Green Options

This writer contacted lead researcher David Graham and asked him to explain how these antibiotic resistant soil microbes and/or genes might impact humans. “The genes themselves do not get passed directly to humans per se. The genes get passed from exposed bacteria to bacteria whom might ultimately end up in humans, some of which might be pathogenic. An example is on food or in water that has been exposed to resistance bacteria.”

Look, I’ve watched ER. I know that rampant overuse of antibiotics has given rise to virulent “superbugs” that don’t respond to traditional treatment. I understand my pediatrician is not going to prescribe antibiotics for my kids unless absolutely necessary. I recognize this is an important step in preventing ever more antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria from developing.

Which is why I was so extremely irritated to learn from the New York Times that 70 percent of American antibiotics are given to healthy livestock, contributing to the rise of these resistant strains in our food supply. 

“Five out of 90 samples of retail pork in Louisiana tested positive for MRSA — an antibiotic-resistant staph infection — according to a peer-reviewed study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology last year….Research by Peter Davies of the University of Minnesota suggests that 25 percent to 39 percent of American hogs carry MRSA.”

there are going to be a lot of people in the same quandary if and when the major study linking artificial turf to cancer or MRSA infection is released. Lots of people wondering if they’re going to be sued, if their kids are going to be affected, how they’re going to remove the gazillions of pellets from parks and aquifers, and who’s going to pay for it all?