The summer has nearly arrived, meaning it’s also time
for insects to rear their ugly heads once again. As we begin
to spend more time outside, avoiding insects is not just
important for general comfort but also for steering clear
of diseases.

The most common type of insect repellent contains a
chemical called N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, or DEET
for short. This chemical has proven to be very effective,
being the strongest bug repellent option on the market
and having saved millions of lives in disease-prone
areas. However, in places with fewer mosquito-borne
diseases, it’s a good idea to move away from DEET as
we consider a greener future.

A study by the National Institutes of Health
in 2020 shows that DEET is an excellent bug
repellent because it disrupts the olfactory
system of insects, making it so that insects
cannot detect humans. Unfortunately,
pollinator insects also rely very heavily
on these senses to support their survival
and their ecosystem. Compounded with DEET’s long
degradation time, this negative externality significantly
harms biodiversity, food webs, farming, and many
environmental aspects for long periods of time.

DEET also has a few other issues, such as having
an unpleasant odor and causing skin irritation.
According to the National Pesticide
Information Center, it can occasionally
be harmful to pets that are nearby while
applying the spray, potentially causing
seizures if the animal is overexposed.
These problems can be solved by
switching to plant-based repellents —
made from essential oils such as neem,
clove, or eucalyptus. Additionally, plantbased repellents degrade much faster
than DEET based repellants. Consumer
Reports stated in 2023 that because of
their fast evaporation time, however,
plant-based botanical repellents usually
only provide around two hours of protection, requiring
frequent reapplication. But given that crucial pollinators
are affected far less by botanical sprays, the trade off is
worth it to lessen environmental damage.

While alternative insect repellents may offer
environmental and health benefits, DEET remains the
most effective option in certain contexts. In regions such as
sub-Saharan Africa, where mosquito-borne illnesses such
as malaria claim hundreds of thousands of lives each year,
DEET’s potency makes it a preferred choice. Thus, if you’re
traveling to areas with a high risk of insect-borne diseases,
using a DEET-based repellent is advisable.

However, even then, you still don’t necessarily need a
formula with 100 percent DEET; concentrations of 20 to
30 percent can still offer strong protection with reduced
exposure. For those staying in lower-risk areas like
Princeton, consider switching to repellents that are less
harmful to both your health and the environment. Choosing
safer alternatives can still provide adequate protection while
minimizing negative impacts. 

Ditch the DEET this summer

“Charlie the Chocolate Factory” takes
a twist at the Odyssey of the Mind World
Finals, as Chef Oopsie Doopsie (an oompa
loompa) overthrows Willy Wonka and
decides to use the factory for a dinner
party instead.


But things soon go awry for Chef Oopsie
Doopsie as his guests begin reacting poorly
to his concoctions (including hair toffee),
and at the last moment Chef Oopsie
Doopsie decides to pursue his true passion
instead: becoming an opera singer.


Joy Chen ’27 , Claire Yang ’27, Viola
Que ’27, and Julia Li ’27 and Luna Xu ’28
competed and performed this skit from
May 21–24 at the Odyssey of the Mind
World Finals in Michigan. Odyssey of
the Mind is an international competition
encouraging students to use creativity in
a theatrical performance that responds to
one of five prompts, while incorporating
STEM or literarature-related topics. This
year, the PHS team chose the prompt
“Classics...Cooking with Books,” where
they were challenged to create a skit based
on “an original chef character inspired by
classic literature.”


 In addition to creating the skit, the team
also had to create props and costumes out
of materials totalling no more than $140,
which led the team to use recycled materials
— using cardboard and construction paper
to make large green wigs for the Oompa
Loompas and a mechanical lazy susan to
present the dishes.


The largest part of the judge’s final score
are the creative aspects of the skit, which
encouraged the team to think in a different
way than usual. Que noted that some of the
most engaging presentations came from
younger competitors in the elementary
and middle school divisions.


“[In] Odyssey of the Mind, you think
in a different way — like [someone] at a
younger age. I think as you get older, in
high school, [you’re] afraid to be judged,”
said Que. “[But] when you do Odyssey of
the Mind, anything goes. If you want to
do something, you can do it, and nobody’s
going to judge you, even if it sounds silly.”


The team began each session with a brain
dump, coming up with ideas, trying out
different possibilities, and dividing up the
work according to the strengths of each
member. Marcus Strum ’27, a member of
a different team in the PHS Odyssey of the
Mind club, noted the strong work ethic of
the team that qualified for Worlds.


“Before the competition, there’s typically
several working sessions at people’s houses
and script writing sessions over FaceTime.
The team that went to worlds this year
worked all day going into a sleepover,”
said Strum.


Throughout the year, the team fundraised
for their event and journey to Worlds
through GoFundMe and chocolate bar
sales, as the trip was not supported
financially by the school.


“It was unfortunate that for all the
hard work we [put in that] we [weren’t]
able to get funded by the school on our
trip, even though we were also going to
be representing Princeton High School
at [an] international competition ... with
thousands of people,” said Que.


Although Que admits that the team
was initially unfamiliar with Odyssey of
the Mind, their experience at Worlds,
where they ultimately placed 25th out of
38 teams in their category, has energized
and motivated the team to perform even
better next year.


“It’s made me excited for next year,
because I [realized that] if I put my mind
to [something], I can make whatever I
want, and it can be a fun experience. If you
want to make something really cool, like,
mechanical gadget, or a robot ... [I realized]
you can do it,” said Que.

Photo Courtesy: Jacqueline Katz

From left to right: Viola Que ’27, Julia Li ’27, Joy Chen ’27, Luna Xu ’28, and Claire
Yang ’27 after their performance of ‘Chef Oopsie’s Revelation’ at World Finals.

Eitan Daw-Niv's Work