Organic Sacramento

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Organic Sacramento is a group of concerned citizens working to foster community awareness of the benefits of organic food and farming and to build a network of those people.

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West Nile Virus

~ Main WNV Page

West Nile Virus Updates and Information for the Sacramento Area

For information about the District’s adult mosquito treatment program please visit SYMVCD’s Web site at www.FightTheBite.net. Residents are also encouraged to log on and register for the District’s spray notification list via e-mail. Individuals who wish to be notified or would like additional information but do not have Internet access should call the District directly at (800) 429-1022.

The District advises everyone to take precautions to minimize their exposure to the spray by remaining indoors and closing windows and doors from 8pm to midnight. For those who want to reduce their exposure even more, the following steps may be taken:

*If you want your personal garden to be free of pesticides, you may want to pick your fruits or veggies or cover them during the sprays.
* Turn off air conditioning and other ventilation that brings in air from outside. Turn your thermostat down a couple of hours before that to keep your house cool during the treatments.
* Bring toys, tools, patio furniture, pets, bikes, and other portable items indoors.
* Cover playground equipment and other large outdoor items.
* Keep pets indoors.
* Take shoes off before coming indoors. or rinse off shoes.
* To avoid tracking pesticides inside, wash off your entranceway.
* After spraying occurs, wash down other surfaces such as playground equipment or other items with which you or your family may come in contact. Don't water so much that you create a mosquito habitat!

People who are concerned about how exposures may affect specific medical conditions should contact their medical professional for additional advice on what steps to take would be to not to go outside after 8 until the next morning.

According to Kim Glazzard, to be extra cautious:
Be out of town if possible
Be inside. Close windowns and doors.

See action page and the links above for more info.

Critical West Nile Virus Updates and Information

The West Nile Virus is not likely to go away any time soon, which is why it is good to become better informed about ways to protect yourself and your neighbors through simple tools and diligent mindful practices. During the July 6 2005 West Nile Virus presentation by Dave Brown of the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District (SYMVCD), it was clarified that localized spraying for adult mosquitoes with pesticides is clearly being considered only as a last resort control tool to reduce the numbers of mosquitoes and consequent likelihood of West Nile Virus outbreaks. Mr. Brown described the efforts that were being made by the SYMVCD to control the mosquito population as being primarily at the larval and early stages, prior to the emergence of adult mosquitoes. He described a number of simple, common sense practices that can be adopted by each of us to greatly manage and help reduce the abundance of mosquitoes in our neighborhoods. This included dumping out and refilling any containers with standing water at least once a week, as well as getting rid of larger areas of standing water permanently. (Just think, since mosquitoes can fly up to five miles, a mosquito hatched in one yard, can potentially affect neighbors five-miles away - as well as everyone in between!) Steve Zien, president of Living Resources Company and member of Organic Sacramento, has written a comprehensive synopsis of many of the aspects of West Nile Virus, as well as ways to potentially protect the Sacramento community. This includes how to safeguard you and your family against the West Nile Virus, and how all of us can individually act to significantly reduce the chances of the need for localized spraying in and around Sacramento! Read article by Steve Zien here

Problems With The Offical "Facts"
Personal protection claims inadequate by SYMVCD.

The SYMVCD states on their website regarding the aerial pesticides they plan to apply: “At the rates SYMVCD applies these products (2/3 oz. per acre), they should not pose a significant risk to you or your family, and in fact, are used at a higher rate to treat head lice in children; however, it is always a good idea to remain indoors and keep windows and doors closed during applications… This is the same material used to treat cats and dogs for fleas and ticks.”
There are several problems with these statements:

Their statement implies the pesticides are safe (“should not pose a significant risk”). Meanwhile, federal law prohibits claims as to the safety of a pesticide or its ingredients, even when using a qualifying statement such as “when used as directed.” Pesticide applicators across the country have lost court cases when making similar claims.
Federal law prohibits statements such as “among the least toxic chemicals known.” Again they violate the law by making similar statements, comparing it dosages used against head lice.
SYMVCD does not provide adequate information on how people should protect themselves during pesticide applications. They only suggest staying indoors with the windows closed. This is highly inadequate.

Evaporative coolers and air conditioners are often running taking pesticide contaminated air and blowing it indoors. Closing windows with these appliances running will not keep the pesticides out of your home. Cooling systems need to be turned off or adjusted to recycle indoor air only. If cooling systems remain on people will have pesticide blown onto their bodies, furniture and carpets. Pesticide residue can remain on carpets for as long as two and a half months. Children crawling on that carpet will get a daily dose of pesticides absorbed through their skin and taken internally when they put their fingers in their mouths as long as that residue remains
Pesticide residue will be on everything following morning. When you walk outside your shoes will become contaminated and when you walk indoors, the pesticide residue will be carried indoors and deposited on carpets where it can remain for months posing a daily health threat to children.
The pesticide SYMVCD is using is designed to remain airborne and drift for hours. You need to remain indoors with windows shut and cooling systems off for several hours following applications. On hot summer nights the heat in homes could threaten peoples lives. People need to remove their shoes every time they come in from outdoors to prevent contamination of your home. It might be advisable to rinse off every outside surface to wash off any pesticide residue, however, that pesticide residue will then get washed into local waterways were as a recent scientific study reported it will double the toxicity of pesticides already contaminating out creeks, rivers and streams. SYMVCD is forcing you to choose to have your home landscape and garden contaminated or your local waterways.

The SYMVCD website states in their frequently asked question (FAQ) page, “Q. How will these products affect cats or dogs? A. This is the same material used to treat cats and dogs for fleas and ticks.” The Journal Of Pesticide Reform (spring 2002) states, “Cats are particularly susceptible to pyrethrin poisoning because their livers inefficiently detoxify this insecticide. As a consequence, there are a large number of poisoning incidents. Veterinarians summarizing calls made to an animal poison control center in 1986 found that pyrethrin-related incidents were more numerous than incidents involving any other insecticide. Symptoms of pyrethrin poisoning in cats include excessive salivation, altered behavior, depression, anorexia, and high body temperature.”
Another quote from the SYMVCD FAQ page states, Will the adult mosquito treatment affect my swimming pool water, lawn furniture, play equipment, toys, etc? A. Your swimming pool water and items found in your yard should not be affected. Applications are made in the very early morning hours or late evening hours, and pyrethrins break down rapidly in sunlight.” - They neglect to tell you that the other active ingredient which makes up 60 percent of the pesticide takes much longer to break down and is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a possible human carcinogen.
Continuing with their FAQ page, “What if I have a vegetable or fruit garden? A. Just as you normally would, wash your vegetables and fruit before you eat them.” - That does not help the thousands of organic gardeners and especially the local organic farmers who can no longer sell their products as organic.

For information about the safety of the two active ingredients used in the SYMVCD’s aerial spray program that they do not want you to know about go to:
www.pesticide.org/PyrethrinsPyrethrum.pdf and www.pesticide.org/PiperonylButoxide.pdf.