Roundup’s Chemical Apocalypse – Sixth Mass Extinction

Barbara H. Peterson

Farm Wars

The following is a letter and supporting documents from Dr. Rosemary Mason MB ChB FRCA, detailing Monsanto’s contribution to what is known as the Sixth Mass Extinction. The supporting documents can be downloaded at the bottom of the page. But first, let’s understand what we are talking about when we speak of the Sixth Mass Extinction.

What is the Sixth Mass Extinction?

For many decades, scientists have warned that human activity is pushing life on our planet beyond the point of no return. In the Earth’s history there have been five mass extinction events, most recently the Cretaceous–Tertiary mass extinction that occurred almost 65 million years ago and was thought to have been caused by the massive impact of an asteroid on Planet Earth. In the 21st century, we face a sixth mass extinction. According to an article published in July by Gerardo Ceballos and colleagues, the Earth is experiencing a huge decline in species’ populations and a great reduction in their range that could have profound effects on the ecosystems on which human civilisation depends. They found that about 30% of land vertebrates including reptiles, birds, and amphibians are experiencing a decline and losses in local population. In some parts of the world they are losing 70% of their species because of habitat degradation. The authors describe their findings as a biological annihilation, claiming that the sixth mass extinction might be already underway. (Lancet)

What is Driving it?

We are now living in the Anthropocene, the first time in Earth’s history when synthetic chemicals—created by humans—are damaging the planet and contributing to a major loss of biodiversity. Pesticides are a particular problem in this regard. Agricultural practices changed dramatically following World War II. Methods for the production of nitrogen for manufacturing explosives were adapted for use as fertilizer in agriculture. Further, chemicals used to combat insect vectors for disease during World War II were adapted for the control of insect pests in agriculture. Eventually, herbicides used as defoliants to destroy food supplies and aid in combating soldiers using forests as cover, were customized to control weeds in agriculture. The heavy use of pesticides in agriculture has resulted in global exposure to these chemicals. Travelling through water, air, and in migrating animals, pesticides can be found in drinking water reservoirs, the atmosphere, on mountain tops, and even in remote areas in the Arctic where they are not used. The widespread exposure to agrichemicals has altered landscapes and ecosystems around the world. In addition to directly killing non-target organisms, target and non-target organisms can evolve resistance to pesticides, resulting in altered gene pools. (Elementa)

The Letter

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