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Rachel Carson Council News No. 91

Spring 1999

Feature article: Wildlife, Pesticides and People
'Cide Lines
Wetlands of Wonder & Worth
RCC Reporting
Rachel, a poem
Cats & Pesticides: Great Caution Needed
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Wildlife, Pesticides and People

A Conference Sponsored by the Rachel Carson Council at George Mason University, 1998
Excerpts and Updates: Part I by Dr. Diana Post, Executive Director, Rachel Carson Council, Inc.

Conference proceedings books are still available from RCC

Introduction

On September 25 and 26, 1998, Rachel Carson Council, Inc., in conjunction with George Mason University's Department of Biology, held a conference on Wildlife, Pesticides and People. Twenty-eight outstanding scientists from academia, government and environmental organizations made presentations to over 160 attendees from 23 states and 2 foreign countries. The conference was dedicated to Lee Rogers Esq., RCC Board Member and devoted environmental lawyer, tragically killed March 10, 1998.

The body of information compiled in just two days is sufficiently troubling so as to shake to their very core any notions that wildlife can be safe from pesticide toxicity if use of these chemicals continues at the present rate.

Most speakers advocated Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as a way of dealing with unwanted species while reducing chemical use.

Topics ranged from mode of action and environmental fate of chemical pesticides to the hazards they pose for wildlife such as: invertebrates, fish, birds, mammals, fungi and plants. Most naturally occurring non-target vegetation including trees and wild flowers have been given virtually no protection from herbicides by pesticide regulators. Beneficial insects (except for honeybees) and beneficial fungi are not considered when pesticide toxicity is evaluated by regulators. Although avians are included in pre-registration toxicity tests they are still threatened. An estimated 67 million birds are killed yearly by pesticides in the U.S. Chemicals too toxic for use in our own country, but freely available abroad threaten migratory birds journeying thousands of miles from the Arctic to the Southern Hemisphere. Tiny, obscure but essential aquatic invertebrates are highly vulnerable to commonly-occurring low levels of pesticides in our streams, lakes and rivers. Even marine mammals with few natural enemies are at risk from the persistent pesticides that gradually accumulate in their tissues. Indirect effects of pesticides predicted by Rachel Carson are beginning to receive documentation. Herbicides intended for plants can indirectly affect insects. Insecticides, by killing off pollinating insects, can lead to reductions in plants. Both herbicides and insecticides have indirectly reduced bird populations.

Summaries of Conference Presentations, Part I

Note: Significant Conference Findings Part II will include: "Regulatory Aspects of Pesticides and Wildlife" (Pesticide Regulation and the EPA, Economic Analysis of Pesticides by the EPA, The Endangered Species Act and The Migratory Bird Treaty Act); "Pesticides and Gypsy Moth Control;" "Pesticides and Amphibians;" "Pesticides and Marine Mammals;" "Monocrotophos and Swainson's Hawks;" "Veterinary Pesticides and Wildlife;" "Pesticides, Wildlife and Human Health;" and "More Wildlife Working Wonders."


Summary At a Glance

1) Nearly All Surface Water is Contaminated with Chemical Pesticides

2) Chemical Pesticides Promote Pests by Killing Beneficial Insects

3) Direct and Indirect Effects of Chemical Pesticides

4) Wildlife Losses Directly Related to Pesticides Are Estimated to Cost Billions of Dollars

5) Effects of Pesticides on: Aquatic Invertebrates, Plants, Fish, Fungi and Birds

5a) The Value of Current Methods for Predicting Pesticide Toxicity to Aquatic Invertebrates
5b) Super-Potent Herbicides Harm Distant Trees. No Methods Exist to Detect Their Presence
5c) Early Life Stages of Game Fish at Risk from Herbicides and Insecticides
5d) Effects on Beneficial Mycorrhizal Fungi Are Not Factored Into EPA's Environmental Evaluation of Pesticides
5e) Pesticides and Birds Parts I and II

6) Endocrine Disruptors

7) Notes on Wildlife at Work

1) Nearly All Surface Water is Contaminated with Chemical Pesticides

Robert Gilliom of the U.S. Geological Survey reported that in nearly every sample of stream water from a developed watershed, researchers found one or more pesticide contaminants. Based on toxicity data for individual chemicals, pesticide levels during certain times of the year have been found sufficiently high to threaten water-dwelling organisms. Moreover, as reported by Dr. Keith Cooper, another conference speaker, a pesticide mixture can pose a greater hazard than the aggregate toxicity of its constituents would indicate, due to interaction among its components (synergism). Urban streams were found to have higher organophosphate insecticide levels (the organophosphates diazinon and chlorpyrifos were found most often) and agricultural streams to have higher herbicide levels (with atrazine as the leading chemical detected). In each case levels of breakdown products could exceed levels of the parent compounds by 50 to 100 times. (Some of these breakdown products are more toxic than the parent chemicals!) For 11 streams, the concentration of dissolved pesticides in the water was the most reliable predictor of endocrine disruption in the resident carp.

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2) Chemical Pesticides Promote Pests by Killing Beneficial Insects

Dr. William Quarles of the Bio-lntegral Resource Center discussed the effects that chemical insecticides can have on natural enemies of insect pests, the so-called beneficial insects. Regrettably, beneficial insects appear to be more easily poisoned by insecticides than are the targeted pests. As explained by Dr. Quarles this enhanced sensitivity to the toxic effects of chemicals on the part of beneficials has contributed to the higher levels of pesticide-resistant insect pests. Over 500 instances of pesticide-resistant pest insects have been found while only 30 cases of beneficial insect resistance to pesticides have been documented. An early study found that heavy applications of DDT in citrus trees resulted in enhanced growth of scale, an insect pest. Removal of the beneficial insects by hand from citrus tree limbs in a parallel experiment resulted in growth of the scale pest to a level approximating the DDT-treated tree limbs. When, in both cases the beneficial insects which had effectively controlled the scale pest infestations were eliminated, the pest was able to thrive. Pest problems from spider mites and other invertebrates have been linked to the use of DDT and the broad spectrum insecticides which followed after 1972. EPA does not require the testing of insecticides for their effects on beneficial insects, which act as natural pest controls and are vital members of the ecosystem. More attention needs to be paid to these important organisms.

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3) Direct and Indirect Effects of Chemical Pesticides

Here is a catalogue of effects that pesticides can exert, followed by examples taken from Silent Spring as well as from the Conference presentations of Drs. Ewald and Nabhan describing pesticides' indirect effects on wildlife.

Overview of pesticides' effects on wildlife

Like a handful of stones hitting the water from a single toss, release of a pesticide formulation into the environment produces ripples of change. The effects can be described as pesticidal and as "chemicidal" (the latter are toxic effects related to the chemical action of the pesticide). These effects can be due to actions by the active ingredients, breakdown products, contaminants and/or inert ingredients. The effects can be both direct and indirect.

Direct effects may be immediate and fatal or non-fatal. They can be delayed, as with a tree's reduced fruit yield or an animal's developmental disorders, immune system dysfunction, liver or kidney failure or cancer. Indirect effects exerted over time are by their very nature, delayed actions.

Direct Pesticidal Effects

Chemical pesticides can act directly in their intended way on organisms related to the target pest. Examples of this are: herbicides poisoning trees and underwater grasses; fungicides poisoning beneficial intracellular mycorrhizal fungi which produce glomalin.

