Re: Jim Hawes review of IPM practices

Gerry O'Neil wrote:
RE:>>I think you've left out the most destructive pest of all - us.

Dear Gerry,
I seldom try to "stir things up" - I am a peacemaker.  I do, however, like to encourage people to get out of their comfort zones and to continue to research things.  Yes, man is destructive, yet so is nature.  We are constantly repairing the damage that nature has done (earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, monsoons, volcanoes) and trying to save species that, were they left to their own devices, would disappear all on their own.  Where have all the dinosaurs gone?  We did not destroy them.  I think there are more rabbits, squirrels and deer alive today than there ever has been!   (conjecture... no facts to back this up but some of the old timers in Iowa believe this is true).  

Yes, I seriously believe that without chemicals (applied according to the label instructions, of course), we would soon be turning control of the planet back to the pests, the plaques, and ultimately the resultant famines. We know the devastation that pests can bring to a crop, or to an entire region.  Man tends to be the savior of nature and not the harbinger of doom that we are portrayed to be by some of the radical protesters.  We are much meaner to ourselves than we are to the plants or the earth.  (There ARE however, lots of idiots out there who haven't even learned how to not litter.  But lets not talk about my pet pev--I won't sound like much of a peacemaker if we start talking about people who litter.  :-).

I have a cousin (a member of the Green Peace movement?) who sent me an email message, warning me about the use of Round-Up ready beans and corn.  Needless to say, I pointed him to research and away from the hype and hysteria.  Not that we are blameless, because we are not.  However, there is SO much good that comes from the research efforts of man to improve his/her environment that the damage we have done is nearly negligible.   Sure, we have some messes that we have had to clean up, but I believe in the reality of unlimited wealth and so far, it's holding true.

Won't be long until we're all driving hydrogen powered cars!

Mas salama and Hosta la Vista! 

-- 
Andrew C. Lietzow, Hacker - The ACL Group, Inc.   
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