#Herbicides

[reasonsforhope]

"An estimated six million tonnes of used coffee grounds are created annually. Most go to landfill, generating methane and CO2, or are incinerated for energy.

It’s an obvious waste of a byproduct still rich in compounds (if not flavour). On a domestic level, try directing your cafetiere contents to your garden, not your bin: used coffee grounds are excellent as an addition to home compost bins and wormeries, a mulch for roses and a deterrent to snails. And on a global scale, science might have the answer.

A new study in the Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology suggests that used coffee could hold the key to a pressing environmental problem: agricultural contamination.

How could old coffee grounds solve agricultural pollution?

Scientists from Brazil’s Federal Technological University of Paraná found that leftover coffee can absorb bentazone, a herbicide frequently used in agriculture.

When old coffee grounds are activated with zinc chloride, their carbon content becomes 70 per cent more efficient in removing the herbicide.

The study’s tests involved bentazone dissolved in liquid and treated with activated carbon from used coffee grounds, to see how it affected onion root tissues called meristems. All plants grow from meristem tissue and a plant’s development is disrupted when its meristems are damaged.

If the test can be replicated on an industrial scale, it would be an environmental double whammy: diverting coffee waste from landfill and preventing damage to wildlife and nature from herbicides.

Why is bentazone a problem?

...The UK’s Environment Agency cites bentazone as having the potential to affect long-term water quality and lead to an increased need to treat the UK’s drinking water sources. The herbicide has been shown to impact human health if it is inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin.

While this is only preliminary research and more studies are needed to determine efficacy of activated coffee grounds on a global scale, it’s a promising start. The authors of the study say their results “suggest a circular economy solution for spent coffee grounds that are currently discarded without any recycling or reuse system”. We can all drink to that."

-via EuroNews.green March 25/2024

[hope-for-the-planet]

A historic legal agreement approved in federal district court yesterday afternoon commits the Environmental Protection Agency to a suite of proposed reforms to better protect endangered species from pesticides. The settlement, which covers more than 300 pesticide active ingredients, marks the culmination of the largest Endangered Species Act case ever filed against the EPA. Under the agreement’s terms, the EPA will develop strategies to reduce the harm to endangered species from broad groups of pesticides, including herbicides and insecticides, while taking further steps to target meaningful, on-the-ground protections to endangered species most vulnerable to harm from pesticides.

Thanks @walking-on-a-scream for the submission!

[headspace-hotel]

i'm sick and feel shitty so y'all are getting a bunch of random opinions from me today but

I don't like how Roundup/glyphosate has a reputation as the worst or most dangerous herbicide when it's relatively safe as herbicides go, and a lot of the alternatives are worse

IIRC it all started with a lawsuit where a man was awarded money because he developed cancer after a lot of exposure to glyphosate. Now, a lawsuit is not a scientific study, and to date there aren't any proven health hazards of glyphosate—this doesn't mean it's not hazardous, but some other herbicides DO have proven damaging effects to human health but people view roundup as The Worst

[typhlonectes]

[tomorrowusa]

Large mammals such as elephants, whales, and tigers tend to get a disproportionate amount of attention when it comes to conservation. Birds and beneficial insects are often overlooked.

Northern Ontario residents are building bee hotels to attract them and to encourage them to produce more bees.

Bee my guest: Northerners build hotels for pollinators as spring unfolds

Lawns are one of the worst things for pollinators and birds. They encourage wasteful water practices and unnecessary chemical use.

Michael Pollan put it best...

"A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule."

It's time to help our airborne friends and overthrow the tyranny of lawns.

Natural looking green space may require a bit more effort at the start of the growing season but is a lot less work from week to week. It's worth it just to get rid of the noise pollution and fumes from lawn mowers.

Get your local municipal governments interested in supporting nature-friendly and climate-friendly landscaping practices.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Prairie Days

Originally posted on my website at https://rebeccalexa.com/prairie-days/.

