Are bugs bugging you?

For several years, our area has been on a drought list. Seasons came and seasons went with no appreciable rainfall. The forests, near our home, were dry and brown ... and water levels, in nearby lakes, were at all time lows. While this was a bad situation and communities were scrambling to make sure that households had enough water to drink, the one positive was that bug populations ... those that need water to breed and live ... were down.

Then, the rains came ... the reservoirs filled and we have officially been removed from the drought list. Great news ... except ... more rain and higher humidity means that there are also more bugs ... specifically mosquitoes which breed in water and ticks which thrive near water.

Mosquitoes and ticks, in addition to being obnoxious little creatures who bite, can carry diseases such as Yellow Fever, West Nile Encephalitis, Lyme Disease, etc. These are dangerous diseases which can be life threatening. So avoiding bites is important!

If you head out to your local market for mosquito and tick repellent, you'll probably find products containing DEET. DEET works ... no doubt. But, it is a chemical pesticide ... a solvent which can melt synthetic materials and even nail polish. It is toxic to our environment, getting into waterways and killing fish. If you've ever used a product containing it, you'll know that DEET has an unpleasant smell and doesn't feel real good on one's skin. It can cause rashes, headaches and even seizures. Personally, I'd prefer not to use the stuff.

It seems like a "no win" situation, doesn't it? I mean ... which is worse, the illness or the prevention. Well, it turns out that there are other, safe ways to keep those nasty bugs at bay. Here are some ideas:

• Mosquitoes breed in standing water, especially the stuff that's been sitting for awhile. So, remove standing water in puddles, plant containers, etc. For things like pet bowls and bird baths, be sure to change the water frequently ... clean water isn't as appealing as dirty water. Rather than water your garden frequently, opt for watering deeply and less often.
  
  
• Wear light colored clothing ... mosquitoes are drawn to dark colors. Ticks aren't color sensitive but, if one hitches a ride on your clothes, he'll be easier to see and remove if the clothing is white.
  
  
• Cover up. Bugs have a hard time biting through material ... so wear long sleeved shirts and long pants to minimize skin exposure.
  
  
• Fans are a great deterrent ... mosquitoes have a hard time negotiating through wind. So create a breeze with a floor or ceiling fan.
  
  
• Love the scent of floral perfumes and soaps? So do mosquitoes! Opt for "fragrance free" during mosquito season.
  
  
• Make your own repellent: 1o to 25 drops essential oil plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel (optional). Mix well and dab some on skin and clothing. Oils to try are: Rose Geranium (ticks hate this one), Pennyroyal, lemon balm, thyme, lavender, and eucalyptus. One note ... for best results, apply often ... essential oils don't repel for long durations.
  
  
• Add some plants to your garden that naturally repel mosquitoes ... try catnip, rosemary, marigolds and lemon grass. Catnip has been shown to be 10 times more effective than DEET in repelling mosquitoes. And here's a tip ... one can take the leaves of these plants, crush them and rub them on skin and clothing ... no more mosquito bites.
  
  
• Attract insect-eating birds. Set out feeders and birdhouses to attract swallows, chickadees, wrens, bluebirds, vireos, etc. They'll be fat and happy ... you'll be bug free.

With just a little care, one can enjoy the outdoors ... bug free and earth friendly.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Breathe Easy

In our last post we talked about exhaust fans. Even using exhaust fans efficiently won't take care of other, longer lasting odors ... like garbage cans, clothes hampers or diaper pails? And what about the lingering smell of some foods ... have you ever left the house only to return and be greeted by the smell of last night's dinner?

The first thing to do, of course, is remove the source ... which works relatively well with garbage. Odors from diaper pails, clothes hampers and foods are not so easily removed. Parents using Eco-friendly diapers (disposables are not Eco-friendly) need to wash them. And washing one diaper at a time doesn't support our "only full loads", environmentally friendly washing practices ... not that new parents have time for washing one diaper at a time anyway. The same holds true for clothes ... gym outfits or dirty work clothes may smell but ... if there aren't enough clothes for a full load ... what do we do? Food odors are also hard to remove ... they seem to linger in the walls.

Perhaps air fresheners would work. You've seen the commercials ... a lovely woman sprays a fine mist into the air ... or plugs some little gadget into the wall ... and voila ... clean air, reminiscent of mountain breezes and spring. But wait ... are these products safe and good for the environment? According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 12 out of 14 common air fresheners, of various forms (solids, sprays, etc.), including some marked "natural" or "unscented", contained hormone-disrupting chemicals known as phthalates (you can read their article HERE). Phthalates were not listed on the label. Additionally, many of these products are housed in earth unfriendly materials such as plastic.

Do we just have to live with the odors ... walk around with our noses covered or pinched shut with clothes pins? Nope ... here are some ideas:

• Make your own essential-oil-based spray. Combine 30-40 drops, total, of up to three of your favorite oils with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle (an earth-friendly one, of course). Shake well and spritz in clothes hampers, kitchen compost bins, etc.

• Use diluted vinegar to wipe down the inside of garbage cans and diaper pails. If you soak diapers, pour a cup of vinegar into the soaking water.

• Sprinkle baking soda into diaper pails and clothes hampers.

• Sprinkle aromatic spices in hampers ... or to enhance a room, place spices in a bowl (just place them out of your child's reach) ... try cinnamon, ginger or cloves.

• Put a few drops of essential oil or extracts (vanilla, almond, etc.) on a light bulb. When you turn on the light ... the room will become infused with fragrance.

• Burn a fragrant soy candle. Soy candles don't pollute and they are environmentally friendly.

• Put a cotton ball, soaked in your favorite essential oil into the vacuum bag ... it'll freshen the air as you clean.

Freshen your air with these environmentally safe ideas and you'll breathe easy for sure!

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!