Take Action! No Aerial Pesticide Spraying in Davis!

SYMVCD is under the assumption that prevention of West Nile virus transmission will be accomplished by aerial spraying of synthetic pyrethroid pesticides. The continued disruption of the predator-prey insect relationships via aerial pesticide spraying may not only be ineffective, it also could be counterproductive as beneficial predator species like dragonflies are reduced in greater numbers from pesticide exposure. The sole beneficiaries od aerial spraying may be the corporate pesticide manufacturer (Dow, DuPont, Bayer/Avetnis, BASF, Monsanto) subsidiaries and the mosquitos themselves who no longer fear the presence of their natural predator species, dragonflies..

"Predator-prey relationships can also be upset by pyrethroids. For example, a black fly predator, the caddisfly, is susceptible to permethrin at rates lower than those necessary to control blackfly. The same is true for a group of spider mite predators, the phytoseiid mites. These mites have an LD50 15 times lower than the spider mite pest.35 Chronic exposure from residual deposits on vegetation could have an effect on beneficial arthropod behavior and physiology.2,41"

article continues @;
http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Pyrethroids-Synthetic.htm

The reduction or predator insect populations from pesticide spraying and eventual (as in next season/year) recovery and resistance of pest insect populations to higher levels (lack of predator insects) than previous years is termed the "pesticide treadmill". This cycle of human dependency on petrochemically derived pesticides encourages continued manufacture of pesticides at stronger concentrations each yearly season to catch up with the evolving resistance of pest species and lowered predator insect populations.

The petrochemcial pesticide treadmill is recognized by both organic and conventional farmers as a great problem with maintaining a healthy ecosystem and remaining financially independant of pesticide manufacturers;

"Conventional farmers using toxic chemicals have found themselves embroiled in an endless battle with crop pests. Over 500 species of insects, 180 weeds and 150 fungi have developed resistance to the chemicals used to kill them off. Agbiotech companies continually develop new products to keep up with this resistance and keep farmers on the ‘chemical treadmill’. By focusing on managing rather than completely eliminating troublesome weeds and insects, organic farmers are able to maintain ecological balance and protect the environment. Organic cotton is now being grown in more than 18 countries worldwide. In the United States, approximately 10,000 acres of organic cotton were planted in 1998 in the Mid-South, Texas and California."

article cont's @;
http://www.organicconsumers.org/clothes/background.cfm

also;

"Broad-spectrum pesticides such as the organophosphorus, carbamate, and organochlorine insecticides destroy both pest and beneficial organisms indiscriminately, upsetting the balance between pest and predator insects. Many people believe that more insecticides mean fewer pests and higher crop yields. However, even though use of insecticides increased 10-fold from 1945 to 1989, crop losses from insects nearly doubled in the same time period, from 7% to 13%. In addition, the number of insect pests that are resistant to pesticides increased dramatically over the same time period. With fewer and fewer "effective" pesticides left in their arsenals, many growers are increasing the quantities of chemicals they apply to their crops. Others, however, are moving to non-toxic methods of pest control that focus on biological controls to solve their pest problems. Research and experience have shown that:

Beneficial organisms serve many valuable functions in an agricultural ecosystem, including pollination, soil aeration, nutrient cycling, and pest control.

Application of insecticides indiscriminately kills pests and beneficial organisms. Pest populations often recover rapidly because of their larger numbers and ability to develop resistance, but beneficial insects do not, resulting in a resurgence of the target pest as well as secondary pests that reproduce rapidly with no predators to check their numbers.

Resistance and resurgence often lead to escalation of pesticide applications, resulting in pests with even greater resistance to pesticides. The resulting "pesticide treadmill" has created resistance to broad-spectrum insecticides in more than 500 pest species nationwide."

article cont's @;
http://www.panna.org/resources/documents/disruptingSum.dv.html

The human health risks of pyrethroid pesticides are also documented, aerial spraying will greatly increase risks of exposure among human population. Pyrethroids mimic estrogen in structure and are absorbed by humans into tissue, resulting in increased breast cancer cell division (see pyrethroid fact sheet below)..

Please call Davis Mayor Sue Greenwald (530-756-5831) and ask her to support the proposition that allows Davis residents to opt out of aerial pesticide spraying. Currently Lamar Heystek is to only councilmember supporting the "opt out" proposition. Unfortunately PR propaganda by pesticide manufacturers is overwhelming enough that people are asking to be sprayed with pesticides, despite an unusually low number of mosquitos during the summer dry season. Please help counteract pro-pesticide propaganda by learning about hidden risks of pesticide spraying and emailing or calling Davis city council members and allowing Davis residents to opt out of aerial pesticide spraying..

