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The Myths of Safe Pesticides Book Review and Giveaway

Last week, I shared my review of Poisoning our Children:  The Parent's Guide to the Myths of Safe Pesticides by André Leu.  As a "recovering", environmental engineering consultant--I found a great deal of depth to some of the myths debunked in that novel.  Today, I am "backing up" a bit--and reviewing an earlier work by Leu along the same lines as his updated version.  While we have only seen a handful of years or so since this older piece was researched and published, our views and acceptance of the contents have certainly changed a great deal!  What did I think of The Myths of Safe Pesticides?



Book Title: The Myths of Safe Pesticides by André Leu
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 168 pages
Genre: Educational / Nature / Science

I received a complimentary copy of this book for use in my review.  All opinions are my own.

About the Book

The chemical-based conventional agriculture industry claims that the synthesized concoctions they sell as pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides are safe when used as directed, but does the scientific evidence truly support their assertions? Organic agriculturist and lecturer André Leu delves into a wealth of respected scientific journals to present the peer-reviewed evidence that proves the claims of chemical companies and pesticide regulators are not all they seem.

Leu translates technical jargon into layman's terms to break down the five most repeated myths about pesticide use: independent scientific analysis shows that pesticides are not at all as safe as industry leaders and regulatory agencies claim. The pesticide industry argues that human agriculture, and thereby the global population itself, cannot survive without using pesticides and herbicides, but Leu warns that human health is at great risk unless we break free of their toxic hold and turn to more natural methods of pest and weed regulation.

Learn about:
The “Rigorously Tested” Myth
The “Very Small Amount” Myth
The “Breakdown” Myth
The “Reliable Regulatory Authority” Myth
The “Pesticides Are Essential to Farming” Myth


My Review

The Myths of Safe Pesticides Looks at Pesticide Safety from the "Earlier" Days.   While the author used an eclectic mix of scientific data, findings, and research--and made, what many now consider, valid correlations between health and safety risks and pesticide usage--readers won't find exactly the same confidence level and supporting resources and documentation in this book as in the author's Poisoning our Children.  Just like his newer book, this novel holds a wealth of data.  Much of it is very technical and may not be easy-to-read for the true layman.  While the data may be technical--the author does put a great deal of effort into breaking down the "all is safe and well" claims to reflect his interpretation of science and risks involved in pesticide usage.  Bear in mind, much of the research and concerns were more often cast aside as mistrust of the government or misinterpretations of data.  The author presented what he saw as myths to shield us from the true risks to our health and safety.

Would I recommend The Myths of Safe Pesticides?  I believe that readers should take every opportunity to educate themselves, seek out resources and fact check the "facts" we are provided every day.  In every area of life.  The information contained in this book offers a number of resources--and points to ponder--for readers.  While I would encourage you to read Poisoning our Children, if this subject is of interest to your family--I think the author created a fairly well organized, resource in this book to get readers started on the "myth busting" journey.   As with the author's later novel--this book isn't a light read.  I do think it may be too technical and research-document-like for some general readers.  However; I also think that this is exactly why you should take the time to read it, discover more information and learn from its pages.  


When I first began working in industrial hygiene and in environmental consulting...18 or so years ago...I learned a lot about our "reliable regulatory authorities" and the risks associated with "very small amounts" of toxic substances.....and also about the blame games, loopholes and justifications that corporations may use to diminish their responsibilities through very "legal" means.  While I certainly recommend that you read Poisoning our Children--I think, for me, the greatest difference between the two books is the author's increased clarity in forming his judgments and conclusions in the later book--I also found some valuable studies, resources, and correlations in this book as well.  If you are concerned about the health and safety risks posed to humans (especially to developing children) by chemicals in and around our food sources--this book offers readers some early, valid, points to consider.

Buy the Book







Watch André Leu discuss a better way to grow our food:









About the Author:




André Leu is a longtime organic farmer in Australia and a director of Regeneration International. He served as president of IFOAM Organics International from 2011 to 2017. He speaks widely and regularly testifies to governments and NGOs worldwide on pesticide safety and policy. He is the author of the award-winning book, The Myths of Safe Pesticides.

Connect with the publisher: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Author's Twitter



Enter the Giveaway!

Ends April 21, 2018






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2 Comments

  1. I enjoyed getting to know your book, it look so interesting; thanks for the chance to win :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks so much for the book description, your great review and the giveaway as well.

    ReplyDelete

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