Question

why do groups such as friends of the earth and econexus devote time to voicing their concerns about OX513A

Answer 1

Founded in 1969 Friends of the Earth is an international network of organizations devoted to advocate for environmental issues. EcoNexus was founded in February of 2000 as a research focused organization oriented to analyze new technologies and their potential negative impact on the environment.

These two groups have strongly voiced their stand against the creation and testing of OX513A (which is the name given to the genetically modified male Aedes aegypti mosquito) because of the unknown ramifications this experiment could have. These environmentalists sustain that introducing genetically engineered insects could have a series of events that nobody would be able to control.  

Answer 2

The Friends Of The Earth want to protect the environment. As you may know, repellents have been know to have negative effects on the environment, making FOTE wanting to voice their concerns.