We know that microcephaly isn’t caused by the Zika virus and that the fear surrounding Zika was necessary to alter the Clean Water Act, but most people don’t want to hear that they were terrified for nothing. They just want to blindly trust the CDC and go about their business. And so, those who are doing just that in Houston, TX, can now look forward to a release of GMO mosquitos in their city to combat a disease that has been around for a long time and has done little damage. (However, the insecticides used to kill them are doing great damage to our environment.) Oh, and no actual cases of Zika have even been reported there but, details…who needs them?
From the article:
“THE MOSQUITOES HAVE BEEN ENGINEERED TO INCLUDE TWO COPIES OF BABY-MOSQUITO KILLING GENES, WHICH OVERRIDE NATURAL SELECTION TO MAKE IT ALMOST CERTAIN (WAIT, WHAT??)THAT THE OFFSPRING RECEIVE THE KILLER GENE FROM THEIR FATHERS. OVER TIME THE LOCAL MOSQUITO POPULATION WOULD START TO DWINDLE, ACCORDING TO THE STATED GOAL AND ALSO OXITEC’S OWN REPORTS OF FIELD TRIALS IN BRAZIL, PANAMA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.”
Now, while the Florida Keys GMO mosquito experiment from Oxitec, who even created a phony non-profit with the intent of pushing GM mosquitoes on locals in the Key West area, was met with a lot of controversy and resistance (the target neighborhood rejected their release so the company has to look for a new target area in the region) officials in Texas didn’t learn anything, “Houston-area officials are in negotiations to potentially release the mosquitoes in Harris County, the third most populous county in the U.S., which could make the area the first to release GMO mosquitoes in the United States.”
But before they can do this, they need an environmental assessment, which could take years to complete. While that’s good news, the assessments are done by the company that created them, in this case, Oxitec (who are also submitting an additional assessment in Florida). However, common sense and critics are obviously calling foul. There should be an independent assessment done by a company who won’t benefit financially like Oxitec will.
RELATED ARTICLES:
- Breaking: Zika Outbreak Epicenter in Same Area Where GM Mosquitoes Were Released in 2015
- GMO Mosquitoes Increase Disease-Carrying Competitors, Require Concurrent Release of 2nd Species
- Take This Vitamin to Repel Mosquitoes All Summer Long
We will keep you up to date on this story and continue to watch what happens in Florida. However, if you live in and around Houston, make sure to let your legislators know you don’t want them releasing GMO mosquitos. Make your voice heard.
Source: March Against Monsanto
