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 David Suzuki's Vacation Challenge How to be unattractive…to mosquitoes! Summer kid eco party Some things you can do right now Share this newsletter!How to be unattractive…to mosquitoes! 
What summer sound elicits more distress than a mosquito’s whine? One of nature’s most common blood-suckers, ‘skeeters’ are known for spreading disease and causing bumpy, itchy discomfort wherever they go. But they are also an amazing food source for bats, dragonflies and many song birds. How to keep them off without resorting to toxic repellents? Many products designed to keep bugs off include ingredients that are toxic to you as well as the critters they are intended to repel. Read the label on any of the DEET-containing products on your friendly neighbourhood store shelves. They’re full of disclaimers – avoid eyes, mouth, ears, open wounds and irritated or sunburned skin; don’t let children apply, etc. DEET is poison and it travels. You wash it off and it ends up in waterways. In fact, it’s one of the top five contaminants found in US streams. What’s a body to do? Actually, there are a whole lot of steps to take to keep mosquitoes away before going the DEET route, including Lindsay’s make-it-yourself citronella candle. (To get this video in your mailbox, register here.) And if DEET is your only option, there are some things you can do to reduce your health risk and protect the environment.
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