Climate Change, Bats, And Zika: 2016’s Weirdest Relationship [View all]
Particularly if you live in the Northeast, you might notice that it is really hot out. And buggy.
Much of the United States has gotten a lot of rain this summer, too, providing breeding ground for mosquitoes. At some point, it’s expected that some of these mosquitoes could start carrying the Zika virus. Zika’s outbreak, which started last fall in Brazil, has caused at least three infants in the United States — and thousands across South and Central America — to be born with microencephaly, a defect characterized by incomplete growth of the head and brain, and which is linked to many health complications.
Understandably, people are worried.
The House of Representatives recently passed a piece of legislation that would allow people to more freely use pesticides — without clearing the use with the EPA. But similar legislation has been introduced in the House five times over the past several years, and opponents say it is less a measure to protect Americans against Zika than a free pass to pollute the country’s water. There are already more than a thousand waterways in the United States that are impaired because of pesticide use. Additional use would likely impact fishing, recreation, and human health.
It’s also hard to believe this bill signifies Congress’ commitment to fighting Zika, since the body hasn’t yet agreed to fund an emergency package.
But it turns out that there is a hero people can turn to: a flying, furry mammal.
Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/07/08/3796302/bats-are-the-best/
A worker fogs a residential neighborhood with insecticides to kill mosquitoes.
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