Monday, April 9, 2018

Review: Poisoning Our Children by André Leu with Giveaway



Poisoning Our Children:
The Parent's Guide to the Myths of Safe Pesticides
by André Leu
Acres USA
March 1, 2018
Non-Fiction Educational / Parenting / Nature - Science
 206 pages
Tour dates: March 12 to April 13, 2018
Content Rating: G



Parenting was never easy. While loving, teaching and nourishing children, parents also seek to protect them from harm. The past few generations, however, have been silently attacked by thousands of manmade, poisonous chemicals carried into homes and children's bodies in our food supply. 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?

When pesticide residues are found in 77 percent of all foods in the United States, it's important to know the truth. Organic agriculturist André Leu has weeded through a wealth of respected scientific journals to present peer-reviewed evidence proving that the claims of chemical companies and pesticide regulators are not all they seem.



MY TIDBITS


With well organized arguments, this book takes a look at  pesticides and attacks some of the popular assumptions surrounding the safety of these chemicals.

Five myths surrounding pesticides are examined in this book, each one presented in its own chapter. Not only are the arguments concise and well documented, but they include statistics, figures, graphs, and illustrations to make their point. The more important statements are highlighted in rectangular boxes within the chapters. A final chapter sums up the arguments into a general conclusion and leaves with a few general suggestions of how the problems need to be dealt with.

The author has previously written a similar book to this one, The Myths of Safe Pesticides, which, offers the same arguments and evidence as this book. The only difference—a slight one—is that this one is more directed at parents and the concern for their children. The author takes great care in placing his arguments in a clear and very academic manner. The evidence comes from various articles, research and other forms of documentation from specialists. It's logical and clear to follow as the findings and influence these chemicals have on health and child development are delivered and made clear. The results are disturbing and hit their mark.

The dangers of chemical cocktails, residual chemicals, holes in testing, as well as many other areas are closely examined. It's not a light read but flows with the feel of a thesis paper. For those who enjoy scientific reads with carefully laid out documentation, it is intriguing, but for those those who feel overwhelmed by very direct and scientific arguments, it's a dry read and daunting. It holds an important message for parents, but one which isn't written in a form that's necessarily easy for the average person to take in. 

The book discloses some very real and terrifying problems surrounding the use of pesticides. The solutions it suggests, are, unfortunately by nature, more far-reaching and do little to aide parents outside of the suggestion to purchase truly organic products. However, the awareness of the problems surrounding pesticides is definitely raised, and the book accomplishes its goal.






And here he is. . .


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





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2 comments:

cleemckenzie said...

I'm so glad this book is out. Parents can be a force if they join to fight against the use of pesticides on our food.

Tonja Drecker said...

So true!