Natural Pest Control

Every year Americans use hundreds of millions of pounds of industrial strength pesticides to get rid of bothersome bugs. If you are using toxic chemicals in and around your home it is important to note that they can find their way into your system as well as your family and pets. Here are some facts to consider if you have children

Their nervous, respiratory, reproductive and immune systems aren't fully developed so their ability to detoxify and excrete toxins differs from that of adults.      

• Developing cells in children's bodies are more susceptible to damage than cells that have completed development, especially for the central nervous system.
• They drink more water, eat more food, and breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults.
• They put their hands and objects in their mouths more often than adults do, and so transfer more foreign substances into their bodies.
• Because they are smaller and often play in the dirt or on the floor, they are closer to pollutants that adults aren't even exposed to.
• They absorb a greater proportion of many pollutants from the intestinal tract and the lungs
• Because they are exposed to toxicants at an earlier age than adults, children have more time to develop environmentally-triggered diseases with long latency periods, such as cancer.

An effective pest control program does not have to include toxic chemicals. There are companies that use natural, organic, botanical and biological materials combined with precise treatment methods to effectively and cost-efficiently control pest problems. It can be done without any pyrethrum chemical spraying or the use of harsh, EPA restricted-use pesticides. If you don’t have access to a company that uses natural products you may want to consider using some natural techniques for repelling pests. We’ve listed just a few ideas here - for more great ideas check out: www.eartheasy.com, www.pestinformation.com, or search the web for additional ideas and/or companies in your area.

• Catnip is a powerful cockroach repellent. Distribute the herb or simmer it in a small amount of water and spray the liquid on baseboards. (Have cats? Use the spray!!)
• You can lay down a barrier against ants with ground cinnamon. Also try squirting them with dishwashing liquid diluted in water – this can work for cockroaches, too.
• For ants, apply toothpaste with a cotton swab to treat active spots and points of entry.
• Both ants and cockroaches are deterred by bitter cucumber.

Other tips to keep bugs away naturally:

• Emptying trash containers frequently
• Keeping trash containers clean both inside and out
• Keeping full trash bags tied securely and placed in outdoor garbage storage areas
• Cleaning outdoor garbage areas to remove debris
• Using tight fitting lids and/or closed dumpsters to store garbage outdoors.
• Emptying sink strainers and running the garbage disposal frequently to prevent food build up in the drain area
• Washing dishes immediately after meals to prevent pests from consuming food residue on dishes
• Cleaning food particles and grease from kitchen appliances (toasters, ovens, microwaves, ovens, stoves, and refrigerators)
• Storing pet food in re-sealable containers
• Limiting the amount of time that pet food and water dishes are left out
• Storing food products in plastic snap-lid containers or kept in the refrigerator
• Vacuuming and sweeping floors and furniture regularly, especially around eating areas such as kitchens and living rooms
• Cleaning food storage areas and shelves regularly, where pests may be harboring
• Sealing gaps around plumbing, wall outlets and switch plates to prevent pests from migrating from infested units to others
• Screening windows and doors
• Caulking cracks and gaps in and around the property to keep pests from invading from outdoors
• Running water frequently in spare bathrooms, utility tubs and toilets to keep pests from entering through dry drainage areas
• Scanning grocery items, produce and other packaged food products, which may have been stored in infested locations prior to being purchased, before bringing them indoors or storing them
• Inspecting children’s book bags and lunch pails on a regular basis to prevent transporting pests from school to home
• Keeping branches and shrubbery well trimmed and away from the property
• Removing old tires or other open containers around the property that can fill up with water and provide a breeding ground for pests
• Stacking firewood and lumber away from the house to eliminate harborage for rodents, spiders and centipedes
• Pulling soil or mulch back from the foundation of the property to prevent termites
• Channeling water from downspouts away from the property’s foundation
• Paying particular attention to the maintenance and upkeep of the property’s foundation

Many thanks to Nature’s Best Pest Detection and Elimination for all of these great tips! You can reach Nature’s Best @ 321-253-5600.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nontoxic Pest Control Information from the U.S. Green Building Council

The following article by Doug Smeath of the U.S. Green Building Council is from their website: www.greenbuikldingcouncil.org.

