Shades of Green Radio Program on 91.7 FM, KOOP (Potential Mosquito Spraying Affects on Air Quality & Organic Gardens)

With the recent spike in deaths and illnesses caused by the West Nile Virus in Texas, many cities like Dallas and San Antonio have started mosquito spraying programs. The Austin area hasn't employed this type of program for several decades and advocates for keeping it that way are becoming very outspoken. This week, we'll speak with Dr. Laura Pressley, Ph. D. She is a wife, mother, entrepreneur in organic food industry, Austin small business owner of a purified bottled water company, and an organic gardener. Dr. Pressley also ran for Austin City Council in May 2012 and has held activist positions with several different organizations since her run. We'll also talk with Dr. Neil Carmen, Director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club. Dr. Carmen is involved in a broad range of Texas air quality issues including reviewing emissions and technical data on industrial sources of air pollution and particularly their impacts on communities of color and low-income neighborhoods, educational outreach to Sierra Club members on local air quality, evaluating air toxics monitoring around industrial sources, and working with citizens to train them how to take air samples near industrial sources.