Wall Street Journal Reports: Natural Pesticides

Posted on July 30, 2009 with 3 Comments

The front page of the Wall Street Journal today featured an article written by Gwendolyn Bounds about using natural pesticides to control pest activity around your home.

The use of natural products to control pests is not new. Garlic based sprays have been used for many years to control outdoor pests such as mosquitoes. The author of this, reported on the products she used to control pests on her property. Garden pests can cause a lot of damage to your plants, therefore controlling them is imperative.

Many companies that manufacture over the counter pest control products are trying to release new green products. There are a few problems with launching these new products, the most popular being consumer acceptance. Bounds’ makes a great point from the consumer’s view.

“…consumers say we want (natural products) and what we really want (dead bugs, now!).”

Another interesting side was that the side effects of pesticide to not even come close to the effects of Lyme disease and West Nile like virus.

“…pests can transmit illnesses such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease that can be more harmful than some potential side effects from pesticides. S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., for instance, launched a Raid “Earth Options” product in 2006, then discontinued it the next year due to low consumer acceptance.”

Spectrum Brands Inc. said that they released a mosquito repellent without DEET, and it did not sell well.

“Over the years, the EPA has banned some insecticides considered too risky from use in the home market, such as diazinon and chlorpyrifos. It also now maintains a list of active ingredients used in what it dubs “minimum risk” pesticides. “It’s a pretty good bet it’s a safe product if it’s on that list,” says John Kepner with Beyond Pesticides, a not-for-profit group based in Washington, D.C.”

In conjunction with all natural products, it should be known that some pests, such as ladybugs, can be used to control harmful pests such as aphids in your garden.

The author mentions in the article that she could not find an all-natural method to control carpenter ants.

JP McHale is constantly exploring new environmentally friendly products, also taking into account the effectiveness of them. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates pesticide products, and the way they are applied. Please contact us so we can create a custom home pest prevention program to protect your family and home from pests.

The original Wall Street Journal article can be read here.

Local Farms On The Rise

Posted on June 19, 2009 with No Comments

Project:Green Industry wrote a great article the other day about how local farms are on the rise across the United States.

The number of small farms is increasing in the United States and more importantly they are succeeding. John Ikerd, professor emeritus at University of Missouri-Columbia, told the St. Louis Dispatch that a fundamental change is occurring within the United States when it comes to smaller farmers. The newspaper reports that from 2002 to 2007, many of the nearly 300,000 new farms started in this country were small and operated by young farmers.

They say the top succeeding farms produce milk, poultry  eggs, fruit, and nursery’s. Because of this rise in local farms, John Deere has shifted their look on farms and started catering to the smaller farms, with different types of farm equipment.

If you are interested, the full article can be read here.