EV wrote:
So, obviously, more is less.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/env_pes_use

In the US, an average of 1599 kg of pesticide are used for each hectare of
cropland, that's 3525 lb per hectare. 1 hectare= approx. 2.5 acres, so that makes
it about 1,410 lbs of pesticide per acre.

Where did that statistic come from?

So if home gardeners are using just twice that amount, it comes to 2,820 lbs of
pesticide per acre. If they all stopped using pesticides, it would be a
significant amount not going into the environment.

But they don't use twice as much per acre. Home gardeners might use
twice as much pesticide per fruit tree, but they don't have that many
trees. They don't grow crops like soybeans and corn and cotton. They
also use way too much chemicals on their lawns, but I doubt that even
*that* comes to 1/100 of the amount you are saying. Being able to scale
a dubious statistic and convert to different units or measure doesn't
magically give it credibility.


I have found that non-chemical controls are better at reducing the
insect levels to the point where they might be tolerable. Then when you
have a major infestation, the chemicals are more effective because they
bugs aren't used to them. I'm trying to figure out how this principle
relates to apple production in the Upper Midwest.

Bob