Moth'd Report: Aerial Moth Spray in San Francisco & Bay Area

I dropped in at the Berkeley informational meeting on Sunday -- a forum to address concerns about the upcoming aerial moth spray program in the San Francisco Bay Area

Read these meeting notes and weep (if you're so inclined) -- then pick yourself up and take action if you're as concerned as everyone else at tonight's gathering.

You'll have to judge the information for yourself -- read the official CDFA reports and see what the spray opponents have to say.

I'm personally in the "oppose" camp -- supporting the efforts of Stop the Spray and other organizations represented tonight. For me, there are too many unanswered questions and problems, and too many potential risks to accept the official line at face value.

When you think of aerial spraying, you think of a single application of a pesticide which then dissipates.

The proposed treatment is a different beast altogether. The substance, according to speakers at the Berkeley meeting, will be contained in tiny time-released microcapsules which will release the contents over days. And, which can potentially be inhaled. Speakers at the meeting suggested they cannot avoid being inhaled.

The website Hope for Truth has a referenced explanation of microcapsules and how they work.

There's another informational meeting in San Francisco on Monday night (details below). And on Tuesday evening, both Oakland and Berkeley are addressing resolutions to oppose the aerial spraying.

If you do, in fact, oppose the aerial spraying, it's important to show up. You'll have a chance to make your views known to council members and to the CDFA -- or submit written comments.

Learn more about the LBAM Aerial Spraying Issue - San Francisco & Bay Area:

1. Overview of LBAM Spraying
2. 10 Reasons to Oppose the LBAM Spray
3. LBAM Spray Resources (print & video)
4. Summary of Berkeley Town Hall Meeting (Feb 2008)
5. What You Can Do to Stop the Aerial Spraying Over San Francisco