Mothering Earth- 97 - Pesticides Are Poison

When large populations of grasshoppers and crickets appear in western rangelands in the U.S., the government sprays those areas with pesticides to kill the targeted insects. The spraying program also kills many non-target species. The areas that are sprayed include wilderness, national forest lands and wildlife refuges, and areas used by ranchers for livestock. The Center for Biological Diversity is suing an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its' spraying program, contending that the spraying can result in the extinction of over 230 protected species in those areas, species which are a necessary part of a diverse ecosystem. In this program, you will meet Lori Ann Burd of the Center for Biological Diversity, whose mission is to protect all species, including humans, from the harmful effects of toxic substances.