Re: Startling statistic

**"Marge Talt" m*@hort.net**

It's not that organic products are not available, but they sure
occupy less shelf space around here than organic products.  My take
is that the average home owner is only interested in getting rid of
whatever is bothering them and looks for the box that says it will do
this most expediently.  I would guess that most people with "yards"
(basically non gardeners) have very little idea of the
interrelationship of insects and plants nor much idea of how
detrimental most pesticides are to the environment and their own
personal health, if used incorrectly (which I bet most are...you
know, if a little is supposed to do this, a lot ought to do it
quicker).  

I cringe when I see posts from people who have an ailing plant and
the first two things they do are fertilize it and spray it with some
pesticide - not, of course, knowing what's wrong with the plant, but
as a general cure-all.

The big chemical companies have large advertising budgets and plaster
the TV and magazines with praise of their products.  I can't recall
seeing a TV ad for an organic product, but I don't watch a lot of TV
and don't have cable, so may just not see what is out there.

>From garden related list posts, it seems to me that there are many
who actually garden (as opposed to mow lawn and put in a few annuals
each year)  who try to do it, if not totally organically, at least in
a way that minimizes the use of the really potent chemicals.  But,
against that are posts from those who regularly use heavy duty
chemicals, so while gardening in an eco friendly way happens, my take
is that those who do are a minority - sad, but true.

Most people are looking for instant effect - whether in the plants
they plant or in ridding themselves of something they perceive as a
pest or problem.  They neither know or care about long term effect or
interaction.  We need to do our best to educate them:-)

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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----------
> From: Jeff Ball <jeffball@starband.net>
> Last week I spent some time at a distributor's sales show with an
old friend
> who is the national sales manager for one of the larger pesticide
> manufacturers. He was showing me some of the new products his
company was
> announcing for next year. As an aside he mentioned that only 2% of
all the
> pesticide sales in the country to consumers are organic products. 
I was
> stunned.  I don't know what I thought, but it sure wasn't only 2%. 
Two
> percent is such a small portion of the total market as to be
irrelevent, an
> idea I find very disappointing having been a proponent of organic
gardening
> for over 20 years.  I have to conclude that there is no significant
organic
> movement among gardeners in this country, and I don't like that
idea.  Does
> anyone agree?
> 
> Jeff Ball

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