To the editor:

I am a resident of rural Douglas County. We live on a small farm and do not use chemicals to suppress weeds.

In our fields, we manage weeds by mowing, burning and digging out small infestations. In the flower and vegetable gardens, we employ cover crops and mulch.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in this country, surpassed only by heart disease. A major contributing factor is that we are exposed to carcinogens on a daily basis. These toxins are present in foods such as processed meats, plastics, and a variety of household products found in every room of the home.

If we cannot totally avoid these carcinogens in products which are supposed to benefit us, what is the logic of magnifying our exposure by dumping herbicides and insecticides into our soil, water and air which are specifically manufactured to poison and kill?

If you feel tempted to reach for chemicals in order to solve your weed problems, please read the label carefully to determine what they are going to eradicate.

Then look in the mirror.

Margaret Kramar,

Big Springs