the ground water samples with the highest concentrations of pesticides and nitrates between typically from April to July. The peak months are May and June.

Why does this matter? Because women conceiving during these months deliver babies (born between January and April) with higher levels of birth defects. The researchers looked at the data of over 30 million births between 1996 and 2002 to which "a statistically significant increased risk was found for any birth defect and for spina bifida, circulatory, tracheal, gastrointestinal, urogenital, musculoskeletal anomalies, cleft lip, adactyly, clubfoot and Down's syndrome in women with LMPs between April and July in the United Sates."

As the green movement grows across this country, I hope produce and grain producers realize the benefits of pesticide-free practices. For now, I plan to purchase as much organic and pesticide-free produce, grain and meat as possible. If we as a group demand clean, chemical-free foods, farmers and ranchers will grow it. Cleaning up our water supply isn't really a choice; our future depends on it.