Wow it has been quite some time since we updated our blog. My sincere apologies. After losing one of our main route guys this past Spring, we were hit harder than ever with termite work. While the extra business this year was a good thing, taking on the additional responsibility has its downsides. For one, spending time updating the blog and our site has fallen in between the cracks over the last 2-3 months. We hope this will change soon. Boy could we use the downtime!

However, we would also like to take this time to announce a project we’ve been working on that we are very proud of. Steve, one of our top servicemen in the field, started a non-profit youth athletic fitness club in Camden, NJ catering to many of the young, talented athletes in Camden. As many of you are already probably well aware, Camden is one of the poorest cities in the country and continuosly ranked the most dangerous city by the FBI. Not much good is happening in Camden these days, and many of the young boys and girls growing up there are faced with so many obstacles by the time they reach adulthood that escaping the world of crime, drugs and poverty is nearly impossible. Getting by is a struggle.

So what hope do these young boys and girls with big dreams have? What kind of sense of belonging do they have without that found in joining a gang? Where can they go to just get away from it all and learn something fun and exciting?

That place is Steve’s Club. Rather than continue to talk about it, we ask you to check it our for yourself and tell us what you think. Our customers and friends alike on and off-line, your opinion means a great deal to us. Please take a moment to check it out. Big things to come.

 www.stevesclub.org

When you see bugs smashed on your windshield beauty probably isn’t the first thing that springs to mind. However if you could see them up close and personal through a microscope you might have a different perspective.

Here are a number of photo-micrographs for your viewing pleasure. These pictures, although beautiful, may cause vegetarians to give up driving forever. Even non-vegetarians may never look at a bug on a windshield the same.

Warm weather is likely to trigger some termite swarms particularly following any rain. Termites swarm more often following rainstorms.

If you have seen termite swarmers, there are two important points to remember.  First, make sure that you actually have termites.  A number of ant species also swarm this time of year and most people can’t distinguish winged ants from winged termites.  If you can collect a few insects, show them to a pest management professional or take it to your local County Cooperative Extension Center. Second, if you do have termites swarming, consider the following: Termite swarming is like real estate - the importance lies in ‘location… location…. location….”  If termites swarm outdoors, it’s just nature’s way of reminding you that termites are all around us.  If termite swarmers are found indoors, then quite likely you have an infestation.  Regardless, termite swarming is a good reminder that the best line of defense against termites is to have your house inspected, but not necessarily treated.  Most termiticide labels (and therefore our state and federal regulations) actually prohibit routine/annual termite treatments without any indication of an actual problem .  A pest control company cannot tell you that you *need* to have your house treated if there is no evidence of termite activity. They might “suggest” a treatment if it’s been 10+ years since the last treatment, but without evidence of termites, it becomes a matter of how important you consider the investment in a treatment that will likely cost $800-$2000 depending on the size and construction of their home.

If a termite infestation is found within the house (whether that’s in the crawlspace or a wall or wherever), it’s best to get at least three estimates and then evaluate what each company is offering in terms of both the treatment and a guarantee.  You should not feel pressured into making a quick decision.  Even if you spend several weeks deciding what to do, termites are not going to cause significantly more damage during that time.  Also, not all companies offer damage-repair guarantees, but if one is offered, read the fine print.  Advertisements for $250 thousand repair guarantees sound impressive, but they only cover “new” damage (i.e., damage that occurs after the contract is in effect). In other words, if you remove siding or open a wall while doing home improvements and you find termite damage but there are no termites present, then that damage is considered “old” and it is likely excluded from your termite contract.  This doesn’t mean that the company is trying to avoid accepting responsibility. The problem is that, particularly hidden damage (i.e., inside a wall or other inaccessible area), there is no reliable way to determine whether the damage occurred during the contract period. Also, if you don’t correct known “conditions conducive to termites” (e.g., drainage problems, rotted siding, etc.) that the company has pointed out to you verbally or (preferably) in writing, then the company can also refuse (and justifably so) to honor your guarantee. This is another reason why it is critical to keep all records of inspections, renewals, etc. relating to your termite contract.

For more info, give us a call 856-784-4360  (Operators are standing by…actually that would be me:)

Bringing more natural light into our daily lives may be more important for our health than we realize. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is known to be related to how much sunlight we receive. Individuals with SAD may experience emotional depression, a drop in physical energy, increased appetite, and increased need for sleep.