Davis City council emails @;
http://www.city.davis.ca.us/meetings/agenda.cfm?c=18

Risks of aerial pesticide spraying to human and greater ecosystem health are serious (residue on trees, house roof, etc..), though aerial spraying uses the largest QUANTITY of pesticides (sold to county with mucho corporate glee) it is most ineffective at reaching target species;

"
"Treating mosquitoes with spray is . . . analogous to trying to machinegun mosquitoes in flight as opposed to attacking their life support while they are relatively fixed in the water. The former is mathematically difficult to impossible and dangerous. The latter, while requiring more thinking, is less dangerous and very effective (as shown by data) . . . "

Martin Walter, Professor of Mathematics, University of Colorado, Boulder. "

for more info visit No Spray Sacramento @;
http://www.stopwestnilesprayingnow.org/


synthetic pyrethroid fact sheet @;
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/infoservices/pesticidefactsheets/toxic/pyrethroid.htm

sample text;

"Many pyrethroids have also been linked to disruption of the endocrine system, which can adversely affect reproduction and sexual development, interfere with the immune system and increase chances of breast cancer. Pyrethroids contain human-made, or xenoestrogens, which can increase the amount of estrogen in the body (Garey et al., 1998). When tested, certain pyrethroids demonstrate significant estrogenicity and increase the levels of estrogen in breast cancer cells (Go et al., 1999). Because increased cell division enhances the chances for the formation of a malignant tumor in the breast, artificial hormones, like those found in pyrethroids, may increase breast cancer risk (PCBR, 1996). Some pyrethroids are classified by EPA as class C (possible human) carcinogens."

disruption of predator-prey relationship;

"Predator-prey relationships can also be upset by pyrethroids. For example, a black fly predator, the caddisfly, is susceptible to permethrin at rates lower than those necessary to control blackfly. The same is true for a group of spider mite predators, the phytoseiid mites. These mites have an LD50 15 times lower than the spider mite pest.35 Chronic exposure from residual deposits on vegetation could have an effect on beneficial arthropod behavior and physiology.2,41"

article continues @;
http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Pyrethroids-Synthetic.htm

The latest news is that SYMVCD is planning on spraying 'deltamethrin', one of many variations of the pyrethroid synthetics. It is often difficult to trace the patenting process of various generic pesticide brands, as several corporations may be involved in manufacture of similar products with different names. What is understood is the heavy handed tactics of corporations like Dow, DuPont , Monsanto, BASF and Bayer/Aventis with their mulitple subsidiary corporations in influencing public policy to their financial advantage..

Whenever a recent pesticide slides into the market niche in the US, we are told that "THIS time it is safe", despite similar promises of older pesticides that were proven over time to be correlated with cancers, mutations, hormone disruptions, etc..

The EU has similar problems with bowing down to political pressure from pesticide manufacturers;

"It seems strange that the European Commission is now proposing to approve these harmful pesticides when barely six months ago it had serious concerns about their safety. In several letters dated August 2005, the registrants, including multinationals such as Bayer, DuPont, BASF and Dow, were informed that the Commission was 'considering the possible non-inclusion of the substance'. "

article cont's @;
http://www.cbgnetwork.de/1307.html

We recognize that despite their public relations efforts at being composed of benevolent scientists who's sole desire is to help humanity prosper, the underlying theme of pesticide manufacturers like Dow, DuPont, Bayer/Aventis, etc.. is financial profits based on continued dependency of farmers and county/city "vector control" districts on their ecosystemj disrupting products..

brief case history of sociopathic Bayer;

http://www.endgame.org/dtc/b.html

"BAYER

5090 Leverkusen, Bayerwerk, Germany
49-214-301

U.S. Headquarters: Miles Inc., One Mellon Center, 500 Grant St., Pittsburgh PA 15219
telephone 412-394-5500

World War I: Bayer made the first poison gas used by Germany in World War I; Bayer's U.S. operations were seized in 1917 and sold to Sterling Drug.

World War II: Bayer was part of the I.G. Farben trust; it again lost part of its operations when I.G. Farben was broken up after World War II, but became an independent company in 1951.

Bayer's U.S. operations (Bayer, Miles, Mobay, and Agfa) were merged into the name Miles in 1992. Health care provided over half of Bayer's 1991 income, but it is also involved in chemicals, dyes, food additives, film and lab equipment, plastics, rubber, and consumer products (Cutter's insect repellant, Flintstones vitamins, S.O.S. soap pads, Alka-Seltzer antacid, etc).

BAYERwatch is devoted to monitoring the violations of human and environmental rights caused by this company."

http://www.cbgnetwork.de/