Today we use chemicals in almost every part of our lives, hoping to make life faster, more convenient or just better. At home we use them to kill flies and other disease-carrying pests. Doctors give them to us in medicine to fight harmful bacteria in our bodies. Factory workers use them in industrial production tomake everything from toys to shoes to toothbrushes. Farmers also use them in the soil to help their plants grow fast and become strong. However, the discoveries of new ways to use chemicals have brought difficulties as well as benefits. For example, too much use in farming leads to food that is low in minerals and other things that we need for good nutrition.What is the root of the problem? Some people think it is from a wrong focus on money and speed, while others say it is just from a lack of education about the problems. Who knows? Maybe it is both.