I’m in the middle of my fall peregrinations, currently staying with family in the Missouri Ozarks as my base of operations while I do some exploring of the area, and get up to my preferred flavor of trouble. Which, of course, includes volunteering.

Ozark Rivers Audubon Nature Center

I actually got to do a little back home at Willapa National Wildlife Refuge right before I left town. They’re doing some coast meadow habitat restoration at the South Bay Unit, and so a whole pile of us showed up Wednesday before last to spend a few hours digging up invasive plants cropping up in some patches that had been intentionally planted with natives like early blue violet (Viola adunca), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), and pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea). I confess I didn’t get any pictures because I was A) pretty preoccupied with the upcoming trip, and B) nothing makes me zone out more than sitting with a trowel digging up weeds for hours at a time. By the time I get back the “nice” weather (aka warm and sunny) will likely be done for the year, but I’m hoping for more opportunities to get back out there.

But that certainly wasn’t the end of my habitat restoration efforts for the month.

For the past couple of years, every time I come into Rolla, MO I stop at the Ozark Rivers Audubon Nature Center to see if they have any upcoming stewardship activities. They’ve done a beautiful job of restoring the remnant tallgrass prairie and oak savanna there and protecting the oak-hickory forest and that surrounds them, but invasive plants being what they are there are always more to be removed as the seed bank keeps new generations popping up.

This time around we were out in the prairie/savanna area with a bunch of folks from the officer training program down at Ft. Leonard Wood just down the highway. The objective was to remove as much of the autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) as possible; this invasive shrub with a silvery underside to its green leaves can quickly shade out native prairie plants, and doesn’t offer local wildlife nearly as much food. Prescribed burns help knock it back, but some more resilient specimens manage to resprout, and of course there’s that pernicious seed bank in the soil.

Autumn olive

Most of these were much too large to simply pull up, so the most effective way to get rid of them was to go out in teams of two. One person uses loppers to cut the plant down as close to the ground as possible, and the other immediately dabs herbicide on the fresh stump, which then kills the roots and keeps the plant from regenerating. It’s a minimal use of the product when compared to spraying wide areas of foliage, and only treating the stump with a quick, targeted dab minimizes the chance of accidentally affecting surrounding native species. And since it doesn’t cause disturbance to the soil like digging would it’s less likely to stir up seeds that would then be even more likely to sprout.

I know herbicides are super controversial–they’re not my favorite thing either. But as I wrote in my chapbook Habitat Restoration: What It Is, Why It’s Important, and How to Get Started, judicious and careful use in habitat restoration is one of the few times I’m okay with it, and it’s about the only way to reliably get rid of some invasive plants permanently. Given that invasive species removal is one of THE best ways to make an ecosystem more resilient in the face of climate change, habitat restoration has to be a big priority now and going forward. While I am not ignorant of the environmental impact of routine overuse of herbicides in agriculture and yards alike, the targeted use of them in habitat restoration is definitely a “lesser of two evils” situation that deserves more nuance.

While autumn olive was the main target, we also managed to remove a few other pernicious invasives. Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) was easy to spot with its leaves still bright green amid the various browns, golds, and reds of native vegetation. We also got rid of some privet (Ligustrum spp.), and a little Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) winding its way through the meadow. While there’s still plenty to go around for the next volunteer crew, we did make a big dent in that area.

New England aster

It wasn’t just the invasive species in evidence, though; there were plenty of native plants to enjoy along the way. One of the most prominent was field goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis nemoralis), and while some had gone to seed others still had a touch of yellow. There was a splash of purple here and there from New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), and delicate white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) edged the treeline. Amid inland oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) and other native grasses, young northern red oaks (Quercus rubra) and white oak (Quercus alba) added splashes of scarlet. It was incredibly peaceful to be immersed in these beautiful species and more.

At a time when it’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of environmental devastation on multiple fronts, there is something empowering about getting my hands in the dirt, so to speak. No, removing some invasive shrubs from one remnant prairie won’t save the whole world. But it helps that ecosystem become more resilient, and gives the native species there a better chance. It also makes that place a better illustration of the grasslands that were much more common in this portion of the Midwest, and is an important reminder that it wasn’t always cornfields and cattle pastures.

