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Dangerous Legacy
Cultural myths often stand in the way of human progress—in some cases producing devastating consequences. In fact, today millions of people around the world suffer the painful and often deadly effects of malaria because one person sounded a false alarm. That person is Rachel Carson, author of the 1962 best selling book Silent Spring. Many have praised Carson for raising concerns—some legitimate—about problems associated with the overuse of chemicals. Yet her extreme rhetoric generated a culture of fear, resulting in policies have deprived many people access to life-saving chemicals. In particular, many nations curbed the use of the pesticide DDT for malaria control because Carson created unfounded fears about the chemical. As the world commemorates the 100th birthday (May 27, 2007) of the late Rachel Carson, it is time to acknowledge the unintended, adverse effects of Carson’s legacy and find ways to correct them.
News and Blog
August 20, 2007—DDT DENIERS DENY SCIENCE
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
DDT-deniers—those who would rather let people die that allow DDT use to fight malaria-carrying mosquitoes—have been critiquing our blog posts on the topic. Last week they attacked us for highlighting recent scientific research that underscores the value of DDT in repelling mosquitoes. Apparently, they won’t even be swayed by scientific data, nor do they want anyone else to be convicted by the truth. But don’t be swayed by their hype. Instead, read the op-ed in today’s New York Times by Dr. Donald Roberts one of the study’s authors.
August 16, 2007—GETTING THE WORD OUT
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
Good news: Today's Wall Street Journal highlights the recent study on DDT benefits in repelling mosquitoes and battling resistance issues.
August 14, 2007—MISINFORMATION = DANGEROUS RESULTS
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
Anti-DDT activists might read this with glee: Misinformation about DDT risks is undermining its use in Kampala, Uganda. A Ugandan news website reports that anti-DDT hype has led some people to block the spraying of their homes with DDT. This is clearly a tragedy as lives hang in the balance. Hopefully, as residents who allowed DDT spraying in their homes reap DDT's protective benefits, others will follow their lead.
August 9, 2007—NO EXCUSE FOR RESISTANCE
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
Anti-DDT activists in the environmental movement often suggest we should stop using this chemical to save people from malaria and other diseases because mosquitoes will eventually develop resistance to the substance. However, a study published in the journal PloS One explains why such arguments make no sense. The study demonstrates that in addition to still being the most affordable product, DDT is likely the most effective over the long term because it repels most mosquitoes—keeping them from ever entering homes. These effects are critical for a couple reasons. First, mosquitoes are most active in transmitting disease at night as people sleep, so keeping these insects out of homes can reduce disease rates significantly. Second, DDT’s repellency effects remain intact—even for mosquitoes that develop resistance to DDT’s toxic effects. Accordingly, while DDT might kill fewer mosquitoes as resistance develops, it still prevents most of them from entering homes in the first place. The other two alternatives did not provide repellency effects, and they are prone to resistance problems. Accordingly, once mosquitoes develop resistance to those products there is little to stop them from freely entering homes and transmitting disease. Hence, the authors note that that DDT offers the best chance of breaking the transmission cycle and controlling the disease. They urge others to consider the repellency benefits rather than toxicity alone before abandoning a very important tool in the battle against malaria and other serious illnesses.
July 6, 2007—NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC COVER STORY ON MALARIA
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
The July issue of National Geographic includes an excellent cover story on malaria. It notes: "Malaria is a confounding disease—often, it seems, contradictory to logic. ... Rachel Carson, the environmental icon, is a villain; her three-letter devil, DDT, is a savior ... In 1962 Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, documenting this abuse and painting so damning a picture that the chemical was eventually outlawed by most of the world for agricultural use. Exceptions were made for malaria control, but DDT became nearly impossible to procure. 'The ban on DDT,' says Gwadz of the National Institutes of Health, 'may have killed 20 million children.'"
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July 2, 2007—Sprawl: The New DDT?
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
The Business and Media Institute reports that the greens are trying again to use the nation's national symbol—the Bald Eagle—to undermine free-markets. The Bald Eagle, which was recently removed from the Endangered Species list, faces another "dire" threat according to reports on NBC's Nightly news and other news outlets. This time, the alleged culprit is sprawl. "Urban sprawl has become the DDT of our generation,” biologist Bryan D. Watts noted in Richmond Times Dispatch. According to Watts, the problem is free-market pressures and his "solution" involves regulating a lot more land. Ironically, it's not even clear how much impact DDT had on the birds (the indoor uses for malaria control do not even expose birds). And some researchers maintain that the impact was insignificant for the species' survival even when DDT was used in the environment. There is plenty evidence that the eagles do fine in "sprawling" neighborhoods. In fact, the Business and Media Institute points out that NBC fails to ever note that Bald Eagles are successfully cohabitating in large, sprawling suburbs like Philadelphia. Unfortunately, many of Carson's followers don't let the facts get in the way of their quest to deny the rest of us basic freedoms.
