Eco-Product of the Week - Natural Insect Repellents

Summer is upon us, but unfortunately, so is the mosquito season. Unless you plan to mess about with wacky looking mosquito net clothing or the questionable sonic insect repellents, a good bug spray is your only real option for avoiding mosquitoes during your outdoors activities. For the vast majority of people, this means some form of DEET based insect repellent, which can work miracles at keeping the pesky bugs away.

However, before you reach for that can of chemical spray, you might wish to do some research on what alternatives are available...because while there's no question that DEET is extremely effective at repelling insects and lasts significantly longer than most alternatives, there are still some lingering doubts about the chemical's toxicity. Research have found evidence of neurological damage in rats after prolonged use and health agencies have also found evidence of side effects in humans.

Given the volume of DEET used every year, the number of adverse health cases are admittedly very low, but for those who wish to take no chances with their body, there are healthier alternatives such as picaridin or herbal oils. There's a good number of these botanically derived repellents, which tend to be volatile plant oils like citronella, lemon eucalyptus, castor, rosemary and cloves.

My current favorites are these completely non-toxic citronella-based repellents, which come in convenient pocket sized bottles. They make great giveaways at company picnics or any other outdoors promotions. The downside is that the effectiveness of natural insect repellents wear off quite quickly, so you'll need more and have to reapply more frequently than with DEET-based repellents. But in my opinion, that's a small price to pay for the peace of mind in avoiding potential health issues.