Yarrow

On a microcosmic level, I just feel better after spending a few hours doing a little something good in the world. I felt better walking away knowing that native plants like this young yarrow I found beneath an autumn olive we removed will be more likely to thrive in the years ahead. I’ve absorbed some of the beneficial effects of being outside, too, and gotten a good bit of exercise at my own pace. And it’s good social time, too, in a setting that feels pretty darn comfortable, and we’re all united by a common interest in that moment. This is likely my last outdoor volunteer time of the year, but it was a great note to wrap things up on.

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes or hiring me for a guided nature tour, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this press release from the Center for Biological Diversity:

The Environmental Protection Agency today released its final herbicide strategy to better protect threatened and endangered wildlife and plants from herbicide use. The strategy will help ensure that on-the-ground conservation measures are required for all herbicide users to safeguard more than 900 endangered species harmed by runoff and spray drift.

“The EPA is taking a critical step to finally address its decades-long failure to protect endangered species from toxic herbicides,” said J.W. Glass, an EPA policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Reducing herbicide runoff into our nation’s streams and rivers will help hundreds of imperiled plants and animals, including pallid sturgeon and yellowfin madtom, while also giving us cleaner water and a healthier environment.”

The herbicide strategy presents a menu of options for agricultural and non-agricultural users to reduce herbicide runoff or spray drift from treated fields, such as requiring vegetative buffers to absorb pollutants before they enter nearby waterways. These conservation measures are to be implemented when the EPA registers new herbicide active ingredients or reregisters herbicides already on the market.

The EPA’s herbicide strategy also restricts the use of these poisons in and near the most important endangered species habitats. Earlier this year the Center released 50 maps demonstrating where conservation measures should be deployed to protect endangered species from herbicides.

“There’s still a lot of work to do to protect all the endangered species poisoned by dangerous pesticides, but this strategy is a good start,” said Glass.

For decades the EPA has failed to comply with the Endangered Species Act’s requirements to consult with expert wildlife agencies to reduce pesticides’ harm to protected species. As a result of ongoing pressure and a series of court decisions, the EPA released a comprehensive workplan to address how it would protect endangered species from pesticides.

[brokenmusicboxwolfe]

Oh great! Someone has sprayed something outside the house!

The farmer said he would be spraying (yes again, two different crops this year) tomorrow, so I don’t think it’s him. It has GOT to be the power company. They have gotten so they just spray poisons under the lines to us. Not cut. Spray. Literally over our well, BTW.

There REALLY should be a law against spraying poisons less than thirty feet from a house or something.

Can’t breathe! And I already had a headache. Guess I’ll go to the other house, with no air conditioner, fan, electricity…’cause being able to breathe matters more than getting over heated.

[geezerwench]

Aisle of death ☠️

[awkwardbotany]

Highlights from the Western Society of Weed Science Annual Meeting 2023

As soon as I learned that the Western Society of Weed Science‘s annual meeting was going to be held in Boise in 2023, I began making plans to attend. I had attended the annual meeting in 2018 when it was held in Garden Grove, California and had been thinking about it ever since. It’s not every year that a meeting like this comes to your hometown, so it was an opportunity I knew I couldn’t miss.…

[themonsterunderthebed]

thinking about the woman i talked to last semester who works in herbicide development

lovely and very knowledgeable woman. you can tell she has a passion for what she does. i asked her where she sees the future of her field, with herbicide resistance on the rise and the herbicide industry's failure to keep up. and she said, "i just hope we make it long enough for me to do this job i enjoy until i retire"

and i think about that sort of benign-seeming short-sightedness a lot. she doesn't want anything special. she just wants to live her life and do her job. she's middle-aged and not looking to figure out a new career path. it's all so understandable.