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June 28, 2007—GREATER AWARENESS OF VICTIMS NEEDED
Barun S. Mitra—Liberty Institute, India
NEW DELHI—It is good news that the demand for DDT to fight malaria is on the rise. Last year, India's government exported their first consignment of DDT in almost 20 years to Eritrea and Mozambique. This year they doubled their shipments from last year and expect orders from more African countries soon. The competition in the international market—China being the sole exporter in the past decade—has already brought the price down by almost a half. U.S. funds to fight malaria are being used by some of the African countries to explore the DDT option. Yet, DDT's life saving uses may soon be threatened once again. At the recently held multinational meeting on the Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in Senegal, the green NGOs made a concerted effort to stop DDT by proposing a range of reporting requirements that would either be impossible to fulfill by most poor countries or would make it very difficult to import. On top of that, some members of the EU strongly implied that use of DDT could potentially affect African agricultural exports to Europe. Public health advocates need to build greater public awareness about the victims of malaria, in Africa and elsewhere. Political and civic leaders need to objectively assess the malaria and public health conditions in their countries, rather than getting bamboozled by the NGOs and some western aid agencies. If leadership is not exercised, the present window of opportunity against malaria will once again be squandered, and the poor will be left to bear the burden of malaria.
June 27, 2007—LAURA BUSH VISITS MALARIA-RAVAGED AFRICA
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
A story in today's Mail and Guardian, an online African newspaper, highlights Laura Bush's trip to Africa where she is "shining a spotlight on malaria and aids." The story offers great insight into the importance of DDT in the battle against malaria. It notes the "the success of DDT-spraying in countries such as South Africa and Swaziland." In particular: "In South Africa, the number of malaria cases fell by 65% to 3,597 between June last year and March this year, down from 10,418 cases the year before. Deaths were reduced by 73% from 85 to 25. This compared with 62,700 cases and 466 deaths in 1999-2000, when the country was gripped by an epidemic because mosquitoes proved resistant to an insecticide used as an alternative to DDT." Yet there are some who still work to prevent DDT's life saving uses. Unbelievable.
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June 12, 2007—UGANDA'S HEALTH MINISTER TO ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS: "ACKNOWLEDGE THE MISTAKES CARSON MADE"
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
In today's Wall Street Journal Uganda's director of Health Services Sam Zaramba points out the perils of anti-DDT campaigns to his country. He notes:
"Misguided environmentalists are killing Africans ... Environmental leaders must join the 21st century, acknowledge the mistakes Carson made, and balance the hypothetical risks of DDT with the real and devastating consequences of malaria. Uganda has demonstrated that, with the proper support, we can conduct model indoor spraying programs and ensure that money is spent wisely, chemicals are handled properly, our program responds promptly to changing conditions, and malaria is brought under control."
Prediction: Greens will attack the minister rather than join efforts to save Africa's children. With any luck, Dr. Zaramba can continue to make progress without them. Hopefully other officials in Africa will also step up and follow Zaramba's lead. More ...
June 12, 2007—THE LEGACY OF THE DDT BAN
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
Patricia Ludwig of the American Council on Science and Health weighs in on Carson's legacy. She notes: "The real legacy left behind by Silent Spring is millions of deaths from malaria that could have been prevented if health authorities had continued to use DDT as a method for killing mosquitoes carrying the disease."
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June 11, 2007—UGANDA'S PRESIDENT ON DDT CRITICS
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
In a recent State of the Nation speech, Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni laments impediments to life-saving uses of DDT caused by DDT critics:
"Having gone through a rigorous systematic approach on the use of DDT for Indoor Residual Spraying as elaborated above, it is not only disturbing but quite insulting to hear some individuals and at times groups claiming to be the champions of protection of the environment going around misleading the public that no scientific studies and preparations have been made about the use of DDT. Since they also ridicule the World Health Organisation which is the International Standard Setter in health matters, one only wonders where they derive their authority!"
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June 11, 2007—THE CHURCH OF RACHEL CARSON
Eli Lehrer—Competitive Enterprise Institute
One hundred years after her birth in May of 1907, it's difficult to underestimate Rachel Carson's influence. Unfortunately, it's all bad. That hasn't stopped her from remaining an academic deity to the campus Left.