Direct "Chemicidal" Effects Related to the Primary Mode of Action

Chemical pesticides can act directly in a "chemicidal" way associated with their pesticidal mode of action on organisms not structurally related to the targeted pests. Examples of this are: organophosphate insecticides poisoning the nervous systems of birds, aquatic invertebrates, fish and human beings or anticoagulant (warfarin-type) rodenticides preventing blood clotting in birds or mammals.

Direct "Chemicidal" Effects Unrelated to the Primary Mode of Action

Pesticides behaving as toxic chemicals can have "chemicidal" effects bearing little relationship to the pesticidal mode of action. Examples include the herbicide 2,4-D acting as a nervous system poison, the herbicide, paraquat, acting as a respiratory system poison and carcinogenic pesticides such as the fungicides benomyl and chlorothalonil.

Indirect Pesticide Effects: Examples from Silent Spring, Dr. Julie Ewald and Dr. Gary Nabhan

Indirect actions of pesticides were reported by Rachel Carson in Silent Spring. The most dramatic case from Clear Lake, California involved the Western grebe and was researched by Dr. Robert Rudd. DDD (a relative of DDT) was repeatedly sprayed over the lake to kill gnats. After years of bioaccumulation beginning with the plankton, which had absorbed the poison from the water, through the progressively larger fish species, DDD reached life threatening levels in the tissues of the fish-eating grebes, described by Rachel Carson as birds of "spectacular appearance and beguiling habits." The concentration of DDD in the grebes' bodies reached over 80,000 times that of the water. The birds' population was reduced from 1,000 nesting pairs prior to the insecticide applications to just 30 (most of which did not successfully reproduce) 10 years later. Chlorinated hydrocarbons such as DDT are still contaminating our environment due to previous as well as present-day usage. They can be carried on the wind, in the ocean currents or in the tissues of migrating animals to every part of the planet.

In India thousands of tons of DDT were used to control malarial mosquitoes between 1995 and 1996. A recent report shows that large numbers of vultures there are dying and have high levels of DDT in their carcasses. Vultures are at the same level of the food chain as humans and serve as sentinels warning of greater pesticide hazards through indirect effects unless there is a change in the Indian government's pesticide policy.

Partridge Populations Plummet When Pesticides Eliminate Insects

Dr. Julie Ewald from England reported on indirect effects of herbicides and insecticides on birds. She explained a different type of indirect effect by pesticides that, unlike DDT, do not bioaccumulate. However, these chemicals were applied regularly over a long time span. Her presentation showed that it is not necessary for pesticides to bioaccumulate in the food chain (as with DDD and DDT) in order to produce indirect effects if such chemicals are applied with sufficient frequency. A thirty year study in Sussex found that continuous agricultural applications of even short-lived chemicals created conditions capable of reducing partridge populations. Coveys of grey partridge had lived at the field edges in Sussex for hundreds of years before wide-spread use of herbicides eliminated plants essential for insect cover and food. Broad spectrum insecticides further reduced insect populations. The lack of available insects during the birds' first two weeks of life turns out to be the chief reason for diminished numbers of the grey partridge. Young partridge must consume insects in order to thrive. The study's conclusions were further supported by the finding that planting field perimeters in native wild flowers to foster insect populations seems to have the potential for reversing the decline of the grey partridge in Sussex.

Loss of Pollinators by Insecticides Results in Declines of Rare Desert Plants

Dr. Gary Nabhan from the Sonoran Desert Museum in Arizona described the indirect effects of insecticides on plants through reduction of essential pollinators. In his own words, "Rachel Carson not only worried that pesticides would create 'silent springs' where no bees droned among the blossoms [but she also recognized that where] there was no pollination...there would be no fruit." He further stated, "Lethal and other effects such as behavior changes, have been associated with bee exposure to currently-used pesticides. In 1995 the USDA declared that we are facing the worst pollination crisis in American history. Insecticide and herbicide spraying causing chemical habitat fragmentation, could impact the over 5,000 species of native wild pollinators nesting in wild lands adjacent to the croplands." Certain Arizona farms have used conservation areas to help rehabilitate wildlife populations damaged by pesticides.

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4) Economic Impacts of Wildlife Loss Due to Pesticides

Dr. David Pimentel of Cornell University, the Conference Keynote Speaker, in his manuscript "Economic and Environmental Costs of Pesticide Use," provided estimates of the cost in economic terms of pesticide use in the United States:

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5) Effects of Pesticides on: Aquatic Invertebrates, Plants, Fish, Fungi and Birds

5a) The Value of Current Methods for Predicting Pesticide Toxicity to Aquatic Invertebrates

Dr. Keith Cooper of Rutgers University described pesticides' effects on aquatic invertebrate organisms, like the tiny water flea, existing near the bottom of food chains. Although these insects are among the most vulnerable species to pesticides' effects, their loss within a stream or lake is usually not readily apparent until the more visible fish species decline or a recreational feature is disturbed. By then it may be too late to remedy the situation. Frequently, aquatic invertebrates exist in contact with low levels of combinations of chemicals. Knowing the toxicities of chemicals considered singly and added together might not be sufficient to predict the risk that their concurrent presence poses to aquatic invertebrates. Researchers have found that toxic effects of low-level combinations of certain chemical pesticides can be greater than the sum of the effects of the individual components. When the herbicide atrazine is combined with certain organophosphates, the resulting lethality to aquatic invertebrates is higher than could be predicted from the toxicities of the individual chemicals because of synergistic effects among the components. This is not only worrisome for the extremely vulnerable aquatic invertebrates but for all organisms in an aquatic environment and those who depend on them.

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5b) Super-Potent Herbicides Harm Distant Trees. No Methods Exist to Detect Their Presence

Richard Petrie offered some of the most startling revelations of the conference in his presentation and in a manuscript by Petrie, Schneider and Czerkowicz, "Plants and Pesticides" reprinted in the proceedings book. His work stresses the importance of plants and their need for protection so that they can continue to provide essential services.

Rain and fog frequently carry herbicides such as atrazine to the forests, the Chesapeake Bay and our own farms and gardens. Yet the EPA requires no testing of herbicides' toxic effects on woody plants or underwater grasses. Only non-target crop-type plants and aquatic algae have been routinely included in the Agency's required test groups.

New and very powerful sulfonylurea herbicides have been registered without requirements for testing on trees or without the development of a chemical test for detecting them in the environment. Many of these sulfonylurea herbicides have half-lives in years, are widely used, and are reported to have damaged woody plants at a fraction (1/100 to 1/10,000) of the label dose. As described in the "Plants and Pesticides" manuscript: "Following grower complaints of yield losses in cherry and apricot orchards downwind from wheat fields treated with chlorsulfuron, a sulfonylurea herbicide, the EPA conducted limited tests on cherry trees and chlorsulfuron. Reduced cherry yields were observed the year following the application of chlorsulfuron at 1/500 the label rate...a 1/10,000th dilution of chlorsulfuron sulfonylurea label dosage resulted in the inhibition of seed production in crop plants..." (p.12)

According to Richard Petrie, two important ecosystems, the Great Lakes and the Chesapeake Bay, threatened by contamination, will not have restoration of their commercial and recreational resources until the plant life is renewed to previous historic levels (Petrie, et al). A recent report confirmed that the underwater grasses are seriously deficient in the Chesapeake Bay. From various sources we know that pesticides are continually present in the Chesapeake Bay. There is clear evidence that critical data is lacking for an accurate picture of pesticides' effects on plants.