and yet her job is not only doomed, but dooming the rest of us with it. reliance on herbicides not only harms the environment but is simply not a feasible long-term plan. the plants are smarter than us, full stop. if we don't figure out large-scale ways to manage weeds without exclusively relying on pesticides, we're fucked. that's it. we aren't discovering new modes of action, and the number of weeds with resistance to multiple known modes of action is only increasing. holding out hope for a new herbicide to appear on the scene and magically make all our problems go away is foolish and dangerous, even if you ignore the ecological effects of herbicide use.

she's smart. this is not esoteric knowledge. she knows this. when asked, she didn't say "that's an exaggeration of the situation we're in." she said, "i just hope we can make it another couple decades." and i wonder how many people in this industry and others like it are motivated not by passion or willful ignorance or evil greed but by the simple human desire to be able to stay where you're comfortable and happy. and what does it take to move someone with that kind of inertia?

i don't know. i think about it a lot, though. people are people and if we're going to talk to productively about things we disagree on, we need to humanize the other side in our own minds first.

[tenth-sentence]

Herbicide and pesticide use was moderate.

"Soil: The incredible story of what keeps the earth, and us, healthy" - Matthew Evans

[wildrungarden]

10/11/23 ~ A few days ago I picked up this herbicide for the weeds in my mulched areas.

Weeds can attract unwanted pests in your lawn/garden as well as take the nutrients from what you are actually growing AND want to thrive. So weeds ARE as bad as they seem… in your landscape/garden at least.

This is a product for organic gardening so yay me. It’s a non-selective, ready-to-use herbicide — which means it will kill all types of weeds - broad leaf ones AND grasses.

[For example for those who don’t know: Roundup. It’s also a non-selective and will kill everything. Non-selectives are not picky 😅😂 So spray with caution & don’t use in your actual turf lawns]

So I used this as a spot treatment only in my ornamental/edible landscaping beds. I know it’s organic and organic control will not work as well as harsh chemicals. But this is my first time using it and it killed the weeds I sprayed. Just look at the crown of that weed— brown and soggy! 😆 Of course it won’t make them magically disappear, you will have to hand remove the dead weeds. But for an organic product… this has amazing results. Better than I was expecting at least! I’ve never used herbicide before, so I can’t compare it to other organic herbicides(or any for that matter)… but this one shows results for sure.

They do have a concentrate of this liquid which is a better deal overall(for me at least). So I’ll be purchasing that one next time. But this ready-to-use spray bottle ran about $8 at Lowe’s.

[greenwoodpesticides]

Carbofuron 3% CG – Greenwood Pesticides Brand Name – Hamala In the realm of agriculture, safeguarding crops from voracious insects is a paramount concern for farmers worldwide. In this pursuit, various pesticides and insecticides have been developed to combat the threat of crop damage. One such effective solution is Carbofuran 3% CG, a powerful insecticide that plays a vital role in protecting agricultural yields. In this blog post, we will delve into what Carbofuran 3% CG is, how it works, its benefits, and considerations for its responsible use.

What is Carbofuran 3% CG?

Carbofuran 3% CG is a chemical compound belonging to the carbamate family. It is primarily used as an insecticide and nematicide, making it a valuable tool for pest management in agriculture. The “3% CG” designation refers to its formulation as a granular product with 3% active ingredient concentration.

How Does Carbofuran 3% CG Work?

Carbofuran 3% CG disrupts the nervous system of insects, ultimately leading to their paralysis and death. When applied to the soil or directly onto crops, it is absorbed by plant roots and translocated throughout the plant. This systemic action makes it highly effective in protecting crops from a wide range of insect pests. It interferes with the acetylcholinesterase enzyme in insects, disrupting the normal transmission of nerve impulses and causing paralysis.

Benefits of Using Carbofuran 3% CG:

Broad Spectrum Pest Control: Carbofuran 3% CG is known for its effectiveness against a wide variety of soil-dwelling and foliar pests, including nematodes, aphids, thrips, and whiteflies. This versatility makes it a valuable asset for integrated pest management (IPM) programs.

