Re: DDT

I don't want to get into some big argument about DDT or Rachel Carson and will refuse to engage. I've always admitted that my leftmost bone is my green bone. I recall reading about ddt as a kid and being all in favor of saving the eagles. Having said that, the right-wing Sierra Club at least acknowledges that its indoor use could do some good against malaria in Africa:

Malaria kills millions of people in Africa every year. Under closely controlled conditions and as part of a broader, integrated response, Sierra Club agrees that DDT should only be used in accordance with limiting provisions agreed to by more than 150 nations in the Stockholm Convention. Further, many effective non-toxic and less toxic alternatives are available and affordable, such as cleaning mosquito breeding areas, use of treated nets and early malaria detection and treatment programs. Sierra Club believes that DDT should be considered as the option of last resort only, when all feasible non-toxic and less toxic alternatives have been tried and proven ineffective. Sierra Club encourages governments and the WHO to give priority to increasing the informed use and accelerated development of such non-toxic and less toxic alternatives.

I don't want to mislead; the Sierra Club still loathes ddt but at least acknowledges that its judicious use could save a few lives.