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Tools
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Alternatives
To Spraying - Protecting yourself without pesticides
Expert
Position Statements and Resources
Factsheets
Flyers, Sample Petitions and Opt-out forms
How
to Organize In Your Community
Letters to the Editor
and Policy Makers
Linking
To Other Organizations (State Pages)
Media Tips
Model
Policies & Practices
Mosquito
Abatement Districts
Platforms and
Position Statements Against Spraying
Public Service Announcements for your radio station
Reports
Studies
that help build your case
WNv/Mosquito ListServe
Weblinks and Links to Links
Some
of the resources below require an Adobe PDF format. To view, you will
need the free
Acrobat Reader.
- Alternatives
To Spraying - Protecting yourself
without pesticides
- AVOID
BITING MOSQUITOES
- Wear protective
clothing if going outside when mosquitoes are most active; usually
in the early morning and evening. Wear long sleeves and pants
in light colors as they are less attractive to mosquitoes. In
highly infested areas, use a hat and tuck pants into socks.
Ensure that window and door screening is properly maintained.
- Use botanical
skin repellent alternatives to DEET according to directions
when outdoors. Try products containing geraniol (MosquitoGuard
or Bite
Stop), citronella (Natrapel),
a combination of soybean and coconut oils (Bite
Blocker), herbal extracts (Beat
It Bug Buster), lemon and oil of eucalyptus (Repel
Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent), Avon's
Skin-so-Soft, or other all essential oils (All
Terrain) and reapply often. These are effective mosquito
repellents that are safer than DEET. Always wash off repellents
with soap and water once indoors. Pregnant women should consult
a doctor before using essential oils. Repellents containing
geraniol, citronella, soybean or eucalyptus oils get the highest
ratings while the Avon products tend to get the lowest. Few
published studies compare the efficacy of the range of non-chemical
alternatives to DEET. For comparative efficacy reviews of various
repellents see Plant-Based
Mosquito Repellents: Making A Careful Choice by Caroline
Cox (2005), or the New
England Journal of Medicine's
review [pdf]
(2002).
- BACKYARD
SOLUTIONS
- Set up large
fans for home barbeques or other outdoor gatherings.
- Use citronella
candles or yellow outdoor light bulbs to repel mosquitoes.
- Some botanicals
such as garlic or pepper are used as barriers around property.
- Encourage
natural predators - stock closed, ornamental ponds with mosquito-eating
fish (Gambusia holbrooki). Do not allow ornamental ponds
to enter waterways, G. holbrooki are not native to all
parts of the U.S. Whenever possible, nurture natural mosquito
predators such as Bats,
birds, dragonflies, beetles, frogs and snails (pesticide use adversely
effects predators).
- Carbon dioxide
mosquito traps and attractants (see comparisons
of products)
- Fill holes
or depressions in trees with sand or mortar, or drain after each
rain.
- Microbial
Insecticides (Bti - Bacillus
thuringiensis israelensis) (Cinnamon
Oil) to kill larvae.
- Botanical
Yard Repellents (Scented Geranium, citrusy or lemon-scented plants
such as Lemon Grass, and herbs like Oregano, Catnip, or sweet
and holy basil [see Dave's
Garden plant database], Garlic
barriers, Dr.
T's Nature Products);
(Any mention of product names is for informational
purposes and does not constitute an endorsement.)
- Expert
Position Statements and Resources
- Factsheets
- Flyers,
Sample Petitions and
Opt-out forms
- How to
Organize in Your Community
- Letters
to the Editor
- Letters
to Policy Makers
- Media
Tips
- Model
Policies & Practices
- Lyndhurst,
Ohio ordinance passed in July 2003 is an inspiration
for all who seek to prevent adulticiding in their communities. Pop.
15,279
- Shaker
Heights, OH WNV Response Plan can be considered the
floodgate that allowed Lyndhurst to succeed. This Plan grew out
of intense community involvement and continues today. Pop.
31,000
- Washington,
D.C. WNV Response Plan cites both lack of efficacy
and asthma (p.13)
among reasons for its no-spray policy. D.C. is a great model
for those cities or counties that claim they don't have the funds
to do proper prevention. Pop. 565,400
- Lane
County, OR WNV Response Plan, aided by NCAP, models
how to make change sustainable by getting local policy makers to
put their tiered plans in writing. Pop. 301,000
- Marblehead,
MA WNV Response Plan requires a town hall meeting before
any adulticides are used (and only if there's been a locally-acquired
human death). Pop. 20,294
- Fort
Worth, TX Department of Health's explanation for why
Fort Worth doesn't spray.
- British
Columbia WNV Article with contributions from BC's WNV
Committee, gives a good overview of putting mosquito control and
the WNV in perspective and overall management techniques.
- Larval
Control Plans That Work
- Boulder,
Colorado 2003 WNV Report
explains the Boulder city's 2003 progressive approach to WNV
which resulted in less WNV cases per density of surrounding
areas. The report also offers insightful conclusions about the
reasons for the city's successful urban no-spray program.
- Washington,
D.C. Department of Health. Preliminary Review of
The Efficacy of Larvicide, in the Absence of Adulticide, to
Control Mosquito Populations, 2000 - 2004.
- State
Plans:
- See
Publications for
more mosquito management information
- Mosquito
Abatement Districts - Mosquito management can be under a
range of governmental jurisdictions (such as the Dept. of Health or
Dept. of Agriculture or other publically accountable agency), or it
may be handled by local or regional abatement districts. While not all
districts are created equal, some have shown little to no responsiveness
to public concern over the use of adulticides, particularly in urban
areas, and have provided a shield behind which elected officials hide
from public discontent over mosquito management practices. At least
one district is made up of industry employees from Clark Mosquito Control.
Some districts however are endowed with good funding and employ experts
who can do a thorough and professional job of managing the WNV threat.
Ex: Abatement district
in Colorado (01/03).
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