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5c) Early Life Stages of Game Fish at Risk from Herbicides and Insecticides

Eric Paul explained that numbers of the game fish muskellunge in a New York lake decreased following widespread introduction of an herbicide to control underwater grasses. Research performed at New York State's Rome Field Station showed that concentrations of the herbicide diquat, produced when the label recommendations were followed could be toxic to early life-stages of fish. After labeling changes lowered the use levels in New York State the muskellunge populations showed signs of recovery.

Eric Paul has researched the effect of insecticides used to control mosquitoes on the early life stages of trout. He found that at non-lethal levels pyrethrins reduced the swimming ability of young fish. The ability was further diminished when the synergist, piperonyl butoxide, which enhances the action of the pyrethrin, was present as would be true for a great many final pesticide formulations. Final formulation tests are not required to include fish. Active ingredient toxicity tests on fish do not reflect hazards of any synergists found in final formulations. The enhanced toxicity for young fish of formulations with synergists over and above that of the active ingredient alone needs to be considered when pesticides' impact on wild fish are being estimated. Recommended application rates may need to be revised in light of this research.

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5d) Effects on Beneficial Mycorrhizal Fungi Are Not Factored into EPA's Environmental Evaluation of Pesticides

Dr. Sara Wright with the USDA has shown the important role played by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. She discovered that these fungi produce glomalin, a protein that contributes to soil fertility by facilitating the aggregation of fine soil particles. Glomalin, as it was named by Dr. Wright, has also been called soil superglue. Pesticides can interfere with glomalin production. Mycorrhizal fungi living within in the root cells of plants can be harmed by fungicides or indirectly by the herbicides which poison the host plant. Canadian authorities intend to require the preregistration testing of pesticides for effects on glomalin production. Although our own EPA has not yet established such a policy, we need to be aware of the potential for pesticides to harm these organisms.

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5e) Pesticides and Birds: Part I

Dr. Pierre Mineau of the Canadian Wildlife Service, Dr. Mike Hooper of Texas Tech University, Dr. Nimish Vyas of Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and Dr. Jewell Bennet of the Fish and Wildlife Service, internationally-known avian toxicologists presented findings on the effects of pesticides on birds. Recognizing our society's reverence for wild birds and the body of research data on how pesticides affect them, the Conference devoted a significant amount of time to this subject.

Birds by their very nature are vulnerable to the direct toxicity of organophosphate (OP) and carbamate insecticides. Dr. Mineau explained that the greatest direct threat to birds comes from these pesticides. His research shows that with complex mixtures of pesticides used in orchards, the breeding success of birds is inversely correlated with the levels of organophosphates and carbamates.

An example of the lethal effects of these chemicals is the deaths of an estimated 20,000 Swainson's Hawks in Argentina resulting from the use of monocrotophos and other organophosphates. Although monocrotophos may no longer be used in our own country, it can still be manufactured here and sold abroad.

Songbirds, especially, can suffer what Dr. Mineau calls invisible mortality. These small creatures do not die in a pile but can die where no one will find them, so that confirmation of pesticide involvement in the death is not possible. Another effect following continuous use of chemical pesticides is degradation of the land to such a degree that no bird populations can be supported in the surrounding areas, so that no birds die there.

Dr. Mineau noted that for certain pesticide products the harm they cause doesn't depend on how they are used, but only whether certain birds are in the vicinity when applications take place. With the granular pesticides even one particle can be fatal to certain birds. In December 1998 we heard that all uses of granular carbofuran in Canada had been canceled. This is wonderful news, but because birds migrate, even if all the granular organophosphate products were banned in the U.S. and Canada, they would still represent a significant threat to birds since they are sold all over the world.

Under the current practice of pesticide registration each country is free to establish conditions of use. Lax standards in one country could prove fatal to migratory birds which are cherished and protected by high standards in another. Drs. Hooper, Mineau and Vyas emphasized the need for uniform protection from pesticide poisoning all along migratory routes in the Americas and beyond. Accumulated knowledge about a pesticide product should be available through a world-wide data bank and utilized for pesticide registration instead of each country being treated as a new situation.

Dr. Mineau explained that the concept of tolerating or allotting a certain number of birds to be killed by pesticides is not acceptable because science does not allow us to set such limits. Dr. Bennet noted that in the U.S. under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act it is illegal to kill even one migratory bird with a pesticide.

5e) Pesticides and Birds: Part 2

Dr. Nimish Vyas of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Institute compared our knowledge of pesticides' adverse effects on birds to a pyramid-shaped iceberg (in which the widest portion remains unseen). The tip of the pyramid represents mortality events that have been observed, reported and confirmed. The pyramid base represents the majority of pesticide-related avian mortality which goes undetected. The lack of documentation for most such fatalities is due to a number of factors. Up to 92% of the bird carcasses may be scavenged and removed from the site of the pesticide kill within the first 24 hours. Once a bird kill is observed, it must be reported to appropriate state and federal wildlife authorities so that a systematic carcass search and sample collection can be conducted. Often a mortality event may go unreported when an observer finds only one or two carcasses. If the event is reported there is often a time lag between poisoning and collection of carcasses by wildlife professionals. This invariably reduces the chance of collecting samples suitable for laboratory analysis.

There is great need for public awareness that pesticides may be involved when a dead bird is found. But unless there is a reliable method carried out by knowledgeable professionals of investigating and compiling such reports the public could become frustrated and cynical about the value of vigilance.

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6) Endocrine Disruptors

Dr. Theo Colborn of the World Wildlife Fund spoke on disruption of the endocrine system by pesticides. In 1992, 40% of the pesticides tested were designated as endocrine disruptors. Five years later that number had increased to 60%. Two of the most widely used herbicides (atrazine and 2,4-D) have been classified as endocrine disruptors by Dr. Colborn's group. There is special concern about the sulfonylurea herbicides since they are from the same chemical class as drugs which affect thyroid and pancreatic functions in people. In addition, these new sulfonylurea herbicides are used at much lower concentrations than are other herbicides, and chemical tests are not available to detect some of the most widely used sulfonylureas such as chlorsulfuron once they have been released into the environment. Dr. Colborn cited a study showing that herbicides have been associated with birth abnormalities in both farmers and non-farm residents living in high pesticide use agricultural areas of Minnesota (Dr. V. Carry, et al, "Pesticide appliers, biocides and birth defects in rural Minnesota," EHP, v 104, #4, April 1996).

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7) Notes on Wildlife at Work

Thoreau called wilderness, "the raw material for civilization." Although a number of natural areas have become chemically fragmented through loss of biodiversity from pesticide use since Thoreau's time, certainly many areas still support vital life-sustaining processes. People today are beginning to realize our dependence on the wild organisms which are capable of producing these services and the responsibility on our shoulders to protect them from further degradation as well as to help chemically-damaged areas regenerate into healthy ecosystems.

The term "beneficial" as used by environmentalists traditionally refers to those insects acting as natural enemies of pests. The Conference showed that "beneficial" can also refer to plants, insects, fungi, reptiles, amphibians and bacteria which by their very existence maintain ecosystems and make the earth livable for people.

Wild plants generate oxygen and food. They regulate the air and water temperatures and help make the earth suitable for people and other living organisms. Recent reports indicate that trees may absorb twice as much pollution each year as was earlier believed.