It’s getting warmer. For anyone who has spent the winter months shivering and dreaming of balmier days ahead, spring’s arrival is good news. But the change in seasons brings new home and yard maintenance issues that must be dealt with. With careful planning, one of those issues – pest control – can be addressed in a healthy, environmentally responsible, green way.

Depending on where you live, any number of pests – especially insects or rodents – can cause health and safety issues and threaten the integrity and comfort of your home. Whether it’s termites, aunts, rats or something else, chances are they want into your house. And you want to keep them out.

For many, the first instinct to respond to pest infestations is a toxic one: There are no shortage of poisons and baits on the market that promise to rid you of unwanted houseguests. But most of those toxic chemicals are not only bad for the pests; they’re harmful to you and your family, too. Additionally, toxins from pesticides and baits can leach into soils and contaminate water or disrupt local ecosystems. Pests play a role in the food chain and are vital to keeping other wildlife in your neighborhood healthy and thriving. Your pest-control goals should be keeping vermin out of your house, not doing away with them completely.

Nontoxic strategies: There are a number of ways you can keep pests out of your home without endangering occupants’ health or the environment. Some of these strategies need to be implemented while the house is being designed and built; others can be put into place during routine maintenance. The initial costs of some nontoxic pest-prevention strategies can be higher than chemical controls, but those costs are frequently offset by the long-term effectiveness and durability of the structures, not to mention the reduced health-care costs that result from living in a healthier home.

Your pest-control strategy will depend on where you live. For example, some termite-specific prevention efforts are only necessary in areas at moderate or high risk for termites. In the United States, the risk of termites generally increases the farther south you live. The American Southeast and most of California are at especially high risk of termites. Meanwhile, a swath running from the Southwest through the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic region and into New England – as far north as Massachusetts – bear at least a moderate risk of termite problems. The risk is more minimal in the Pacific Northwest, northern Midwestern states like the Dakotas and the Great Lakes states, and the upper Northeast.

Building and design considerations:

• Include no wood-to-concrete connections or separate any exterior wood-to-concrete connections – such as posts, deck supports and stair stringers – with metal or plastic fasteners or dividers.
• Use solid concrete foundation walls or concrete-filled block. Foundations are particularly vulnerable to many subterranean pests, include termites.
• Keep all wood, such as siding and trim, at least 12 inches above soil, as opposed to the 8 inches typically required by building code.
• Use a sealed-to-the-wall vapor barrier for homes with crawlspaces on the floor or beneath a concrete slab to limit moisture intrusion and a resulting environment that becomes a suitable to insect habitat.

In areas prone to termites:

• Use non-cellulosic wall structures. That means avoid wood, straw and other plant-based wall materials.
• Treat any cellulosic material, such as wood framing, with a borate product to a minimum of 3 feet above the foundation.
• Install a sand or diatomaceous earth barrier. Install a steel mesh barrier termite control system. These mesh systems are installed around pipes coming up through slab and outside walls to keep termites from finding their way through gaps.

Ongoing maintenance:

• Seal all external cracks, joints, penetrations, edges and entry points with caulking.
• Protect exposed foundation insulation with moisture-resistant, pest-proof cover such as fiber cement board or a galvanized insect screen.
• Plan landscaping carefully. Avoid landscaping immediately adjacent to the house by ensuring all parts of mature plants will be at least 24 inches away from the home. Maintaining a buffer zone between plants and the house perimeter limits the habitat suitable for insect infestations. This has the added benefit of eliminating the need for irrigation close to the house, helping to prevent moisture leaking through the foundation.
• Treat lumber and other cellulosic material with borate, a natural chemical alternative that controls insects but is safe for humans.
• Install plants and landscaping elements that repel pests and encourage biodiversity. A yard that is dominated by one plant species, such as turf grass, is more susceptible to becoming a haven for a single type of insect that become an infestation risk. Biodiversity in a yard encourages a healthy, balanced ecosystem.

A well-planned house that implements nontoxic pest-prevention strategies has taken an important step toward becoming a truly green home. The LEED for Homes green rating system awards points for green pest controls. More information is available by downloading the LEED for Homes Rating System [PDF] and ordering the LEED for Homes Reference Guide. (see their website for links: www.greenbuildingcouncil.org)
 

**More information about Green Living.