by Rick Silva

While working in my organic garden I was thinking about the virtues of having fresh, sun ripened organic tomatoes, eggplant, squash, peppers and berries to enjoy with my family and friends. Over the years my family has tried to eat as fresh and as pure as possible. Knowing that we do not use any chemical insecticides around our home or our home grown food gives us peace of mind. We are not totally organic, but we just try to treat our selves to the best the produce department has to offer and rarely open a can or box for meals. It makes me wonder why anyone would use chemical insecticides at all!

during the second trimester of pregnancy."

"Another study suggests that exposure to organophosphate insecticides double the risk of developmental disorders, including autism. Organophosphates have previously been linked to Gulf War syndrome."

"Previous studies in insects and rodents have suggested that pyrethrins could damage the blood-brain barrier during early life, and cause neuronal damage. They may also interfere with the transmission of signals along nerve fibers."

Being involved agriculture all my life I have had many discussions about what is happening to our environment. There are a lot of unanswered questions and plenty of arguments, but the bottom line is that we all need to be good stewards of the land. Pyrethrins and organophosphate insecticides are commonly used by the industrial, commercial and agricultural industry. In a recent discussion I learned ground waters around the world have insecticide residues. Many over the counter products that are used daily for insect control in and around your home and animals may also contain pyrethrins and organophosphates. This is cause for concern!

Here's an interesting story. While meeting with a gentleman last year who installs over head fly control mister systems I learned something that bothers me. He told me once he finishes up the installation he always brings the owners out to see how their new system works. The owners stand inside the barn and once the system cycles and begins to spray the mist with chemical insecticide, everyone runs out. They are happy it works well, but what about the horses left in the barn with the back door closed? Where do they go? Do you really want your horse to breathe that stuff? Horses suffer from many of the same health problems as us humans. Why jeopardize their health? I ask the same question about our other pets with the soaps that are out there as well as the children who like to play with them.

Here are more excerpts from the July 31, 2008 www.guardian.co.uk by Elana Schor titled US inquiry claims 'safe' insecticides cause health problems:

"A class of insecticides derived from flowers - long believed to be environmentally safe - is in fact causing significant human health problems in the US, according to an inquiry released today by public-interest campaigners."

"Poisoning incidents caused by insecticides made with pyrethrins and pyrethroids, compounds made from the chrysanthemum flower, rose 63% between 1998 and 2006, the inquiry by the Washington-based Centre for Public Integrity (CPI) found."

"Using EPA statistics, the CPI found that human health problems caused by the two insecticides, including deaths, jumped 300% during the decade that ended in 2007. No other class of pesticides has triggered as many adverse reports during the past five years."

FlyAway is made of 100% natural organic ingredients. FlyAway is non-toxic to humans, domestic animals, fish, birds and livestock. FlyAway is biodegradable and is not a soil contaminant. FlyAway has proven to be safe for humans and will not contaminate food, or animal feed.

Wildlife and Aquatic Organism Toxicity
FlyAway has passed the LC50 (DOHS (Title 22) test under the guidelines prescribed in "Static Acute Bioassay Procedures for Hazardous Waste Samples". This product is non-toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates. FlyAway will not contaminate water. Lab tests have proved that there is zero pesticide residuals remaining from spraying FlyAway .

EPA Status
The product's active and inert ingredients fall under the requirements for classification as minimal risk in accordance with ¡ì25(b) of FIFRA. The product is, therefore, exempt from pesticide registration by the EPA.

Active Ingredients
Cinnamon & Cinnamon Oil, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Peppermint & Peppermint Oil, Rosemary & Rosemary Oil, Sesame Oil, Thyme. (These are all renewable resources)

As we all know the world is quickly going green and we all need be thinking about how we can be green in and around out homes while still getting rid of the insect pests that bother us and our animals. Flies and mosquitoes are some of the annoying pests we deal with. Here are a few green tips to help.

• Minimize water usage to keep things dry. Flies and mosquitoes love moisture.

• Use a spray nozzle on your wash hose that shuts off.

• Keep your watering trough working properly to avoid overflowing.

• Clean up feed spills, uneaten hay and decaying vegetation.

• Compost manure for bedding or use a renewable source of bedding.

• Use safe organic insecticides.

West Nile Virus is a continuing issue of concern for horse owners and non horse owners alike. The points above will help all of us in the prevention of West Nile. We can all help by controlling the mosquito populations around our homes by keeping things clean and dry. In addition, the EPA's role in registering pesticides and providing information on mosquito control is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC). When considering the products you want to use in controlling this deadly disease learn what you can use that is safe and leaves little or no environmental footprint.

So whether you purchase insecticides yourself or have a commercial company spray for you or recharge your misting system become educated about the products being used. Look at and try to understand the MSDS, (Material Safety Data Sheet) The MSDS provides information such as physical and chemical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point, reactivity etc.), toxicity, health effects, emergency and first aid procedures, storage, disposal, protective equipment, routes of exposure, control measures, precautions for safe handling and use, and spill/leak procedures. Compare products and choose the one that is safe for you and our environment. I'll bet you will choose to go with the organic one.

Rick Silva, President of RAS Marketing, Inc.