Approximately one third of all human food is dependent on pollinators. Pollination is required for increased crop yields and increased quality of fruits and vegetables. (pp.130-131 Pimentel)

Dr. Rosen of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem estimates that 90% of the control of pest species achieved in agricultural and natural ecosystems is due to natural processes. Dr. Pimentel of Cornell University puts the number at about 50%. Natural enemies of insect pests include pest-control insects, pest-control nematodes, pest-control fungi and pest-control birds as well as others.

Birds provide a valuable service to growers and to the public through controlling insects. A case in point occurred in China during the 1950s. Chinese officials grew concerned that flocks of birds were allegedly devouring large amounts of grain. They declared any sparrow-like perching bird to be a major scourge. "With regimented enthusiasm" the citizens killed over 800,000 birds. As a consequence there were major outbreaks of insect pests. Realizing their mistake the leaders changed course and removed small birds from the list of scourges. (Baskin, Y. The Work of Nature. Island Press. Washington, DC. pp.42-43) It is difficult to know precisely how the killing of birds by pesticides relates to pest insect populations. However, the estimated bird losses due to pesticides given by Dr. Pimentel, 67 million per year, far exceeds the 800,000 bird deaths in China that resulted in greater insect numbers.

It has been estimated that before 1880 resident oysters in the Chesapeake Bay were able to filter all the Bay's water in 2-3 days. In 1988 the time required for oysters to provide the same service was 325 days or 100-fold longer. We do not know what effect pesticides may have had on the loss of water filtering service provided by these bivalves. We have determined that pesticides have been identified as toxic to mollusks.

We know that many vital services from nature are threatened by chemical pesticides, and that biological alternatives to the use of chemicals for control of unwanted species are underutilized. More attention needs to be given to the urgent problems resulting from the use of chemical pesticides.
~ May 1999

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'Cide Lines

1. The Menace to Monarchs from Alien Corn: What Can Be Done [logo]

2. Citizens and Salmon: Partners in Pollution Prevention

3. Hazards of Low Level Pesticide/Fertilizer Combinations

4. A Dilemma Solved and Help Acknowledged

5. When the Rain in Spain is a Shame

6. Beefing Up Organic Commodities and Organic Farm Land

7. New Light on Plant Cooperation

8. California's Lizards Prevent Lyme Disease!

9. Three New Pesticide Products

10. The New Yorker: Authority or Authoritarian?

11. Natural Does Not Necessarily Mean Safer In All Respects

12. Singers, Songbirds and Coffee

13. Birds at Risk from Insect Sticky Traps Used Outdoors

14. The Fumigation Chamber: From 1988 to 1999

15. The Violent 'Cides of Pest Control

16. A Turtle Among Friends

( 1 ) The Menace to Monarchs from Alien Corn: What Can Be Done

Rachel Carson was inspired by the monarch butterflies she described as "brightly fluttering bits of life" after she watched for the last time in her life their migration past her beloved Newagen Point in Maine.

Now these beautiful, fragile creatures which are among our most treasured species have sent a warning of a lethal threat to caterpillars posed by genetically engineered corn containing the B.t. toxin. Transgenic B.t. corn makes the toxic protein from the Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) bacteria in each plant cell including pollen. The B.t. protein is highly toxic to monarch caterpillars. How does corn pollen reach the milkweed -- exclusive food of the monarch? Being a grass, corn is pollinated by the wind, which can blow the pollen more than 60 yards from the field. Milkweed grows on the periphery of fields. In a laboratory study by John E. Losey of Cornell University, nearly half of the monarch caterpillars died after feeding on milkweed leaves dusted with pollen from the B.t. corn, while all the caterpillars fed normal corn pollen survived. (Losey, J.E., et al, "Transgenic pollen harms monarch larvae" Nature, V399, May 20, 1999)

A study at Iowa State found that monarch larvae died after being fed milkweed leaves harvested from a plant located one meter from a field planted in B.t. transgenic corn. 'None were harmed by eating leaves washed of the pollen." (Wall Street Journal, "Modified corn seed hurt butterfly in test," May 20,1999)

Last year more than 7 million acres of B.t. transgenic corn were planted by U.S. farmers (twenty million acres are projected for this year). The corn was created so as to eliminate a European corn borer feeding anywhere on the plant.

Some of the other 19 species of moths and butterflies on the U.S. Endangered Species list may also be at risk if they eat plants growing near transgenic B.t. corn fields. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) did not require companies to test the effect of the pollen on monarchs or any other nonpest butterflies or moths before allowing transgenic B.t. corn on the market. (Dr. Jane Rissler, Union of Concerned Scientists)

Beneficial insects such as the lacewing are vulnerable to indirect hazards from B.t. corn as well. The lacewings preying on the corn borers which were reared on B.t. corn died more quickly than controls. (from #18 'Cide Lines, RCC News #90)

In fact hundreds of other species could be directly and indirectly adversely affected by transgenic B.t. corn.

What can you do? Starting at once you can buy certified organic produce which is not permitted to be genetically engineered. You can also write to Carol Browner, Administrator, USEPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460 with the following urgent requests:

Glossary of terms:

B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a bacteria which produces a toxic protein lethal to caterpillars due to a unique condition in the caterpillar intestinal tract. The gene for the B.t. protein has been transplanted into a corn plant producing transgenic B.t. corn. This is a patented life form.

A Transgenic plant is one in which a genetic engineered method has been used to insert foreign genetic material (DNA). In the case of the B.t. transgenic corn the genetic material comes from bacteria.

Genetic Engineering is based on the technology which makes possible the ability to move genetic material (DNA) from one organism (a virus, fungus or animal) to another organism (a plant, animal or bacteria). Totally new life forms can be created by this technology. Thus these novel life forms can be patented.

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( 2 ) Citizens and Salmon: Partners in Pollution Prevention

Some of the most serious hazards for both humans and aquatic organisms, virtually ignored until recently, can come from non-fatal concentrations of various chemical pesticides. Actual amounts of the herbicide atrazine, and the insecticides malathion, chlorpyrifos and carbaryl not great enough to kill salmon could produce negative effects on food supply, growth, reproductive success, behavior and schooling of these valuable fish. Such levels were found in the Willamette River Basin of Washington State. (Ewing, R.D., "Diminishing Returns: Salmon Decline and Pesticides, "1999, Oregon Pesticide Education Network p.39) Pesticides' aquatic life criteria (pesticide concentrations in water that, if exceeded, are considered dangerous for the aquatic food chain) were surpassed 22 times between 1996 and 1998 in various sites in Oregon, Washington, California and Idaho. (PTCN, 3-11-99, p.4) Of the 118 pesticides typically looked for in water quality studies, only 20 (17%) have been assigned aquatic life criteria by the USEPA. (Larson, S.J., et al, 1997. Pesticides in Surface Waters. Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, MI.) Since many pesticides in use today lack USEPA aquatic life criteria standards, the real pesticide impact could be far worse than the above calculations would indicate.

By banning DDT in 1972 people saved salmon from that chemical hazard but salmon populations are now threatened with extinction apparently in part due to other pesticides. People are also in danger from these chemicals both directly in their drinking water and indirectly through damage to ecosystem services. Tragically, salmon can contribute significantly to reversing pesticide pollution by becoming listed as a threatened species. This listing which has already taken place should result in laws requiring reductions in fertilizers and pesticides and in new restrictions on building near streams and rivers.

