Don't Spray Me! has grown to more than 250 supporters in Chester County. Don’t Spray Me! is committed to protecting the health and environment of our local communities by working to reduce the use of harmful chemicals, including synthetic pesticides. DSM now has chapters in East Bradford, Westtown, and West Goshen, and plans to start chapters in Downingtown, Kennett Square, and Phoenixville in 2018.
As of October, PA has had only 12 human West Nile Virus cases with eight representing minor cases and four regarded as more serious. Despite seeing no deaths from WNV, spraying chemicals against mosquitoes continues unabated on a vast scale across the Commonwealth. To give some perspective, there are 2,000+ opioid-related deaths each year in Pennsylvania alone.
West Chester Borough got through another summer with no County Health Department spraying, but East Bradford, Downingtown, Birmingham, Thornbury, Phoenixville and Spring City were not so fortunate. One positive is that the Health Department has been giving residents a 48-hour warning of spraying (previously 24 hours) and has instituted greater protections from spraying for hypersensitive individuals, bee hives, and ornamental fish ponds.
The Sierra Club Youth Corps conducted an experiment over the summer showing that a solution of vinegar, salt and liquid detergent is effective in keeping weeds out of brick sidewalks and therefore that chemical poisons are unnecessary. We also succeeded in ending the use of Round Up by the West Chester government.
We welcome the great progress in East Bradford, whose Environmental Advisory Council plans to spread the word on how citizens can help reduce both mosquitoes and chemical spraying. The EAC with support from DSM EB will be disseminating information on getting rid of mosquitoes without spraying. Great support for DSM in EB!
In 2018 we hope for more community education in many municipalities and more larviciding of storm drains and stagnant pools. It's much easier and safer to kill mosquitoes before they fly than after! We will be instituting an “Adopt a Storm Drain” program, in which the "parent" of the storm drain will monitor its drainage capacity and any mosquito activity and report any problems.
In other news, we held two celebratory community picnics, which have developed into an alliance of DSM, Sierra Club of Southeastern PA, and the West Chester Food Co-op. all protecting people and environment. Those same groups – together with the West Chester Borough Sustainability Advisory Committee, West Chester University, and West Chester University Geography and Planning Club – are holding an environmental film series this fall with emphasis on the man-made chemicals that threaten us. See dontsprayme.com and facebook.com/dontsprayme for details. All are welcome to attend.
For more information about these initiatives or to collaborate in our projects, please contact Margaret Hudgings at mhudgingsgmail.com
Margaret Hudgings and Nathaniel Smith