Courtesy of ARA Content

The following timeline is based on a PBS feature aired in February of 1998 and featuring interviews with Theo Colborn, author of Our Stolen Future, Lois J. Guillette, PhD, and Fredrick Vom Saal.

1923 First estrogen bioassay is developed. The test detects estrogenic activity in biological extracts and determines relative potencies of compounds and mixed natural materials.

1929 Commercial production of PCBs begins in the United States in response to the electrical industry’s need for a safer cooling and insulating fluid for industrial transformers and capacitors.

1938 British scientist and physician Edward Charles Dodds announces the synthesis of a chemical that acted in the body like a natural estrogen. Called DES, it is hailed by leading researchers and gynecologists as a wonder drug with a host of potential uses. (Dodds was later knighted for his scientific achievement.) Soon after Dodds invents DES, researchers in the United States begin giving the synthetic hormone to women with problem pregnancies. The massive experiment would eventually involve an estimated 4.8 million pregnant women worldwide.

1948 Paul Muller is awarded a Nobel Prize in medicine for discovering the insect-killing properties of DDT.

1950 DDT is shown to disrupt sexual development in roosters–possibly by acting as a hormone. Scientists V.F. Lindeman and Howard Burlington find that young roosters treated with DDT fail to develop normal male sex characteristics, such as combs and wattles. The pesticide also stunted the growth of the animals’ testes. These scientists noted a similarity between DDT and DES, a synthetic estrogen given to women for problem pregnancies. DDT, they observe, “may exert an estrogen-like action” on the animal in question.

1952 By this date, 4 separate scientific studies show women treated with DES to prevent miscarriage did no better than those treated with alternatives such as bed rest or sedatives. Further analysis will show that DES actually increases the number of miscarriages, premature births and deaths among infants.

1962 Silent Spring is published. Rachel Carson’s book describes health problems observed in wildlife such as eggshell thinning, deformities and population declines. Carson links these adverse effects to exposure to pesticides and other synthetic chemicals.

1963 Study shows that newborn mice receiving estrogen injections developed tissue pathologies such as cysts, cancers and lesions. Results indicate that exposure to naturally occurring hormones early in life can produce harmful health effects and point to possible early-life causes of cancer in adult human populations.

1968 DDT is shown to be estrogenic in mammals and birds.

1971 DES is linked to vaginal cancer in daughters whose mothers had taken the drug during the first three months of pregnancy. By this date, millions of pregnant women had received prescriptions from physicians for DES. The US Food and Drug Administration directs doctors not to prescribe DES to pregnant women and bans the drug for animal use.

1972 DDT use is restricted in agriculture by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

1973 International Joint Commission (IJC) for the US and Canada singles out first “Areas of Concern” in the Great Lakes region, noting extensive pollution and threats to wildlife.

1976 DES is shown to cause developmental abnormalities in male mice and reproductive problems in humans.

1977 Use and manufacture of PCBs restricted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. PCBs continue to be manufactured and sold overseas .

1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between US and Canada calls for virtual elimination of persistent toxic substances from Great Lakes basin.

1979 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences holds conference entitled: Estrogens in the Environment I. Presented papers identify and evaluate both advertent and inadvertent hormone mimics. Manufacture of PCBs banned in the US, but not their use or storage.

1982 DES is shown to cause developmental abnormalities and vaginal cancer in female mice.

1983 Responding to public concern over dioxin contamination at Times Beach, Love Canal, Jacksonville and other sites, the US Congress directs the EPA to conduct a National Dioxin Study to determine the extent of contamination nationwide.

1985 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences holds a conference called Estrogens in the Environment II: Influences on Development. Presentations address the effects of environmental estrogens on puberty in young children. Also noted is the ubiquitous nature of the contaminants, their potency and their potential impact on public and environmental health. EPA’s Dioxin Risk Assessment classifies dioxin as a known animal and probable human carcinogen, setting the lowest “safe exposure level” on record.

1985 Eight Great Lakes states develop remedial action plans to address environmental damage seen in IJC-targeted “Areas of Concern.”

1986 Documents are leaked to Greenpeace showing EPA agreed to demands from the paper industry to keep results of National Dioxin Survey secret. Under threat of lawsuit, EPA releases National Dioxin Survey. The study finds dioxin is present in discharge from paper mills and in finished paper products (due to chlorine bleaching of white paper).

