[Dialogue] NYTimes.com: Industry Ignored Its Scientists on Climate

[Don Hinkelman]

Hi Don,

> Tens of million of malaria  deaths can be attributed to the virtual  
> elimination of DDT from the planet based on the overblown concerns  
> of DDT's
> ill ecologic effects popularized by Rachel Carson.  See this article.
> http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/Fall02/DDT.html

DDT is a sensitive point for me.  One of our colleagues in the  
Calcutta House was slowly killed by DDT or a similar pesticide (please  
help me with his name).  Well-educated, and concientious, he applied  
anti-bedbug powder regularly to his mattress.  Painful symptoms  
resulted, and after more than ten years of treatments to purge the  
chemicals from his body, he passed away.

I would not be surprised that that selective use of DDT could be  
useful.  However, my experience with the chemical education of rural  
populations and the article you cite makes me skeptical.  Instead of  
referencing scientific studies, he uses similar ideological words as  
the people he is criticizing--"...another favored ideology of  
environmental activists".  The website, 21st Century Science seems to  
be highly ideological and inflammatory as well, with titles such as:  
"The Global Warming Fraud", "Windmills for Suckers" and "Carbon  
Offsets are Genocide".  I appreciate critical thinking and agree with  
you that unintended consequences are very common and often ignored.   
Yet, for scientific questions I would stick with more non-ideological  
sources like "Science" for basing decisions on.  For us lay readers,  
the most comprehensive, well-referenced summary of this question I  
have read is in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT

Don Hinkelman
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