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June 6, 2007—GREEN STATE OF DENIAL
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
John Tierney's piece on Rachel Carson in yesterday's New York Times is under attack in the comments section of Tierney's blog. The critiques go to show that Carson's supporters are in a state of denial about her legacy. All they can offer is speculation about public health risks and rationalizations about DDT bans.
One suggests that DDT is too dangerous to use for malaria control because it is classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This is crazy. IARC also gives that classification to coffee! Such classifications mean that evidence is lacking for a real cancer classification. In fact, the IARC monograph on DDT notes: “there is inadequate evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of DDT.”
Enough with the shameful rationalizations. The very low health risks of DDT must be weighed against its substantial and well-documented benefits for malaria control.
June 5, 2007—NYT SCIENCE SECTION ON CARSON
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enteprise Institute
Today John Tierney takes on the legacy of Rachel Carson in the New York Times Science section. Tierney notes: "For Rachel Carson admirers, it has not been a silent spring. They’ve been celebrating the centennial of her birthday with paeans to her saintliness. A new generation is reading her book in school—and mostly learning the wrong lesson from it. If students are going to read 'Silent Spring' in science classes, I wish it were paired with another work from that same year, 1962, titled 'Chemicals and Pests'" More... Also see Tierney's blog on the topic today—"To Spray or Not to Spray"—and offer your own comments.
June 4, 2007—GREENS RATHER ATTACK THAN DEBATE
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
Environmental activists from Environmental Defense, the Pesticide Action Network of North America (PANNA), and the Silent Spring Institute refuse to debate me (and probably anyone with my view) about Silent Spring’s malaria legacy. I can't blame them. After all, who would want to defend their indefensible position? They refused an invitation for a radio debate/discussion this past weekend. We all were invited for an hour-long interview on Food Chain Radio with host Michael Olsen. The host simply wanted one environmentalist to participate, but could find none. Rather than offer substantive arguments by participating in the show, the groups drafted a joint letter, which Olsen read on the air. Based on their letter, I am not worth their time to debate and instead I would be better placed on the Jerry Springer show! You know you are winning a debate when all your opponents have in their arsenal are personal attacks! The program is available online.
May 31, 2007—Silent Alarmism
Iain Murray—Competitive Enteprise Institute
National Review Online—Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring, the 1962 book that launched the modern environmental movement, was born a century ago this week, and it is no wonder that green activists are celebrating her legacy. She practically invented the environmental alarmist strategy that has been so successful in pushing a radical environmental agenda.
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May 30, 2007— COBURN’S HOUSE FRIENDS: NO TO RACHEL
John Berlau—Competitive Enterprise Institute
OpenMarket.org—Coburn isn’t all alone in his crusade to stop Congress from honoring Rachel Carson. He has some good friends in the U.S. House of Representatives. There, in April, 53 representatives voted against naming the post office after Carson. Another 3 voted “present,” which also often signals symbolic opposition to a bill. The good news is that the “nays” included some of the very top members of the House Republican leadership ... It's also bad news that Democrat voted against the bill. The effective combating of malaria in poor countries should be a bipartisan issue. Hopefully, it soon will be.
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May 30, 2007—GREENS' AFRICAN DEATH TOLL
Paul Driessen—Congress of Racial Equality
The New York Post—ACTIVISTS say companies should be honest and accountable, and put people ahead of profits. But unless these common-sense guidelines also apply to nonprofit advocacy groups, corporate social responsibility will remain just another tactic for raising money and advancing political agendas.
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May 29, 2007—DDT OPPOSITION PROLONGS AFRICAN MALARIA
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enteprise Institute
The Post Chronicle—Fiona Kobusingye of the Congress of Racial Equality Uganda knows first hand the ravages of Malaria and of the need for DDT. In a recent commentary she explains: "I just got out of the hospital, after another nasty case of malaria. I've had it dozens of times. I lost my son, two sisters and three nephews to it. Fifty out of 500 children in our local school for orphans died from malaria in 2005 ... Praise Rachel Carson, if you wish—but support DDT spraying, to reduce disease and save lives."
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May 28, 2007—SILENT SPRING WAS WRONG
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enteprise Institute
The Washington Examiner—Sunday was the 100th birthday of environmental icon Rachel Carson, and lots of people are proposing all sorts of memorials to honor her legacy. Yet, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., stands largely alone in efforts to stop these measures — a position for which he deserves much credit.
