Tue 08 Nov 2005 The Kitchener-Waterloo Record Let's play the What If game about pesticides Are you following the pesticide debate? If so, you might like to get a pencil and paper and play this little game. It's called What If. No. 1. What if all those doctors, surgeons, pediatricians, the Canadian Cancer Society, veterinarians, environmentalists, other cities and municipalities and thousands and thousands of concerned citizens are wrong and pesticides really are safe, but we ban them anyway? What are the worst possible things that could happen? Weeds, crabgrass, bugs, imperfect lawns, etc. Write them all down. Make your list as long as possible. No. 2. What if pesticides really are as dangerous as the health-care professionals say they are, but we do not ban them? What are the worst possible things that could happen? Cancer, neurological disorders, leukemia, infertility, etc. Again write them all down and make your list as long as possible. Now compare your two lists and decide which list of possible outcomes is best for you and your family. It's a no-brainer. The only argument coming from the pro-pesticide camp is that all the scientific facts are not in. Apparently the medical community does not agree. But what if it's true and all the facts are not in? It doesn't matter -- just go back and read your lists. Erica Fitzgerald, Cambridge