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Pesticides are chemicals that kill. They can reduce or stop the growth of pests. Pests include insects, fish, rats, mice, fungi, weeds and other harmful animals or plants. Pests are bad because they spoil food. They spoil clothing, household furnishings and buildings. They injure, kill and spread disease to people. Pests can also harm helpful animals and plants.
Helpful animals and plants are those that people like and make sue of. Or they are ones that are important to a healthy world. These include living things that give us food, such as crops and cattle. It also includes plants used as decoration and cats and dogs kept as pets. Also in this group are the animals and plants found in nature that people enjoy or ones that are needed to keep a smooth and even balance. So, to protect plants and animals from harm, we use pesticides.
Pesticides are helpful. However, they can be harmful, too. Pesticides can be misused. They can be used without following the right directions. When this happens, they do a great amount of harm to the very animals and plants that we want to protect. Pesticides can poison. The deadly effects of these poisons can last a long time. The remains of some pesticides last for many years. They harm and kill long after they were first used.
The message is clear. Pesticides are useful. They protect us and our useful plants and animals. But if not used in the right way, pesticides can harm us and the animals and plants we want to protect. You can never be too careful when using pesticides.
Guard yourself and others from pesticides. It is not safe for children to use pesticides. In some cases, it is against the law for youngsters to use pesticides. Pest control is a job for grownups.
Teach your child well. Children should be able to know a pesticide by the label on thee package. They should be taught not to touch or use empty pesticide jars or cans. Spilled pesticides on the outside of the package can be unsafe. They can poison someone.
Sometimes people are poisoned by a pesticide. If this happens, follow the directions on the label which tell you what to do.
Ways to control pests without using pesticides need to be found and tested. Perhaps someday in the future we will learn to control pests without using pesticides.
