Many people give up on growing their own vegetables at home because pests ruin their crops. People would rather buy vegetables from the store than deal with pests eating their plants or use harsh chemicals to get rid of them. We searched for an alternative pesticide that allows you to be free from not only garden pests and chemicals, but also free from a guilty conscience due to buying vegetables sprayed with pesticides and transported across the country or even internationally. Transportation and packaging of pesticide-laden produce consumes precious resources that contribute to the warming of our planet. In addition, there is a whole plethora of adverse health effects that have come to be associated with pesticide exposure.

The recipe we found for a natural organic pesticide is safe and easy to make and use at home. Chili peppers, which are known for their spicy taste, also have a chemical in them that has natural pest-warding properties. Combining chili peppers with garlic, onion and ordinary dish soap, we can create a natural alternative to synthetic pesticides that is just as effective.

Using a homemade pesticide in our gardens and even commercial farms will help reduce the volume of toxic chemicals that are seeping into our soil and water, and eventually end up in our bodies. Even before synthetic pesticides existed, farmers learned from nature and used this natural technique to combat problematic pests. The ultimate result is a planet that is cleaner and more sustainable.