Pesticides are being sprayed in our neighborhoods. What should we do? We recommend to take action to stop it. When did you give permission for a government office to saturate your home and bodies with toxins that are know carcinogens?
Would like to explain my position on spraying pesticides in our neighborhoods as a means of protecting the public from West Nile Virus, something spread via mosquito bites. My experience of hearing from experts is more than most as a news radio host who has interviewed many scientists and non-profit groups on the risks of pesticide exposure.
After talking to these experts, there is no way I can support saturating our neighborhoods and exposing families and their homes to toxins as viable action to "protect the public from West Nile Virus." Being a Registered Dietitian with a Masters Degree in Public Health, these issues are directly related to health and disease risk, in other words what I'm all about, saving lives through smart lifestyle choices and safe environmental exposure.
Once most people get all the facts, it is easy to see why our families and neighborhoods need to be protected from these toxins forced on us by government agencies. We feel people need more information to protect our neighborhoods using public health measures instead of just going to a pesticide that has no proof it is effective in these situations and instead can be exposing us to something that also increase our risk for disease and illness.
There is one group that is also involved in a current lawsuit that claims spraying pesticides in our neighborhoods is like coming on to our property without a warrant or our permission and exposing our families and every other living thing to some of the most toxic pesticides available. In other words: trespassing on our land.
There is no doubt that pesticides are the #1 cause of birth defects, and stated by the Senior Scientist at Consumers Union, Dr. Michael Hansen, who claims to have read more research than anyone in the country on pesticides, and has been a guest on our Smart Health Talk Radio Show multiple times. The amount of pesticide that can fit on a pinhead will mutate, destroy, and kill cells in our body as that is what they are designed to do... kill.
To spray our neighborhoods forces everyone to be exposed not just during spraying, but after as well, as everything in our yards is coated, even our food for those growing a garden. Pets are also at high risk.
Pesticides have a dose to weight response and that's why children/pets are very susceptible to the damage they can cause. The short term research done by pesticide makers (gov't does NO research but depends on what makers claim in order to make decisions on safety and are usually only done for 3 month period) uses a model of an adult male. There is no testing for children or women.
These pesticides are killing predators that protect us 24-7 even though pesticides are like a long shot crap shoot. Like using gun to kill a fly that landed on your foot. The chances of actually killing a mosquito that has West Nile Virus is remote where frogs, fish, dragon flies, skimmers, bats, and other "good guys" that eat larvae everyday are wiped out when the pesticide is sprayed in the area. We have had a guest that has witnessed this first hand and watched each die off, with the frogs going first so all that is left is black flies that attack people and animals. Bees are active first thing in the morning so it is very likely that they will be killed since the residue sitting on leaves and flowers is still an active poison. Birds can also be susceptible to pesticide toxicity.
Even the Vector Department will admit that the true first line of defense is in fact eliminating the places where mosquitoes breed, such as standing water that collects in empty pools that could be at a house that is vacant, buckets or any kind of container that is sitting outside especially after a rain. Tires are another breeding ground.
We hear no educational information from the County Vector Departments on these preventative measures. Why with so many more choices, and a greater understanding of the health and environmental risks, why is there no plan in place to stop exposing the public, and instead move to a safer system that involves alternatives and public education on how to eliminate breeding grounds. There are a multitude of safer organic pesticides also now available that are screened before classified as organic by the OMNI group.
One non toxic example where you bring in one of the "good guys" is the use of a specific fish that can be added to larvae contaminated waters and will eliminate the threat by eating the larvae for food. Where is information about those options? Why do we use the most toxic pesticides of all instead of working to increase prevention and predators?
The County may post a notice on a telephone pole or on their website and claim they have "notified" residents when most are leading busy lives and don't have a clue. Then there is drift: neighborhoods within close proximity to "pesticide spray zones" that will also be exposed because the air can carry pesticides longer distances than most imagine. Those people were not notified in any way and ARE BEING EXPOSED TO TOXINS WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.
A doctor that was also on our show as guest pointed out that many of the symptoms of West Nile Virus are the same as exposure to pesticides such as nausea, headaches, stomach aches, weakness; so how do people know whether or not pesticide exposure is not the cause of their symptoms?
Wouldn't implementation of these measures be safer to the masses and do a better job of protecting us all year, instead of fogging our neighborhoods with pesticides when the County identifies a mosquito that is carrying the virus in a trap hanging from a tree? Just how reliable is that test, and is it not a more sustainable option when the public is educated and utilized to help?
Those that are diagnosed with the West Nile Virus most always have multiple sick conditions and compromised immune systems, and/or can be older which automatically puts them at higher risk for everything. The diagnosis for the virus is made with a throat swab and not a confirmed mosquito bite. There can be several viruses present including HIV when diagnosing a patient.
