Includes bibliographical references and index.

Chapter 1. Do pesticides negatively affect human health? Pesticides have been associated with many different health dangers / Toxics Action Center ; Even low levels of pesticides can have serious health effects on children / Elizabeth Sharpe ; A Stanford University study underestimates the health risks of pesticides in conventionally grown foods / Tom Philpott ; Organic food conclusions don't tell the whole story / David C. Holzman ; Scared fat : are consumers being scared away from healthy foods? / SafeFruitsandVeggies.com ; A Stanford study found pesticide levels in organic and conventional foods within safety limits / Michelle Brandt ; Are lower pesticides a good reason to buy organic? Probably not / Christie Wilcox -- Chapter 2. How are pesticides affecting the environment? Environmental impacts / Pesticide Action Network North America ; Water pollution from farming is worsening, costing billions / Tara Patel ; Pesticides have been linked to honeybee decline / Karen Feldscher ; Pesticide drift is damaging organic crops and harming people / Clare Howard ; Pesticides may not be effective at eliminating West Nile virus / Lynne Peeples ; DDT is still needed to fight malaria / Steffen Henne ; Greener methods are more successful against malaria than DDT / Sonia Shah -- Chapter 3. Are pesticides needed in agriculture for world food production? Pesticides are crucial to food production future / Alan Stennett ; Science reporting on organic food is out to lunch / Joshua Gilder ; Myths about pesticides / Pesticide Action Network North America ; French scientists : 30 percent pesticide reduction possible without affecting yields / Ben Wright ; Organic agriculture is the only way to feed the world sustainably / Greg Seaman -- Chapter 4. What is the future for pesticides? The government must protect endangered species from pesticide poisoning / Defenders of Wildlife ; Pesticide industry would benefit form farm bill provisions / Nancy Watzman ; Pesticide use is increasing in organic farming / Jack Dini ; GMO crops are resulting in heavier pesticide use in conventional farming / Tom Philpott ; Biopesticides may provide a less toxic solution to current pesticide problems / Sam Schrader ; Pesticides : EPA is pressed to ban chemicals that studies link to honeybees' demise / Jeremy P. Jacobs ; Are pesticide laws strong enough? / Angela Logomasini.

Explores a variety of issues related to pesticides, including whether they are negatively affecting human health, how they are interacting with the environment, whether they are needed to feed the world, and what the future of pesticides might be.