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May 27, 2007—RACHEL CARSON'S LEGACY
Jeremy Lott and Erin Wildermuth—Competitive Enterprise Institute
The Baltimore Sun—Today is the centenary of Rachel Carson's birth, which has been noted by many environmentalists who cherish her legacy. However, what has been little noted amid the celebrations and commemorations is the dark aspect of that legacy: that Ms. Carson's views led to the banning of pesticides at a cost of many thousands of lives worldwide.
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May 23, 2007—COBURN RIGHT, RACHEL WRONG
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enteprise Institute
Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) stands largely alone in efforts to stop congressional efforts to honor the environmental movement’s icon the late Rachel Carson, whose 100 birthday comes this Sunday. Coburn rightly recognizes that the conventional wisdom about Carson’s legacy is wrong! Rather than launching a beneficial environmental cause, Carson launched a misinformation campaign that her followers continue without regard for the consequences.
May 23, 2007—QUESTIONING CARSON'S "SCIENTIFIC RIGOR"
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enterprise Institute
In his blog post today, Ronald Bailey of Reason Online takes issue with a Senate resolution on Rachel Carson offered by Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.). According to the resolution, Carson should be honored for her "legacy of scientific rigor coupled with poetic sensibility." Bailey disagrees. More ...
May 23, 2007—TIME FOR GREENS TO STEP UP
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enteprise Institute
Millions dead and that’s still not enough for environmental activists to change their color. Last September, Dr Arata Kochi, Director of the World Health Organization’s Global Malaria Program, called on the environmental community to "help save African babies as you are helping to save the environment." Kochi’s plea was part of an announcement that the WHO would seek increased use of the pesticide DDT to fight malaria. Rather than answer his call, green groups continue their crusade against DDT. Leading the charge is the Pesticide Action Network and Beyond Pesticides. The Sierra Club is trying to play both sides. Sierra says it disagrees with the WHO’s claims about safety and maintains that nations should use alternatives. However, they say nations should be able to use DDT—but only in limited cases where it is “critically needed.” What could be more critical than millions of kids dying every year!? As the WHO discusses these issues at its annual meeting this week, greens should take the opportunity to wholeheartedly say yes to Kochi's plea.
May 22, 2007—WHITHER IDOL'S MONEY?
Philip Coticelli—Africa Fighting Malaria
The New York Sun—American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" special on April 24 and 25 helped raise over $60 million to fight poverty in America and Africa. As season five comes to a close tomorrow, fans should be asking where their money went and what the impact on poverty will be. Over six million dollars of the total was given to Nothing But Nets, an antimalaria bed net distribution initiative ... These groups have good intentions, but their collective strategy of covering Africa with $10 insecticide-treated nets is simplistic and wasteful.
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May 21, 2007—WHO MEETING TO ADDRESS MALARIA
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enteprise Institute
This week the World Health Organization continues its annual meeting to address public health priorities for the world body. Ironically, just several days before Rachel Carson's birthday, they will address malaria control and possibly DDT use. At issue is whether the world's public health agency will underscore the position it took in September 2006, supporting increased use of DDT to save millions from the ravages of malaria. Radical environmentalists have been pressing for a reversal, but hopefully, public health advocates will hold the line in support of DDT for malaria control.
May 18, 2007—POST GLOSSES OVER DEATHS
Dan Gainor—Business & Media Institute
The book Silent Spring set in motion the banning of DDT and needlessly cost millions of lives. The Washington Post chose to mark author Rachel Carson’s 100th birthday by barely mentioning that her actions “have remained controversial.” More ...
May 17, 2007—WASHINGTON POST ON CARSON
Angela Logomasini—Competitive Enteprise Institute
A story on today's front page of the Washington Post highlights the life of Rachel Carson. While largely praising Carson, the author does note that Carson's contribution to the banning of DDT remains "controversial." While Carson surely would not have wanted this legacy, "controversial" doesn’t begin to describe it. It’s an ongoing colossal tragedy—one that Carson's followers could help reverse if only they would aggressively advocate DDT use for malaria control. After all, while Carson was wrong about DDT's public health impacts, she did admit that pesticides are sometimes necessary to address public health emergencies.
May 16, 2007—MALARIA FORCES RESURFACE
Paul Driessen and Cyril Boynes, Jr—Congress of Racial Equality
WHO Public Health and Environment director Dr. Maria Neira …and her co-conspirators are promoting something … irresponsible and deadly. They want to reverse the September 2006 decision to restore DDT to the Organization's malaria-fighting arsenal.
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