Is the risk worth exposing the masses to cancer causing, toxic pesticides? With proper testing and implementation of a program that educates people on how to eliminate breeding grounds while introducing more "predators" would think the sustainable, safe public health choice of NO TOXIC EXPOSURE FOR ALL will prove to be the best solution for the long term as well.
After talking to these experts, there is no way I can support saturating our neighborhoods and exposing families and their homes to toxins as viable action to "protect the public from West Nile Virus." Being a Registered Dietitian with a Masters Degree in Public Health, these issues are directly related to health and disease risk, in other words what I'm all about, saving lives through smart lifestyle choices and safe environmental exposure.
Once most people get all the facts, it is easy to see why our families and neighborhoods need to be protected from these toxins forced on us by government agencies. We feel people need more information to protect our neighborhoods using public health measures instead of just going to a pesticide that has no proof it is effective in these situations and instead can be exposing us to something that also increase our risk for disease and illness.
There is one group that is also involved in a current lawsuit that claims spraying pesticides in our neighborhoods is like coming on to our property without a warrant or our permission and exposing our families and every other living thing to some of the most toxic pesticides available. In other words: trespassing on our land.
There is no doubt that pesticides are the #1 cause of birth defects, and stated by the Senior Scientist at Consumers Union, Dr. Michael Hansen, who claims to have read more research than anyone in the country on pesticides, and has been a guest on our Smart Health Talk Radio Show multiple times. The amount of pesticide that can fit on a pinhead will mutate, destroy, and kill cells in our body as that is what they are designed to do... kill.
To spray our neighborhoods forces everyone to be exposed not just during spraying, but after as well, as everything in our yards is coated, even our food for those growing a garden. Pets are also at high risk.
Pesticides have a dose to weight response and that's why children/pets are very susceptible to the damage they can cause. The short term research done by pesticide makers (gov't does NO research but depends on what makers claim in order to make decisions on safety and are usually only done for 3 month period) uses a model of an adult male. There is no testing for children or women.
These pesticides are killing predators that protect us 24-7 even though pesticides are like a long shot crap shoot. Like using gun to kill a fly that landed on your foot. The chances of actually killing a mosquito that has West Nile Virus is remote where frogs, fish, dragon flies, skimmers, bats, and other "good guys" that eat larvae everyday are wiped out when the pesticide is sprayed in the area. We have had a guest that has witnessed this first hand and watched each die off, with the frogs going first so all that is left is black flies that attack people and animals. Bees are active first thing in the morning so it is very likely that they will be killed since the residue sitting on leaves and flowers is still an active poison. Birds can also be susceptible to pesticide toxicity.
Even the Vector Department will admit that the true first line of defense is in fact eliminating the places where mosquitoes breed, such as standing water that collects in empty pools that could be at a house that is vacant, buckets or any kind of container that is sitting outside especially after a rain. Tires are another breeding ground.
We hear no educational information from the County Vector Departments on these preventative measures. Why with so many more choices, and a greater understanding of the health and environmental risks, why is there no plan in place to stop exposing the public, and instead move to a safer system that involves alternatives and public education on how to eliminate breeding grounds. There are a multitude of safer organic pesticides also now available that are screened before classified as organic by the OMNI group.
One non toxic example where you bring in one of the "good guys" is the use of a specific fish that can be added to larvae contaminated waters and will eliminate the threat by eating the larvae for food. Where is information about those options? Why do we use the most toxic pesticides of all instead of working to increase prevention and predators?
The County may post a notice on a telephone pole or on their website and claim they have "notified" residents when most are leading busy lives and don't have a clue. Then there is drift: neighborhoods within close proximity to "pesticide spray zones" that will also be exposed because the air can carry pesticides longer distances than most imagine. Those people were not notified in any way and ARE BEING EXPOSED TO TOXINS WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.
A doctor that was also on our show as guest pointed out that many of the symptoms of West Nile Virus are the same as exposure to pesticides such as nausea, headaches, stomach aches, weakness; so how do people know whether or not pesticide exposure is not the cause of their symptoms?
Wouldn't implementation of these measures be safer to the masses and do a better job of protecting us all year, instead of fogging our neighborhoods with pesticides when the County identifies a mosquito that is carrying the virus in a trap hanging from a tree? Just how reliable is that test, and is it not a more sustainable option when the public is educated and utilized to help?
Those that are diagnosed with the West Nile Virus most always have multiple sick conditions and compromised immune systems, and/or can be older which automatically puts them at higher risk for everything. The diagnosis for the virus is made with a throat swab and not a confirmed mosquito bite. There can be several viruses present including HIV when diagnosing a patient.
Is the risk worth exposing the masses to cancer causing, toxic pesticides? With proper testing and implementation of a program that educates people on how to eliminate breeding grounds while introducing more "predators" would think the sustainable, safe public health choice of NO TOXIC EXPOSURE FOR ALL will prove to be the best solution for the long term as well.
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