More Malaria Stuff: DDT

Anyway, after writing my previous malaria entries, I looked into donating money for mosquito nets, but when I noticed in the literature that the nets were all treated with insecticide, my little feelers went up. When I questioned what the insecticide was, I was told it was something the FDA cleared as "totally safe," so I even pulled out my cyber wallet, but then, being natur(e)ally skeptical, decided to verify first, trust later. I was horrified to find these humanitarian relief effort nets are all impregnated with neurotoxic chemicals...I did subtly (or not so) make this point to the organizations, but after a few polite email exchanges (one of the organizations was nice enough to actually look up the industrial name of the chemical--Deltamethrin--for me) didn't hear any replies back. This particularly aggrieved me because these organization were focused on getting the nets to pregnant women, the population MOST VULNERABLE to the effects of pesticides. Sure, malaria's no picnic, but there's got to be a better way.

Even worse, there's a movement afoot saying we MUST bring back DDT because of malaria, but these people would never say we MUST stop global warming that is causing the upsurge in malaria in the first place! [also, contrary to the screaming pundits, the enviros did not "force a ban" on DDT--it is still allowed for "public health" purposes]

Anyway, the crabby, inflexible reception I received from these aid groups made me a bit cranky, as does the current cultural trend that anyone who's not man enough to poo-poo global warming and not be afraid of few little chemicals is a liberal weenie. Here's (M)Ann coulter declaring Rachel Carson the antichrist:

"Our book is Genesis. Their book is Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, the original environmental hoax. Carson brainwashed an entire generation into imagining a world without birds, killed by DDT. Because of liberals’ druidical religious beliefs, they won’t allow us to save Africans dying in droves of malaria with DDT because DDT might hurt the birds."

I think I'm just going to have to close my wallet to the malaria relief efforts that rely on pesticides--why save the moms from malaria only to ruin the health of their unborn children? Thanks, Dave, of TheGoodHuman.com, for sending this BBC article: DDT 'link' to slow child progress.

Still unsure about the safety of DDT?

Here are some more stories from the same page (in the SEE ALSO box):

DDT pregnancy warning
Premature puberty link to DDT
DDT link to premature births

Plus here's a funny story (and picture) in US Magazine on how Ann Coulter's hands are, if anything, proof of the Theory of Evolution. Don't forget: laughter is good for the immune system!!

tags technorati : malaria Ann Coulter DDT pesticides health Africa