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> <https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2017/09/30/some-birds-use-discarded-cigarettes-to- --000000000000500095058b875c35 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Clarification: People seem to have reached the conclusion that I am advocating the introduction of cigarette butts into birds' nests, or even more remarkably, that I support cigarette smoking. For the record, I sat with my mother as she died a cruel death from emphysema due to a lifetime of smoking. I detest smoking, and if it were up to me, cigarette company executives would serve long prison terms. I also know that hassling people addicted to cigarettes is not a productive strategy. I was responding to a few emails in which group members recalled, but could not put their fingers on, a study about birds incorporating butts in their nests, and the possible insecticidal effect thereof. I linked to a number of stories in the popular press, and to the abstract of the original Mexican study. I wasn't advocating anything, merely trying to fill an information hole in the conversation. Now for some actual advocacy: To echo what Don MacNeill said, countless substances are beneficial in small doses but harmful in large amounts. Paracelsus <https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/03/meet-philippus-aureolus-theophrastus-bombastus-von-hohenheim/72579/>, aka Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim (1493-1541), known as the father of modern toxicology, famously declared: *Dosis sola facit venenum*, or more fully, in English, "Everything is poison; nothing is poison. Dose alone makes the poison." Toxicity is not a binary concept but a sliding scale; knowing the dose is critical to assessing safety. It is a point environmentalists often miss. On Sun, Jun 16, 2019 at 8:21 PM Mary Macaulay <marymacaulay@hotmail.com> wrote: > Please note that birds and other wildlife also directly ingest these > highly poisonous butts - another way in which this highly toxic trash > contributes to environmental harm. Hope no one on the list is excusing > themselves from littering in this way thinking they are helping out > wildlife ..?? > > With kindest regards > > Mary (Macaulay), P.Eng. > CEO Insect Recovery Project > Social Enterprise - Tatamagouche Remember Adventures & Caper Cafe > Bed & Breakfast, Pedal Buggy, bike, kayak, coaster & snowshoe rentals, > great bird friendly coffee, organic baking, breakfast & pasta, soups, > stews, vegan curries & chili, pollinator meadow, games & more!! > (Cafe/Buggies Open Wed to Sunday: 8:00 am - 3 pm; Tatamagouche B&B phone > me directly , Angevine Lake Chalet - book via Airbnb) > RememberAdventures.ca & InsectRecovery.org > 1-902-293-1533 > Twitter @RememberTata & @InsectRecovery > > On Jun 16, 2019, at 6:27 PM, Parker Donham <parker@donham.ca> wrote: > > I asked Prof. Google about this, and she directed me to the following. > > - From Scientific American:* Cigarette Butts in Nests Deter Bird > Parasites > <https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/culturing-science/cigarette-butts-in-nests-deter-bird-parasites/>* > - From the Economist: *Some birds use discarded cigarettes to fumigate > their nests* > <https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2017/09/30/some-birds-use-discarded-cigarettes-to-fumigate-their-nests> > - From Nature: *City birds use cigarette butts to smoke out parasites > <https://www.nature.com/news/city-birds-use-cigarette-butts-to-smoke-out-parasites-1.11952>* > - From the New Scientist: *From the New Scientist Birds use cigarette > butts for chemical warfare against ticks > <https://www.newscientist.com/article/2138655-birds-use-cigarette-butts-for-chemical-warfare-against-ticks/>* > > These reports in the popular press all seem based on a single study by by > three Mexico City researchers published in Biology Letters. The Royal > Society has an abstract (but the full paper is behind the usual > unconscionable academic paywall): > > - *Incorporation of cigarette butts into nests reduces nest > ectoparasite load in urban birds: new ingredients for an old recipe?* > <https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsbl.2012.0931> > > > > > On Sat, Jun 15, 2019 at 12:17 PM Ken J MacAulay <kenmacaulay@eastlink.ca> > wrote: > >> John there was a recent article on-line about wild bees using plastic to >> line their nests. That article also mentioned birds using cigarette >> butts >> in their nests to kill mites etc. Like you, though, I can't remember if >> it >> was on a news feed or a FaceBook article. Here is a link to an article >> that >> mentions the butt use at the end of the piece. >> >> >> https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/wild-bees-building-homes-from-plastic/ >> >> Ken MacAulay >> Port Mouton, NS >> >> > > -- > *Parker Donh**am* > +1-902-565-5555 > parker@donham.ca > Contrarian.ca > > > -- *Parker Donh**am* +1-902-565-5555 parker@donham.ca Contrarian.ca --000000000000500095058b875c35 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">Cla= rification:</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br= ></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">People seem t= o have reached the conclusion that I am advocating the introduction of ciga= rette butts into birds' nests, or even more remarkably, that I support = cigarette smoking. For the record, I sat with my mother as she died a cruel= death from emphysema due to a lifetime of smoking. I detest smoking, and i= f it were up to me, cigarette company executives would serve long prison te= rms. I also know that hassling people addicted to cigarettes is not a produ= ctive strategy.<br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:sm= all"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">I was= responding to a few emails in which group members recalled, but could not = put their fingers on, a study about birds incorporating butts in their nest= s, and the possible insecticidal effect thereof. I linked to a number of st= ories in the popular press, and to the abstract of the original Mexican stu= dy. <br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small"><br></= div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">I wasn't adv= ocating anything, merely trying to fill an information hole in the conversa= tion.</div><div