Seattle Mayor Paul Schell is making natural lawn care the new Northwest ethic that will eventually extend to all city property. Seattle will grasscycle by leaving clippings on the lawn, switch to organic fertilizers, use less water, and work towards minimal pesticide use. Mayor Schell announced that residents "are in a position to clean up our land, air and water without leaving their front yard...[and] with the federal listing of the Chinook that we have an opportunity, both individually and collectively, to significantly reduce the impact we have on some of our most vital resources."

From ancient Indian legends to the present day, many people have endowed the salmon with power. Let's hope that a modern miracle will result in pure water from teaming of citizens with this great fish.

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( 3 ) Hazards of Low Level Pesticide/Fertilizer Combinations

"Common [pesticide/fertilizer] mixtures not the standard one-chemical-at-a-time experiments... show biological effects at current concentrations in groundwater," according to Dr. Warren Porter. Laboratory tests have found that a mixture of two pesticides, aldicarb (carbamate), atrazine (triazine) and a fertilizer, nitrate, when in combination can have effects on mammalian endocrine, immune and nervous system functions. Changes rarely occurred in the presence of single compounds. Levels tested were at slightly over the current maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for the three compounds. These combinations commonly found in groundwater, may have a broad range of effects on human and animal health. USEPA does not require tests for toxicity of commonly occurring pesticide mixtures. (Porter, W.P., et al, "Endocrine, immune and behavioral effects of aldicarb (carbamate), atrazine (triazine) and nitrate (fertilizer) mixtures at groundwater concentrations," Toxicology & Industrial Health (1999)15, 133-150).

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( 4 ) A Dilemma Solved and Help Acknowledged

We at RCC invest much time and effort preparing what we hope to be helpful information for the public. We especially appreciate when the favor is returned. We want to thank Mary Golarz who alerted the Council to the problem of offgassing plastic-coated screens. Mary, your caring concern in notifying RCC of this unusual problem saved my husband and I much time and effort when our own screens began to give off a volatile chemical. We are most grateful to you for providing this valuable help. Many thanks again, from Diana and Cliff.

If your house has suddenly developed a chemical odor, if you have plastic window screens or you want more information on this fascinating subject, please contact RCC for a full report.

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( 5 ) When the Rain in Spain is a Shame

"European rain is so full of toxic pesticides that much of it is too dangerous to drink," say Swiss researchers. "Concentrations of dangerous substances in rain exceed the limit for drinking water set by the European Union and Switzerland, they say." (Colin Haskin, "Pesticide Showers," The Globe and Mail Newspaper, April 10, 1999)

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( 6 ) Beefing Up Organic Commodities and Organic Farm Land

This year (1999), the USDA has decided that certain meat and poultry products qualify for labeling as organic. These commodities join the other food and fiber products which are also certified as organic. Responding to consumer demand U.S. Agricultural Land certified as organic jumped 63% from 1995 to 1997. Nearly 1.5 million acres of land were certified organic in 1997. (From AgriSystems International & The Organic Trade Association)

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( 7 ) New Light on Plant Cooperation

"The earth's vegetation is part of a web of life in which there are intimate and essential relations between plants and the earth, [and] between plants and plants...Sometimes we have no choice but to disturb these relationships, but we should do so thoughtfully, with full awareness that what we do may have consequences remote in time and place." Rachel Carson, Silent Spring.

Cooperation and positive interactions between plants are now believed to play a greater role in plant communities than was previously thought. This understanding can be the key to successful remediation of damaged ecosystems. A marsh restoration project failed due to the placing of plants too far apart. One reason that positive interactions eluded the notice of ecologists for so long is that organisms don't act the same under all conditions. (Matthews, M.,"Disparaged theory of plant partnerships takes root again," The Washington Post, June 1, 1998.)

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( 8 ) California's Lizards Prevent Lyme Disease!

The Lyme disease season is beginning again in the Northeastern U.S.

That the disease has not established a foothold in the West may in part be attributed to a reptile -- the western fence lizard. University of California at Berkeley researchers found that when Lyme-infected ticks feed on this lizard, "a protein in the lizard's blood acts like an antibiotic and kills any of the pathogenic Borrelia burgdorferi [the Lyme disease agent] bacteria being carried by the ticks." This is an aspect of biodiversity for which we need to develop a greater understanding and appreciation. Lizards are very sensitive to pesticides and other toxic chemicals. (Quarles, W., Common Sense Pest Control, XIV(3) Summer 1998, p.4)

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( 9 ) Three New Pesticide Products

We are notifying you about three new pesticide products listed in the Ecological Landscaping Newsletter that may not yet be available in your area. We are not suggesting that you buy them without first reviewing the labeling. The phone numbers should help provide information on a local source where you can inspect the product. Alternatively, we recommend that you request a sample label before deciding on a purchase.

- Nature's Glory - Fast Acting Weed and Grass Killer is based on a patented formula containing acetic acid (vinegar). For more information: call (203) 338-9613.

- Remedy is a broad-spectrum fungicide with baking soda as the active ingredient combined with a sticker to help the active ingredient stay on the plant during rainfall. Call for information: (800) 863-1700.

- Naturalis-T contains a naturally-occurring fungus which infects stages of certain insect pests, chinchbugs, white grubs, sod webworms and others. Call for information: (800) 833-6855.

(Taken from the Newsletter of the Ecological Landscaping Association)

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( 10 ) The New Yorker: Authority or Authoritarian?

Perhaps it is because Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring was serialized in The New Yorker, that we are especially dismayed at recent information from Paul Brodeur. A comment piece by Malcolm Gladwell in The New Yorker of January 11, 1999 pertaining to A Civil Action starring John Travolta included a statement denying the existence of any study showing an association between trichloroethylene (TCE) and cancer in humans (while admitting that TCE has been found to cause cancer in animals). Paul Brodeur supplied The New Yorker's editors with research information showing that such a connection had been documented. They appeared to accept at least one study as valid in their replies to him, but nevertheless refused to provide such information to their readers. The magazine's present policy seems to be saying -- If an association between human cancer and TCE has been established in one study, we of The New Yorker can decide that the public does not need to know that such evidence even exists.

Rachel Carson was concerned about authoritarians. In a LIFE Magazine interview she said: "Trusting so-called authority is not enough. A sense of personal responsibility is what we desperately need..." Exercising personal responsibility can be truly empowering but to succeed it requires that citizens have access to the facts. Providing reliable facts is the policy which we try to follow at the Council in order to continue Rachel Carson's work and to empower members of the public. We urge The New Yorker to honor our namesake and their readers, by printing the facts about TCE and cancer supplied by Paul Brodeur.

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( 11 ) Natural Does Not Necessarily Mean Safer In All Respects

While strongly supporting organic farming and gardening we cannot ignore the rare reports of problems from natural products which meet the criteria for safer means of pest control. Natural pesticides can still present a problem to certain animal and human populations. D-limonene and pyrethrins may be associated with allergic reactions in sensitive people and some cats. Rotenone and pyrethrins are toxic to fish. Users should read every product label before using and keep in mind the adage -- natural does not necessarily mean safer in all respects.

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( 12 ) Singers, Songbirds and Coffee

Celebrity musicians Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and Danny O'Keefe care about birds such as the Baltimore oriole, indigo bunting and northern parula traveling to the highlands of Central America during our North American winter. They support shade-grown, songbird-safe coffee. You too can help the birds. Contact RCC for more information and our newly revised brochure, "The Bird Lover's Guide to Good Coffee."

