A pesticide’s forgotten benefit

Re “Remember DDT,” editorial, Feb. 16

The Times editorial recommends prohibiting the pesticide carbofuran, and harks back to the great success of eliminating DDT, which caused a decrease in bird populations. Typical of radical environmentalism, the editorial fails to mention the other consequence of eliminating DDT, which was and is the death of hundreds of thousands of children in Africa because of malaria.

DDT was by far the most effective insecticide for controlling mosquito-borne malaria, and with proper application would have saved lives with little effect on animal populations.

It’s not that I devalue the return of the bald eagle and the brown pelican, but when environmentalists dismiss human suffering without seeking some middle ground, they absolutely leave me cold.

David Brisco

Newport Beach