1986 Paper industry pressures EPA to reconsider its 1985 Dioxin Risk Assessment in hopes of obtaining a less damaging judgment on dioxin’s health effects.

1988 EPA begins its first reassessment of dioxin.

1990 The EPA and the Chlorine Institute (an industry group) co-sponsor the Banbury Conference on Dioxin, which takes place on Long Island, New York. Conference attendees reach a consensus on dioxin’s probable mechanism of action. Theo Colborn co-authors “Great Lakes, Great Legacy?,” detailing developmental, reproductive, metabolic and behavioral damage to wildlife from persistent chemical pollutants.

1990 Fifth Biennial report of IJC puts threat in plain language, saying that the principal danger of persistent organochlorine chemicals is to the fetus.

1990 Environmental groups around the Great Lakes form the Zero Discharge Alliance to oppose production of bioaccumulative toxic substances.

1991 Theo Colborn helps organize a conference called “Chemically Induced Alterations in Sexual Development: The Wildlife-Human Connection” and held at Wingspread in Racine, Wisconsin. For the first time, scientists from many disciplines are brought together to discuss concerns about endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the environment. Participants present evidence that compounds may have deleterious effects on sexual development in a variety of wildlife species. Possible impacts include reproductive system abnormalities, reduced fertility, behavioral abnormalities, and population declines–particularly in top predators. Researchers Ana Soto and Carlos Sonnenschein report that some plastic compounds widely used in a variety of consumer products are estrogenic in laboratory research.

1991 The Chlorine Institute (an industry group) prematurely issues a press release stating that below a certain threshold of exposure, dioxin has no adverse effects. Group makes false claim that this was the consensus of the Banbury Conference.

1991 EPA administrator Bill Reilly states publicly that dioxin seems less dangerous than previously thought. He initiates a second EPA reassessment of dioxin.

1991 Greenpeace tours 40 Great Lakes cities by boat in preparation for upcoming IJC meeting in Traverse City, Michigan. The publicity campaign focuses on the goal of zero dioxin discharge by the paper industry. Greenpeace distributes a report entitled: “The Product is the Poison: The Case for a Chlorine Phase-Out.”

1992 Sixth Biennial Report of the IJC calls for a phase-out of chlorine as an industrial feedstock. Drinking water and pharmaceutical uses are exempted. Environmental groups and industry are surprised by this wide-reaching recommendation.

1992 Physician Niels Skakkebaek publishes a paper demonstrating that human sperm counts may have declined 50 percent over the last 50 years.

1993 Referring to the perceived decrease in human sperm counts, scientist Lou Guillette tells the US Congress, “Every man sitting in this room today is half the man his grandfather was, and the question is, are our children going to be half the men we are?” A link between environmental estrogens and male reproductive problems is hypothesized in scientific papers.

1993 Chemical Manufacturers’ Association forms the Chlorine Chemistry Council (CCC) to promote the industry’s agenda in the debate over chlorine chemistry. CCC launches a public relations campaign, including television advertisements asserting the need for chlorine.

1994 EPA releases a Public Review Draft of its Dioxin Reassessment. It covers dioxin, dioxin-like PCBs and furans. The report concludes that these chemicals cause harm at levels similar to those seen in the general public. In addition to cancer, potential damage is seen to the immune, nervous and reproductive systems.

1995 The National Academy of Sciences and National Research Council sponsor a panel study called “Hormone Related Toxicants in the Environment.” The EPA’s Science Advisory Board reviews draft of Dioxin Reassessment.

1996 The topic of endocrine disrupters is popularized with the publication of Our Stolen Future, which is co-authored by Theo Colborn and includes an introduction by U.S Vice President Al Gore.

1996 President Clinton signs the Food Quality Protection Act and amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act, establishing the EPA’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC). EDSTAC is a unique advisory committee of 40 members from industry, academia, government and environmental groups. It is charged by Congress to develop a chemical screening program for endocrine disruptors by 1998, and to implement the program by August, 1999.

1996 Scientist Lou Guillette publishes his finding that male alligators in Florida’s Lake Apopka have strikingly low levels of testosterone and abnormally small phallus size. Pesticide residues in this contaminated lake appear to have “feminized” the alligators there.

