I will die someday (so will you). But it will not be because I had bacon on an occasional hamburger or teeny-tiny amounts of pesticides in the food I bought. Most likely it will be because I ate too much and exercised too little or drove a car when I no longer have the sight and reflexes to handle it. Regardless, I hope I don't get so addle-brained that I forget the issue is what is the RISK of doing something? What is the likelihood that I will experience harm from my normal activities - which don't include talking on a cell phone while driving or eating processed meats 3 times a day every day? I'm not going to kill myself worrying about hazardous properties (like CANCER) of agents I won't be exposed to at high enough levels to have a significant probability to cause harm. I do worry about that carcinogen "sunlight" (which contains UV radiation) that I got too much of as a beach-loving teenager and get regular check-ups and minor surgeries as a result.
Read this great blog by David Ropeik:
I like and depend on my cell phone. I want pesticides to keep the bugs and diseases away from my home, food and landscaping. I want regulations that deal with unreasonable risks - risks that are too big compared to the benefits they provide. But i don't worry when the risk is very small and the benefits are significant. Quality of life requires some risk. I do walk along the beach on sunny days - wearing lots of SPF 30 and a hat. And bacon tastes sooooo good!
- Tags:
- carcinogens
- risk perception