1) The documentary addressed the link between pesticide use and Parkinson's disease, as thousands of people in Germany were getting sick and their livelihoods affected.
2) Ulrich Elixmann, a 60-year-old gardener, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after years of applying pesticides without protection.
3) While scientific evidence links pesticides to Parkinson's, farmers continue using them because they are cheap and effective for maintaining high crop yields, though advocates argue organic farming is safer.
1) The documentary addressed the link between pesticide use and Parkinson's disease, as thousands of people in Germany were getting sick and their livelihoods affected.
2) Ulrich Elixmann, a 60-year-old gardener, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after years of applying pesticides without protection.
3) While scientific evidence links pesticides to Parkinson's, farmers continue using them because they are cheap and effective for maintaining high crop yields, though advocates argue organic farming is safer.
1) The documentary addressed the link between pesticide use and Parkinson's disease, as thousands of people in Germany were getting sick and their livelihoods affected.
2) Ulrich Elixmann, a 60-year-old gardener, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after years of applying pesticides without protection.
3) While scientific evidence links pesticides to Parkinson's, farmers continue using them because they are cheap and effective for maintaining high crop yields, though advocates argue organic farming is safer.
1) The documentary addressed the link between pesticide use and Parkinson's disease, as thousands of people in Germany were getting sick and their livelihoods affected.
2) Ulrich Elixmann, a 60-year-old gardener, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after years of applying pesticides without protection.
3) While scientific evidence links pesticides to Parkinson's, farmers continue using them because they are cheap and effective for maintaining high crop yields, though advocates argue organic farming is safer.
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Justine Ann Timcang B7-2
2021-0871 Engr. Karl Ondoy
"Is Parkinson's disease related to pesticide use?" – A Response Paper
Elke Brandstatter and Marko Rosseler, a duo from DW documentary, an international
broadcaster that covers and produces news and access to people living in Germany by promoting deep comprehension and appreciation between people, tackled a grave matter that is continuing and expanding in their motherland – Parkinson’s Disease. The documentary addressed how pesticides are somehow can be the cause of their poisoned land, affecting thousands of people and their livelihoods. Pesticides have been widely used for quite some time now. Most farmers and agricultural workers rely on and trust it to protect their crops from insects, bugs, and weeds. It is advertised to "not" be harmful to humans. Farmers apply and spray it with less or even no protective equipment at all. Fog and its strong odor are everywhere but no one dared to question it. Not until, a swarm of cases regarding farmers with the same background of usage of pesticides were all diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
Ulrich Elixmann, 60, is a gardener by profession, just like any other user of pesticides, he has been applying it all throughout his gardening journey; Until one day, his hand stopped working, only to find out that he has Parkinson's disease. Taking 13 tablets a day, doing gymnastics, and doing speech and occupational therapy to help his tremors and difficulties he has. Ulrich is one of those thousands of people who are still suffering from these complications. Parkinson's is damage in the brain that loses control of your movements, it is like "they are fully aware but trapped in their own body, and couldn't do anything about it", one of the researchers said. According to Bas Bloem of Radboud University in the Netherlands, it is the world's fastest-growing neurological disorder and is primarily brought on by environmental factors. Countries with extensive industrialization are particularly impacted since a lot of chemicals end up in the environment. In one study, Central Valley, an example, is heavily farmed. Industrialized agriculture on a larger scale. Residents who live close to fields sprayed with pesticides have an increased risk of Parkinson's of 75%. Of more than 4,000 substances of pesticides, 2 dozen are suspicious and many are linked to Parkinson's (substances are under investigation and less is known if combined in water). Even with those piles of scientific shreds of evidence, why is it farmers are still engaging and choosing to use these pesticides? Well, mainly it is fast and cheap. Banning pesticides will just lead the prices to go up thus hurting the consumers as they bear all the costs. Pesticides are keeping yield high enough for the farm to continue running and that's what matters for the farmers, "Risk is a part of life." Haman Durman, a conventional farmer says. He also stated how these substances nowadays are environmentally friendly and high-tech. But Martin Hausling, an advocate for organic farming, thinks otherwise. He is firm on the stand in switching to organic farming and not using those chemical products by telling farmers just like him how they are brainwashed into thinking that those substances are not hurting them and the environment, just because they are shown on labels and by looking at the long-term side effects it made, it would enlighten them to think twice.
Sylvie Berger from Bordelais, one of Europe's major wine-growing regions, also showed her concern by raising awareness for people to know that the risk is real. Employees need to protect their ordinary workers, to change how they think about themselves since their lives are invisible while they are ruined by their work. However, Parkinson’s isn’t just as big a deal as it is to other countries, some may have occupational pensions for it just like Sylvie while others just like Ulrich are still fighting for his right about the effects that he suffered to the government.
Clearly, it is visible how people are torn between the usage of these pesticides. For others, it is best for their farm to continue, ignoring the risk as it is just a part of life while also for many, especially those people who suffer from the complications of the substance usage throughout their life, pesticides should be examined further and be prohibited to use since alternatives are just there to preserve people’s health. It is a battle between life and death. Until now, there’s no clear proof to pinpoint that pesticides are all behind this, and up until then there’s no way to escape pesticide pollution.
A change is what we all need. Start with yourself first, rethink, and reflect. Even though life comes with its unpredictability, you'll never know what might happen overnight. So, choose what you think is best, for you and your family. Nonetheless, as the quote says, "Prevention is better than cure." We all need to remind ourselves to work with extra protection, not for the sake of wearing it, but for the gift of life that's been given to us. A better environment for you and I cannot exist if a change is not given.
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