Immediate Action: The quick mode of action of Carbofuran 3% CG means that pests are rapidly incapacitated, reducing the potential for crop damage.

Increased Crop Yields: By protecting crops from insect damage, this insecticide helps farmers achieve higher yields and improve the overall quality of their produce.

Reduced Environmental Impact: While effective against pests, Carbofuran 3% CG degrades relatively quickly in the environment, reducing the risk of long-term soil or water contamination when used responsibly.

Considerations for Responsible Use:

Follow Label Instructions: Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines for application, dosage, and safety precautions.

Protective Gear: When handling Carbofuran 3% CG, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure.

Application Timing: Apply the insecticide at the recommended timing for maximum effectiveness while minimizing potential harm to non-target organisms.

Resistance Management: To prevent the development of insecticide resistance, rotate Carbofuran 3% CG with other pest control methods in your IPM strategy.

Environmental Impact: Be mindful of potential environmental impacts, such as runoff into water bodies, and follow best practices for responsible pesticide use.

Conclusion:

Carbofuran 3% CG is a powerful tool in the fight against crop-damaging insects. Its quick action, broad-spectrum efficacy, and potential for increased crop yields make it a valuable asset for farmers. However, it is crucial to use this insecticide responsibly, following label instructions and considering its environmental impact. When used as part of an integrated pest management approach, Carbofuran 3% CG can contribute to sustainable and productive agriculture.

Croto is a broad spectrum organophosphate systemic Insecticide cum acaricide with contact & stomach action. Crop: Cotton, Sugarcane, Paddy, Mustard Pest: Sucking, Chewing, Biting insects, BPH, GLH, Shootfly, Pod Borer etc. Doses: 625ml – 1.5 Liter per ha* *These doses are only indicative. Exact Dose & Dilution may vary according to the crop, crop stage, Pest Infestation & local recommendations. Carbofuron 3G is a systemic insecticide used for the control of Maize, Sugarcane, and Rice stem borers. It kills the pest by its contact & stomach mode of actions.

“Empowering Agriculture with Innovative Solutions – Greenwood Pesticides“

[seriousbusinessforhumans]

Mon 24 Apr 2023

The US Environmental Protection Agency has in effect ignored a 2020 federal court order prohibiting the use of Monsanto and other producers’ toxic dicamba-based herbicides that are destroying millions of acres of cropland, harming endangered species and increasing cancer risks for farmers, new fillings in the lawsuit charge.

Instead of permanently yanking the products from the market after the 2020 order, the EPA only required industry to add further application instructions to the herbicides’ labels before reapproving the products.

A late 2021 EPA investigation found the same problems persist even with new directions added to the label, but the agency still allows Monsanto, BASF and other producers to continue using dicamba.

[brokenmusicboxwolfe]

I am soooo fed up with the farmer!

Yeah, he warns me he’s going to spray, but only just before he does. Like I have to rejigger my plans at an hour’s notice. And maybe I have to do something for the animals in the middle of it.

And, even more irritating, he says “Just herbicide and fungicide. No poisons.” As if they can’t be toxic or carcinogenic because they aren’t designed to kill critters! Even if it is perfectly safe (HA!), when you have my fragile lungs anything sprayed into the air can effect me, poison or not!!!

Oh, and BTW the animals (and I) have started having a lot of trouble with cysts and growths the last few years. Decades of beasties on the farm and none of them ever had these before…NONE. It may not be connected to the farmer. Or the way the power company now sprays instead of cuts along the power lines. Or the way the highway sprays instead of mows along the road. Or the way the railroad sprays instead of cuts along their right of way. Or….

I am breathing, and likely drinking from my well, a proper soup of mystery chemicals intended to kill things! It frequently makes me sick after bit of spraying, but no one cares. It’s not meant human poison, so that means it’s “safe”. So why don’t they go spray it in their back yard too!!!!

I HATE being at the mercy of the farmer!