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( 13 ) Birds at Risk from Insect Sticky Traps Used Outdoors

Strips with a sticky adhesive are becoming more common as a means of trapping insects. When placed outdoors they can also attract and trap small insect-eating songbirds such as the Carolina wren, titmouse, and nuthatch. Removal of small birds trapped on the sticky surface is fraught with its own problems. Even if the removal is successful the birds may spend extensive time at the rehabilitation facility to replace lost feathers. Alternatively, severe injuries such as dislocations may require euthanasia. Bird rehabilitators have become dismayed by birds stuck to the traps and have contacted Rachel Carson Council for help with informing the public of this distressing situation. Snakes may also adhere to such traps and lose part of their skin in breaking free of the sticky surface.

We are recommending that insect traps with adhesive surfaces not be routinely used for outdoor pest control by homeowners. Please call the Council if you have or need further information on this subject.

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( 14 ) The Fumigation Chamber: From 1988 to 1999

Background: In 1988 The New Yorker carried "The Fumigation Chamber" by Berton Roueche, the riveting saga of a physician, Dr. Betty Page, whose dream cottage on the lake was contaminated with two powerful cholinesterase inhibiting chemical insecticides, chlorpyrifos (an organophosphate) and bendiocarb (a carbamate) used against carpenter ants. Through exposure to these chemicals she developed: loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, tightness of the chest, double vision, muscle weakness, involuntary twitching of leg muscles, and a prickly feeling on the bottoms of the feet. Dr. Page, herself, finally made the connection between the pesticides and her chronic illness. With the help of expert toxicologists' advice and prolonged treatment she improved slowly but also experienced relapses: in the supermarket, at the Philadelphia Flower Show, and playing tennis in an enclosure after it had been sprayed for water bugs.

Update: An unexpected opportunity made possible a recent follow-up conversation with Dr. Betty Page. She revealed that over 10 years after her story appeared in The New Yorker she is still showing sensitivity to pesticides and she can still become ill if not careful to avoid certain situations. She has also learned where she can be relatively safe. Surprisingly, the cottage at the lake, now totally decontaminated, has become her sanctuary as are certain other natural areas. The greatest dangers are associated with established suburban neighborhoods such as Jenkintown, Pennsylvania where people still have their lawns regularly treated with pesticides. Being close to plants or flowers not organically grown also can result in a relapse. Dr. Betty Page, a very remarkable woman who tried to tell Americans about the hazards we create for ourselves and our neighbors with toxic chemicals, still hopes that people will learn to integrate pest control with a healthy way of life for ourselves and our planet. (Contact RCC for more information.)

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( 15 ) The Violent 'Cides of Pest Control

The publication, "Aggressive behavior following exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors" describes significant unprovoked hostile behavior including two homicides on the part of 5 subjects (a cat, three men, and a woman). In each case the type of pesticide exposure preceding the aggressive behavior was of the repeated and moderate nature rather than instances of acute massive intoxications. Once away from the influence of these powerful chemicals the 5 individuals returned to their characteristic non-aggressive pre-exposure behavior. In this time of concern with easy access to powerful weapons we need to consider the potential hazards of cholinesterase inhibiting chemicals such as carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, and diazinon, which act in a similar way to the nerve gas Sarin. In the hands of people who may not even read the label before applying them, these pesticides can generate violent consequences. (Devinsky, O., et al, "Aggressive behavior following exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors," Journal of Neuropsychiatry, V.4, #2, Spring 1992)

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( 16 ) A Turtle Among Friends

In the spring of 1998 a sea turtle crawled up onto Condado Beach in Puerto Rico to dig a hole and lay her eggs behind one of the huge tourist hotels. That a sea turtle may have left the beach as a hatchling 50 years or more ago only to return to her place of birth was amazing enough. However, the more noteworthy outcome was that people on the beach and the hotel security guards formed a human chain around the turtle and protected her until she finished laying her eggs, and then escorted her along her journey back to the sea so that she would not be harmed or harassed in any way, blocking out the lights from the hotel so that she would not become disoriented. This human kindness and concern for the turtle is real progress. (Report by Christine Haugen from Verde Luz of the Puerto Rico Conservation Foundation)

Addendum: Sea turtles and other marine life are still at risk from pesticides reaching the world's oceans. Inspired by what happened at Condado Beach, shouldn't we "befriend" wildlife threatened by pesticides whether in marine, freshwater or terrestrial habitats by choosing as our motto:

Friends don't let friends become exposed to pesticides!

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WETLANDS of Wonder & Wort
A Family Activity Page by Martha E. Collins

Brown cedar water gurgles around the cypress knees, a frog crawls up onto a lily pad, "CONKEREE" calls the Red-Winged Blackbird perched up where he can spy his rivals; the Great Blue Heron watches calmly as a school of shiners escapes to deeper water, mayflies spin through the air in search of mates, a turtle suns himself on a log, a Mallard Duck pair takes a rest from feeding…

What Is a Wetland? As a child I walked home from school past an intriguing wood with a brook flowing through it. In the spring the ground there was partly under water because of all the rain and it was full of the high, silvery chorus of spring peepers. Later I learned that these tiny tree frogs return every year to such vernal pools of their birth to sing for a mate. A temporary, seasonal wet spot or vernal pool like this is only one kind of wetland. Other wetlands include marshes, bogs and swamps. They are often, but not always, found along open water such as lakes, ponds, streams and rivers, bays and along the seashore.

Could Kids Visit a Wetland? Yes and it's a good idea. Wetlands are chock-full of fascinating wildlife.

Other Wetland Activities?


WETLANDS of Wonder & Worth: Background

The Worth of Wetlands: All wetlands play a crucial part in maintaining the ecosystem.

  1. They act as sponges storing up rain and snow-melt water so that it does not rush immediately into streams and rivers and cause flooding and soil erosion. Instead this water is allowed to seep into the water table and recharge the underground aquifers from which well and irrigation water is drawn.

  2. Wetlands are nurseries and sanctuaries for wildlife where water is abundant, food is abundant and the conditions favor life. They are also homes to endangered species.

  3. Many fish and other aquatic animals such as shrimp require healthy wetland habitat to provide the food chains on which they depend.

  4. Wetlands also act as barriers to keep agricultural and lawn chemicals from washing directly into surface water. However, wetland ecosystems can be damaged by pesticide runoff.

  5. According to the EPA, wetlands have measurable high economic value for the reasons above and also because they provide recreational resources.
    What Can You Do?

  1. Help preserve the physical existence of wetlands and prevent their disturbance by opposing unnecessary development. Become an educated advocate for wetlands; speak up against policies that permit wetlands to be filled, dammed up, cut off by road construction or polluted by chemicals.

  2. Avoid using lawn chemicals (fertilizers or pesticides) since these products may harm amphibians such as spring peepers and salamanders, particularly if you have a vernal pool, other wetland, or stream on your property;

  3. Avoid using and ask your neighbors not to use lawn, garden or household chemicals that are toxic to fish, crustaceans, aquatic invertebrates, or to pollinating insects.

A Coastal Wetlands Refuge Named for Rachel Carson in Maine

Consider visiting the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters in Wells, Maine. This refuge is composed of about 4,600 acres of tidal marsh wetlands. For a delightful preview of this type of ecosystem read Rachel Carson's book, The Edge of the Sea.


