Summertime during a pandemic means spending more time at home in our yards or social distancing at parks or recreation areas. And while we should all be doing our best to gather only in small groups, you’ve probably had at least a few uninvited guests to your outdoor gatherings in the form of mosquitoes. Over 50 species of mosquitoes live in the Pacific Northwest, active on warm summer days when we’re trying to enjoy the outdoors.1 While male mosquitoes feed solely on flower nectar, most adult female mosquitoes feed on protein-rich blood from a variety of animals – including humans.1 Continue reading

The Role of Pesticides in Violence, Racism and the Spread of COVID-19 After sending out a recent Black Lives Matter solidarity statement, NCAP received several responses asking us to “stick to pesticides” and environmental issues. This month, staff and board took some time to reflect on the history of pesticides and ask you to join us in reviewing the role of pesticides in violence and systemic racism.  Continue reading

(By Andrea Stapleton, Operations Coordinator) As the world continues to fight the current COVID-19 virus and we focus on safety for our communities, we must also carefully consider the substances we use to stop the spread of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has general guidance that people can use for cleaning and disinfecting. The guidance states that the COVID-19 virus can be killed if we use the right products, and the EPA has a long list of registered disinfectants for use. But it is important to know that many of the disinfectants and sanitizers they recommend are also antimicrobial pesticides that can be quite toxic if used incorrectly. Continue reading

(By Dominica Navarro, Healthy People & Communities Program Coordinator) During this new era of social distancing and working from home, my thoughts go out to those who are risking their lives on the frontlines. When it comes to keeping people safe during these trying times, it is the important work of essential employees that allows people to take refuge at home. With this added responsibility, it becomes our duty to ensure the highest degree of protection for essential workers. But what happens when some essential employees aren’t offered the protections available to others?  Continue reading

Corey and Rhiannon Weidmann of Vienna Gardens | Photo: Vienna Gardens By Sharalyn Peterson, Healthy Wildlife & Water Program Coordinator “We are unlike a majority of farms,” says market gardener Rhiannon Weidmann, owner of Vienna Gardens, a small, organic, sustainable farm in Silver Creek, Washington. Weidmann manages Vienna Gardens with her husband Corey, which includes a total of ¾ of an acre in cultivation of vegetable and flower beds as well as a small 70 year old fruit orchard. Rhiannon and Corey do not use pesticide sprays, even if they are certified organic, nor do they use tarps, solarization or flame weeding. Instead, they rely on interplanting, crop rotation and a deep mulching system to minimize the effects of pests.  Continue reading