1996 Psychologists Sandra and Joe Jacobson report that children exposed to high levels of PCBs before birth have as much as a 6.2 point IQ deficit later in life.

1996 Dr. Harry Fisch publishes a study refuting any decline in US sperm counts. He found, instead, striking geographical variation in sperm counts across the U.S. While sperm counts remained constant in a given region between 1970 and 1994, New York had higher counts than Minnesota, which had higher counts than California. Fisch thinks that the geographical variation may have confused other research that, in 1992, showed a worldwide decline in human sperm counts.

1997 Work by researcher Dr. Fredrick vom Saal shows that bisphenol-A, a component of polycarbonate plastic, can alter the reproductive development of lab mice at extremely low doses. Bisphenol-A mimics the natural sex hormone estrogen. Male mice exposed to this plastic during fetal development have premanently enlarged prostates and lower sperm counts. The effects occur at doses near those that humans are exposed to each day from sources like food packaging and dental sealants.

1997 A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that hypospadias, a hormone-dependent genital defect, is on the rise in baby boys.

1997 The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (HHS) holds its fourth major conference on estrogens in the environment in Arlington VA. Numerous scientific papers and reports are presented on toxicology, risk assessment and research for this emerging health concern.

1997 Tulane University scientists retract an environmental estrogen study published in a June 1996 issue of Science. The report had claimed that combinations of pesticides were as much as 1,600 times more potent as environmental estrogens than the individual pesticides. The research results couldn’t be replicated and the study was retracted.

1998 The National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine is expected to issue its report on hormone-related toxicants in the environment. The NAS panel will critically review the literature, identify known and suspected impacts on fish, wildlife and humans, and recommend research, monitoring and testing priorities, among other activities. By August, the EPA committee EDSTAC is mandated to develop recommendations on how to screen and test chemicals for their potential to disrupt hormone function in humans and wildlife. EDSTAC’s final plenary session is set for June 17-18 in Washington, D.C.

1998 A research paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that the proportion of males to females born has been declining in the US and Canada since the 1970s and in Denmark and the Netherlands between 1950 and 1994. The study’s authors suggest that endocrine disruptors may play a role, pointing to increased numbers of male reproductive disorders. When the study is reported in the popular press, some scientists downplay the significance of the reported trend.

1998 Vice President Al Gore urges the chemical industry to voluntarily release vital health information about thousands of commonly used chemicals. He says such a move would “empower citizens with new knowledge” to safeguard their neighborhoods against potential chemical hazards.

1998 The United Nations Environment Programme meets in Montreal to expand throughout the world an agreement to ban, phase out or limit the production of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). POPs are chemical substances that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects on human health and the environment. Persistent Organic Pollutants include: aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, chlordane, DDT, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, toxaphene, PCBs, dioxins, and furans.

1998 On Earth Day, the Chemical Manufacturers’ Association announces it will urge its members to voluntarily increase their health effects testing program of industrial chemicals to 100 chemicals a year by 2003.

2004 The Pest Professionals adopt environmentally friendly practices by using non-toxic, eco-friendly pest control products for their corporate clients. The move marks a responsible and efficient approach to pest control with hopes of forcing other pest control companies to adopt similar policies.

Well, here it is; another Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year signaling the end of another year of whatever it is we do. For my wife and I it highlights the birth of our first grandchild, the wedding of our son, the remembrance of challenges and triumphs of everyday life, the ups and downs that come to most extended families, and most of all a thankfulness that, through it all, we are in a good place and very blessed. I hope you can say the same. For The Pest Professionals, I am extremely thankful for everyone that has contributed to another year of successful growth; for the employees that work with our customers everyday, caring that our customers get the best service available. I can honestly say this is the beset group of workers I have ever been associated with and I’m proud that they are my employees. They are too numerous to mention here by name but as you call our references of past customers you will no doubt hear about the quality of our employees. So let me just finish up by saying hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!
Rick

In June 1992, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld a decision by the lower courts authorizing local towns and cities to enact and enforce their own laws concerning pesticides. The town of Casey, Wisconsin, had passed ordinances that were stricter than federal standards and that had been immediately challenged in court by the chemical companies. When Casey finally prevailed in the Supreme Court, trade associations (including the National Pest Control Association and the Professionals Lawn Care Association of America) joined to create a new organization called the Coalition for Sensible Pesticide Policy (CSPP). A trade journal, arguing passionately for this cause, listed measures for companies to take if “legislation is rearing its ugly head in your community.” Industry groups have had bills sponsored in the Senate and the House that would preempt the Supreme Court ruling, disallowing local legislation of toxic pesticides. When Missoula, Montana, tried to pass a referendum calling for tighter controls on local spraying of chemicals, trade associations, along with Ciba-Geigy and DuPont, spent over $50,000 to deafeat it.

