Pesticide Spray Compromise

June 25th, 2009 Posted in Organic & Chemical Pesticides




Mark Prado, a writer for the Marin Independent Journal, recently published an article citing that in West Marin, California, efforts are being made to rid the world of harmful pesticides. The 15 members of the West Marin Mosquito Control Coordinating Council convinced the district to sign a 5-year agreement that would prohibit the use of unhealthy pesticides and deploy only biological larvicides that kill mosquito larvae using naturally occurring bacteria.

The two sides of the battle have taken a hiatus, at least for now. Since 2004, environmentally-conscious West Marin and the Cotati-based mosquito district have quarreled over the use of toxic chemicals in the war against mosquitoes. A year later, the WMMCCC was formed. Meetings ensued, and an agreement that started out with a duration of a single year has now morphed into 5.

Jim Wanderscheid, manager of Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District said, “West Marin residents don’t want a lot of pesticides being sprayed.” And while people are nervous that the mosquitoes will spread the West Nile Virus, Wanderscheid asserts that no cases of the virus have been reported.

“Luckily, the high winds in West Marin make it hard for mosquitoes to do well here,” said Natalie Gates, co-chairwoman of the WMMCCC.

“We wanted to extend this because it has worked well and the district is fairly happy with it,” she added. “The district will only use pesticides that are low risk.”

We here at EcoSMART couldn’t be happier!

Quick Tips on Mosquito Prevention:
- Seal septic tanks
- Dispose of any standing water once a week
- Check tarps or old tires for standing water
- Monitor dairy waste ponds for mosquito problems
- Drain watering holes on a regular basis
- Clean clogged gutters
- Manage irrigation water effectively
- Fill tree holes

While not every community can pass agreements prohibiting harmful pesticides, you can do your part by refraining from using them in your home and yard. EcoSMART’s line of organic pest control products uses only naturally-occurring essential plant oils, and is proven to be safe, effective, and environmentally friendly.


Alyse Popp


organic pest control


  1. 15 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!

  2. By Mandy Manshum on Jun 26, 2009

    I am interested in the mosquito repelent but I was wondering about it’s ingrediants. My children and I have wheat, pine tree, and shellfish allergies so I wanted to make sure it would be ok for us to use. Thank you.

    Mandy

  3. By carina on Jul 9, 2009

    i need a safe way to rid my yard of pests. i have dogs so worry about chemicals. we have a lot of ants and earwigs. the earwigs keep eating my plants before they get a chance to get growing.

  4. By Amy Sturgeon on Jul 9, 2009

    We have 4 children in our family, but only 2 get bitten very often. The youngest, who’s 5, really reacts to mosquito bites – huge swelling, redness, etc. I’m nervous about traditional sprays because of their harmful chemicals, but my 2 vulnerable children (and me – mosquitoes like me too) can really become miserable during the summer. Thanks!

  5. By Lillian on Jul 9, 2009

    When camping I’m always concerned about using insect repellent, especially on my children. I’ve never heard of a toxin-free repellent that would work! This is a wonderful find!

  6. By JoBeth Butcher on Jul 9, 2009

    I have a small child and I would like to try the Misquito Repellent would it be O.K. for a 7 month old!

  7. By Heather on Jul 9, 2009

    I would love to find a safe bug repellent for my daughter. We live in an area that has got a lot of rain this spring and summer, which leaves a lot of standing water. The standing water attracts the misquitos like crazy. When my daughter gets bit, the area swells up more than a usual bite so I would like to try something safe for her to avoid the swollen itchies!

  8. By Mary on Jul 9, 2009

    The mosquitos are really bad at my house and so are the ants.i have a 4-month old baby that keeps getting bit up really bad and a two year old plus 2 dogs in my house so i’m scared to use anything that would harm any of us. I would love to try out this product if is safe.

  9. By Joann T. on Jul 9, 2009

    I am interesed in becoming an EcoSmart Product Tester because I am landscaping the front and backyards of my home using edible plants. I want to get rid of the pests without using chemicals that may be harmful to my family or my pets (My dog loves to lay in the flower bed).

  10. By robyn hancock on Jul 9, 2009

    my son-in-law ,who i live with , is in the pest control field in hiltonhead sc and is passionate about sco-friendly products to test,this would be very exciting for him !

  11. By sonya newcomb on Jul 9, 2009

    i live in the country and anyone who lives in the country knows we have more than our share of pesky critters whether it be crawling or flying. i have pets and grand children so im very concerned about the poisons on the market to rid in and outside unwanted visiters. the wasp are horrible as well as the ants, and the poisons on the market gets into their systems and if it doesnt kill them it gets into ours when they bite one of us putting that same poison into our bodies. we should not have to worry that we are harming ourselves in order to protect ourselves.

  12. By Jennifer on Jul 9, 2009

    The bugs are killing 30 acres of my land. I would really love to try this product.

  13. By Martha Lane on Jul 9, 2009

    I would like to know how to get rid of ants
    I have both kind red and black ants, I also have silverfish, and small black bugs. I want to use something safe to get rid of it.

    Thanks

  14. By melissa komara on Jul 10, 2009

    I refuse to pay for people to come out and spray and I have an ant and roach problem and I went and bought some home defense spray from Home depot and I sprayed around my house and it worked for a year and solved my problem. It was very inexpensive and saved me a lot of money from having someone come out.I am looking for other products though that may be smaller or more effective so I wuld ove to try your product on ants/roaches since i live in florida. I have heard many great things about your product so I can’t wait to try it!
    Thanks ;)

  15. By Dhanusha S on Jul 12, 2009

    I think its very important to have to have nontoxic ways of removing pests, including mosquitos. But it also important you remove them because of the various diseases they carry. Anything that is ecofriendly is wonderful because it helps the earth, and is not harmful to humans. And those steps are very useful to follow in order to ensure you are safe

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15 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers! (details)