Wetlands Definition

"… wetlands are lands on which water covers the soil or is present either at or near the surface of the soil or within the root zone, all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season." From WATER SHEDSS website.

A bog or fen is a freshwater wetland where the dead plants sink down but do not rot away very fast; this makes a spongy, springy surface underfoot.

A marsh is a wetland that is mostly covered by herbaceous plants (without woody stems) with a few shrubs but no trees with salt or fresh water.

A swamp is a wooded wetland with fresh water.

A vernal pool is a shallow freshwater pool surrounded by dry land that only exists when there is sufficient rain for the ground to become saturated as in the spring and sometimes in the fall.

Other types of wetlands are typical of geographical regions: wet meadows or prairies in the Midwest; inland saline and alkaline marshes of the arid parts of the West, prairie potholes of Iowa, Minnesota, and the Dakotas, alpine meadows of the high mountains, playa lakes of the southwest and Great Plains, pocosins and Carolina bays of the southeast coastal states and tundra wetlands in Alaska.


Local Folk Taking Action for Wetlands

Under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, vernal pools can be certified with The Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. There are currently over 1,000 certified vernal pools in that state. Volunteers have been guided by certification materials to map these pools, photograph them, provide evidence of the presence of fairy shrimp, wood frogs or mole salamanders by means of audio or video tapes or photographs.

New Englanders are not the only folk looking into wetlands. At Central High School in Victoria, VA, the biology class took on a mystery. Why were there salamanders wandering the halls of the school? They discovered the vernal pool and began a study of it under the tutelage of their biology teacher and an expert from a near-by college. They also developed a website to share their work.


Wetlands Resources

Here are some sources for information on wetlands. Ask your librarian to help you research the wildlife specific to your region. Also, it would be fun get to know some local bird songs or frog songs by listening to tapes or CDs. For book reviews of three stories that include wetlands as part of their themes, please contact RCC.

Books for young children:

- Marshes and Swamps by Gail Gibbons, Holiday House, 1998
- What Is An Amphibian?, Robert Snedden, Sierra Club, 1993
- Children's Guide to Insects and Spiders, Jinny Johnson, Simon and Schuster, 1996
- Pond Life, George K. Reid, Ph.D., Golden Press, 1987

Books for older children and adults:

- In Search of Swampland, A Wetland Source Book and Field Guide, Ralph Turner, Rutgers U. Press
- Of Men and Marshes, Paul L. Errington, Iowa State U. Press, 1996

Useful Websites:

Search http://www.metacrawler.com on wetlands+education.
- For wetlands definitions and background: http://h2osparc.wq.ncsu.edu/info/wetlands/
- For U.S. Geological Survey Maps: http://mapping.usgs.gov/mac/findmaps.html
- For wetlands resources in Canada: http://www.wetlands.ca/
- For sample wetland education curriculum: http://www.wetland.org/wow.htm

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RCC Reporting

RCC's Letter to the EPA's Carol Browner

In December of 1998, the Council prepared a letter to Carol Browner, Administrator of the U.S. EPA listing some of the major concerns brought to light by the Wildlife, Pesticides and People Conference. This letter, signed by Dr. Diana Post, Executive Director and David McGrath, President of the Council, also detailed 12 actions that the EPA could take to help alleviate those problems. The suggested actions appear below:

A) Require that every pesticide label include advice to pregnant women to avoid or restrict their exposure to chemical pesticides.

B) Actively promote and explain in the media and on pesticide product labels the concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as an appropriate means of dealing with unwanted species. This definition should specify use of the least toxic methods including strategic planning (such as crop rotation and diversity in agriculture) and biological controls as the first steps in minimizing pest problems and use of toxic chemicals only as the last resort.

C) Recognize that wild birds, which should be protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), are being illegally killed by pesticides and make a serious effort to end this loss of resources. Immediately include an explanation of the MBTA on each pesticide label and take whatever additional steps are required to protect migratory birds including product banning.

D) Give greater consideration to wording and prominence on product labels of warnings and prohibitions related to pesticide use around wildlife.

E) Devote more Agency resources to the monitoring of pesticide effects on people, pets and wildlife through collecting, evaluating and making available to the public on product labels pesticide incident report information.

F) Include in the pre-marketing assessment for pesticide hazards, more different types of wildlife such as beneficial insects, beneficial fungi, woody plants, native vegetation, aquatic grasses and aquatic invertebrates. Take whatever steps are required to protect wild plants and animals from further pesticide damage, including warnings on labels and when necessary product banning.

G) Give more information on inert ingredients on pesticide product labels.

H) Require that an assay be developed to detect each active ingredient and any bioactive by-products before a pesticide is allowed to be registered by the Agency as a necessary prerequisite for environmental safety.

I) Devote more resources to studying the toxicity of commonly-occurring combinations of pesticides on people and wildlife and act on such information when required to achieve better protection.

J) Identify pesticide formulations containing carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic chemicals through labeling information and as soon as possible ban those causing cancer and developmental damage.

K) Inform users that even following label directions will not keep chemical pesticides out of surface water, once they have been released into the outdoor environment.

L) Give greater consideration to the economic benefits of wildlife when analyzing the costs and benefits of specific pesticides.

A Scholarly Journal from the Rachel Carson Council

The first issue of The Journal of the Rachel Carson Council, published by Begell House was prepared under the guidance of Hale Vandermer, Ph.D., its first editor-in-chief and an eminent editorial board. The inaugural issue of this scholarly journal was well received and favorably reviewed by the BioIntegral Resource Center. David McGarvey, Ph.D. has recently assumed The Journal's editorship. For information on how to subscribe, please contact Begell House at 212-725-1999, e-mail: begellhouse@worldnet.att.net, or http://www.begellhouse.com.

New RCC Publications:

"The Milk of Human Kindness," "A Bird-Lovers' Guide to Good Coffee," (coming soon - "Understanding Soil")

Two New RCC Board Members

In 1998 the Council welcomed two new members to its Board, Eugene B. Kahn and Lois C. Johnson. Mr. Kahn is the Founder of Cascadian Farm and currently serves as President and CEO of Small Planet Foods, Inc. He has also served on the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture Organic Certification Board and the USDA National Organic Standards Board. Ms. Johnson is an experienced science educator, currently working at the National Cathedral School in Washington, DC. Her interest in pesticide issues springs partly from her work with the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.

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Rachel
(1907-1964)

The child's footsteps most often led
Toward living things that chose to dwell
Behind her home, but something dead
Kept puzzling her, a fossil shell;

How did it get so far inland?
Or was the ocean once nearby?
What kind of marine artisan
Built such a house to occupy?

She'd ask her mom-warm and intent,
An ideal mother for quick learners
With a precocious writing bent:
The girl's short stories were page turners;

And she'd go on to prove her worth
As a working biologist,
While writing about Mother Earth
Much like a skillful novelist;

Before she died she made us hear
The price of reckless chemistry;
The fight to save the biosphere
Began with her clear reveille.

Willard R. Jarchow - January 1999

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Cats & Pesticides: Great Caution Needed

At a veterinary convention where the Council exhibited, we met Dr. Linda A. Ferraro, a practitioner who had been inspired by Rachel Carson to study marine biology and by her love of animals to become a veterinarian.