We do not nor will not support an organization that places their interests above others, including those of the community, the state, and the environment. As one business guru once said, “We are neither in pursuit of money nor popularity but excellence. Markets are unknowable while excellence is obvious to everyone. Chasing money or popularity is a fools gambit. The relentless pursuit of excellence is the sure path, though likely indirect, to business success.”

That’s “The Pest Professionals” stand.

This book alone reshaped how I think about everything. It is a narrative dialogue between a gorilla and a naive, disgruntled young man. The man represents a common cultural icon, the kind we all know too well: unhappy, hopeless and confused. The gorilla: wise, challenging and viewing the world of humanity from an animal’s perspective. Ishmael, the gorilla, takes the narrator onto a journey of humanity while challenging the him to see humanity, and its role on this planet, in a way never before told. What’s more is that everything Ishmael brings out is confirmed by the work of anthropologists, philosophers, biologists and ecologists, and, unlike others who question humanity’s position in life, Ishmael questions whether we need prophets. A new way to live is more on his agenda, and it may follow the model lived by humans for millions of years: the tribe. This book is touching, easy to read and difficult to grasp.

Most likely, this book really will change your life. It changed mine. It doesn’t say things, which are way out there, but rather things we already know. Daniel Quinn will help you to put the pieces of the puzzle together in this insightful novel about our culture.

Just read it!
PS  Feel free to tell me what you think. Always looking forward to hearing your opinion, whether positive or negative.

About a month ago, my wife and I started our own joint checking account at the local bank and made our first deposit with the cash and checks we recieved from our wedding day. The girl gave us our receipt and we happily went on our way. So Thursday night my wife answers the phone and it is the branch manager from the bank. After introducing herself, she asked my wife if we were aware of a mistake regarding our deposit, which naturally my wife replied no. She then informed her that the cash was never deposited into the account. Evidentally, the teller accidentally forgot to collect the cash envelope and unbeknown to us we left with the cash in one pocket and the receipt in the other confirming the full amount of the deposit. The manager went on to say the bank is writing it off as a loss until further investigation. As for the sweet, young teller who helped us, her job was on the cutting block as you can imagine.

So what do you know (true story!)…the next day as I jumped in my truck to head off to work I find the envelope full of cash in my left jacket pocket. What a miracle right? Just so happen to put on my coat that day as they were calling for a drop in temperature later in the day (which by the way I didn’t wear all week). So the first thing I do is immediately call the bank to tell the manager of the good news. To say she was happy is an understatement. She thanked us repeatedly for our honesty and told us that we just made the teller’s Christmas holiday a whole lot merrier. I told the manager the teller was more than helpful and deserving of a raise for her great customer service.

A few hours later after reflecting back on the whole incident, I couldn’t help but imagine what life would be like if I never called the bank back to tell them I found the money. The more I thought about it though, the more I knew I made the right decision and the better I felt about myself. Although it was a bit tempting, I like to believe most other people would have done the same thing in my situation. Nothing’s worse than waiting for karma to come back and bite me in the butt. Trust me, it usually does too.

I’m having a hard time understanding the reasoning of people who are opposed to legislation that protects the environment.

We have only one earth. Pollution is toxic. Humans exist in a delicate balance with other species. It may seem insignificant that a particular type of owl or newt or wildflower has become instinct, but it isn’t. Mess with the balance too much and life as we know it is destroyed.

I suppose some people think that environmental regulations will harm the economy. Environmental policy can cause shifts–such as paper mills going out of business as more people rely on recycled products–but wouldn’t increased demand for recyled products help fuel the economy? What about new demand for environmental technologies? Wouldn’t they be a growth area that would provide good jobs for people? And consider how pollution has harmed certain industries. Will the tuna industry survive the new warnings about mercury? What about the beef industry and mad cow disease?

Why the hostility? What’s not to love about environmentalism?