How can the impacts of fertilizers on the environment be reduced if it MUST be used?

Question

I'm looking for specific answers where the use of fertilizers, which obviously cause harm to the environment in any way, can actually be minimized (ie. drip irrigation). Are there anything else?

too much fertilizers also cause harm to the environment. you must be unaware of the debate of using organic fertilizers and other techniques that help reduce the impact. a lot of people abuse the use of fertilizers and put too much that is unnecessary.

note: fertilizers are pesticides. fertilizers = general term.

i don't understand, so you guys are saying there is absolutely nothing wrong with fertilizers? Canada produces 437.6 million tonnes of commercial fertilizers in a single year. There's nothing wrong with that? You don't see the impact on the environment? I'm not saying that fertilizers are strictly bad, because yes, we do have to rely on them. But, what I'm saying is that the system in which some people use them is inefficient and I'm trying to research other ways that can reduce the amount of fertilizers we use and still maintain the efficiency of agriculture production. I'm just a student trying to research different ways and not one who is trying to create arguments through the Internet.

Answer 1

Maintain buffer zones between cultivated land and waterways, so that if there is any runoff of nitrates or other water-soluble fertilizer materials, it cannot run into the river.

Cultivate the fertilizer or manure into the soil, so that there is none sitting on the surface where rain can wash it away as runoff.

Use green crops (such as buckwheat or clover) as "green manure" and plow them down into the soil. This is a non-chemical type of fertilizer which will enrich the soil when it decays. It also adds organic material back to the soil.

Answer 2

"which obviously cause harm to the environment "


Huh?

Fertilizers are good for the envirnoment, are you thinking pesticides or something else? If you dont use the chemicals for fertilization what do you do with them? dump them in a river?

Your mis informed or stated your question wrong. Fertilizers help plants grow...and replace soil nutrients.


*****update******
fertilizers are pesticides??????????????

uhhhhhh no

nevermind I thought you had a question here, but you just want to spread eco-propoganda....

Answer 3

It is used by mother nature all the time. Every time it lightens it produces about 300 lb. of NO2 which is a natural fertilizer. There are many things that are bad ,but most farmers know not to use too much as it will kill their plants.

Answer 4

First, fertilizers are not pesticides, not even in general use.

Second, please provide factual details as to how fertilizers are in fact harmful to the environment.