As a practicing veterinarian she had two especially challenging experiences with pesticide poisoned cats. Dr. Ferraro has described them for our readers, especially health professionals, pet owners, and animal lovers. She writes:

"During my first year out of veterinary school, while a hospital staff member, I recall a horrific organophosphate* toxicity in a cat. The cat was practically dead when arriving for treatment. I administered atropine (the antidote for OP poisoning) but this did nothing to help. The cat needed 2-PAM, Protopam Hydrochloride (another antidote for early OP poisoning). The only bottle on the shelf was so old that the expiration date was illegible. I consulted my notes and prayed. The dosage was correct! A life saved! Shortly thereafter I started my own veterinary practice. I searched high and low before finding a supplier who had the antidote 2-PAM (and I bought all he had!).

During the summer of July 1998, I saw my first (and I hope my last) permethrin toxicity [permethrin is a pyrethroid insecticide] in a spayed female 6-year old domestic shorthair [cat]. A family member without consulting a veterinarian had treated this cat on a Saturday with a topical spot preparation containing permethrin in a canine-only preparation. The container was clearly marked 'For Dogs Only.' By Sunday the cat was experiencing severe tremors, and while the owners bathed the cat twice, when they finally called me for help on Monday, they were frantic. The tremors were severe. The cat's temperature was elevated to 103.5. The owners told me that other veterinarians they had called said there was nothing to do but wait it out. My experience and references in my library told me otherwise, so I agreed to treat the cat. I began by injecting diazepam [also known as Valium] but it did not help.

My sources told me to try methocarbamol next. As a precaution, I consulted a local emergency practice where they agreed. The drug needed to be given in a slow intravenous drip and this kitty was the worst moving target I had ever worked on due to the severity of the tremors. After several attempts I successfully placed an indwelling catheter into her vein and began an IV 0.9% NaCI [physiological sterile saline sodium chloride] drip. Several slow infusions of 210 mgs methocarbamol each were required to correct the tremors and quiet the agitated cat. She was sent home with a catheter in place. She survived the night and her temperature was 101.5, but the tremors began to recurr and worsen. She came back to my hospital for more IV therapy. 210 mg each were given before she went home again. By evening of that second day she was barely tremoring, was eating and walking around. She came in the following morning for removal of the intravenous catheter and was a happy normal kitty again. This time the owners took home what we at our clinic prescribe for fleas. I do so wish that owners would follow the veterinarian's recommendations for treating parasites instead of relying on preparations sold over the counter."

~ Linda A. Ferraro, VMD

*Organophosphates or OPs are a class of chemicals similar in action to nerve gas used as insecticides such as chlorpyrifos, diazinon, malathion, etc.

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What's New?

Paul Brooks: A Remembrance

The eminent voice from the north country of editor, writer and life-long champion of nature, Paul Brooks was stilled in December 1998 with his passing at age 89. He was called "...a modern Thoreau, filled with radical, healing forthrightness." by former Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Stewart L. Udall.

As Editor-in-Chief at Houghton-Mifflin, Paul Brooks was editor for two of Rachel Carson's books, first The Edge of the Sea and then Silent Spring. Facing the threat of litigation before Silent Spring was published, he vetted the manuscript, satisfied himself that Carson's science was right and proceeded to make history. Much later, with characteristic optimism, he would laugh about how the chemical companies' campaigns to discredit Silent Spring provided more publicity than Houghton-Mifflin could have afforded.

He wrote the first major book about Rachel Carson and her writings, The House of Life, now available as Rachel Carson: The Writer at Work.

His shorter pieces for major national publications brought policy and public opinion to the side of nature. With accuracy, eloquence and quiet outrage, he wrote against the damming of the Yukon River; the building of a massive jetport in the Everglades; and the construction in Florida of a barge canal. He was awarded the John Burroughs Medal, the Thoreau Society Medal and numerous prizes for his work.

Despite his advanced age, in 1995 Paul Brooks made the trip from his home in Lincoln, Massachusetts to Chevy Chase to address the Rachel Carson Council's 30th anniversary celebration as reported in RCC News # 87.

To those who had the privilege of meeting Paul Brooks, he was as unforgettable an individual as is the bird that to many symbolizes the place he loved and about which he wrote: "The purest voice of the north country, the wild unearthly cry of the loon...pulsating through the darkness like northern lights through a night sky." Thank you Paul Brooks. We will remember.


The President's Corner

Dear Fellow Environmentalist:

As we prepare to enter the 21st century, the small and vulnerable elements of the ecosystem -- the songbirds, insects, soil microbes, amphibians, and native plants are all at risk because most people are unaware of the wide-ranging problems with pesticides. In some cases, even we humans are at risk. The question is, are we willing to continue to accept this situation for our children and our world? We ask you to help change this situation by supporting the Council's education efforts.

Recently the Council received an urgent e-mail request for documentation to back up a protest to an agency that was spraying an herbicide highly toxic to fish on the shores of a lake. Another e-mail from a pregnant woman asked the Council to give her the information to help her prevent her workplace from being sprayed with toxic chemicals. In both cases the Council provided the needed assistance rapidly and free of charge.

With your generous financial support, RCC continues to provide education in the most effective way -- at the time when it is most needed to those who seek it and who will pass on the word. We deeply appreciate the donations you have already provided and your interest in this work. Please help strengthen our ability to carry it on with your donations. When you give, please be as generous as you can.

David McGrath, RCC President

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Honors for Rachel Carson and Silent Spring

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring was honored with second place in the 100 top works of journalism selected under the aegis of New York University's Journalism Department by 36 judges.(New York Times 3-1-99)

Rachel Carson appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, "The Century's Greatest Minds." Inside, Peter Mathiessen describes Carson as "...one brave woman and Silent Spring as her very brave book...well crafted, fearless and succinct..." He concludes by describing Carson as "...one of the greatest nature writers in American letters." (Time Magazine, March 29, 1999)

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring is 5th from the top of the Modern Library's list of the top 100 nonfiction books written in English and published in the twentieth century. The books were chosen for their literary and intellectual merit.

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Pesticides On Line ?!?

Shopping on the internet can be convenient except when too little information is available on which to base an informed decision (i.e. pesticides being sold without labeling or Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or with misleading information, such as the seller describing a pesticide product as being "safe").

Since most people are not familiar with pesticide labels, buying a pesticide product without full disclosure of the product labeling is not a good idea.

Without a readily available chance to read the label before making the purchase, consumers might be buying blind. A company may offer to mail you a copy of the labeling before purchase, but they should put the labeling information on the web page. Please tell us what you have noticed about this issue.

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If you work for the U.S. government - You can make donations to Rachel Carson Council, Inc. through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) by indicating number 1103. The CFC is an important source of funds for the Council and a convenient way for you to give at work.

We are wealthy in our friends who volunteer:

Ann Bierma, Sheldon Cohen, Dr. Hilda Forestierre, Dr. Joseph Gainer, Taher Husain, Lois Kaufman, Ben McGraw, Michael Liddell, Cynthia Post, Oneida Prather, Daniel Salomon, Agnes Wajdyk

Staff of Rachel Carson Council News: Let us hear from you!

Editor ~ Diana Post, VMD // Designer ~ Martha Collins // Advisor ~ Dr. Walter Corson //
RCC Research Staff ~ Eric Kuhn // Web Version ~ Christine Haugen //

Rachel Carson Council, Inc.

PO Box 10779, Silver Spring, Maryland 20914

e-mail: rccouncil@aol.com

Tel: (301) 593-7507

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July 22, 1999
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