Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

Genma Holmes

I love being social… but I think I am pretty much beat with Genma Holmes. And if you can’t beat em, join em. From fashion model to pest control super star, Genma Holmes is CEO of Holmes Pest Control in Nashville, Tennessee. She was a very fun interview and very gracious.  Enjoy!

Thomas: Well you are such an interesting person that I don’t know where to begin an interview! I heard you speak at the Green Conference in Dallas last year, so you are obviously promoting green services, let’s start there. What percentage of your customers are on an all natural pest control service?

Genma: All. I got into the business before green became a marketing idea. Green living is my way of life…not a marketing campaign.

Thomas: All of your pest control is done with 100% All Natural Pest Control Products? That’s fantastic! I am actually relieved. I was a little disappointed in the guys at that conference that were promoting green pest control as an undefined “wrap me in a green blanket and call me a safe treatment plan.” In fact, your candid clear cut views are probably what make you sparkle. Bulwark offers this option for those that want it but few ask for the All Natural Solution.

So you are 100% all natural pest control, for how many years?

Genma: From the day I met David Murphy of EcoSmart. We had been experimenting with it but did not have a pesticide that did the job that EcoSmart. It did not pass the smell test or the lick test in EcoSmart place. When EcoSmart first started my youngest children were in kindergarten.

Thomas: Very nice plug for EcoSmart, and yes they do offer great products. So Why Nashville?

Genma: I love this place. LOVE IT. I moved here from Mississippi. I thought I stepped off the bus into Rhinestone heaven! Everywhere I went I bumped into a REAL Opry star. No to mention the number of folks like me that stepped off Greyhound (or Southwest) and were millionaires overnight. No state income taxes, homes looking like McMasion with McRibs prices. Great place to raise your children. Economic opportunities on every corner and the most philanthropic people hands down.

Thomas: Yep, I love Nashville too. I graduated from Franklin High School. It is so beautiful there and full of wonderful people, like yourself. But my wife rules the roost so I won’t be back in Tennessee anytime soon. I get that you travel a lot for speaking engagements. How many events do you speak at per year?

Genma: Hmm, colleges are the hot spots. As I type I have 15 engagements scheduled before November. I did a road trip once pushing women in the industry angle….46 stops in 42 days. I nearly died but it was a great year! I am rarely asked to do industry events but then again, I didn’t cut my teeth talking to bug people (meaning I am not a “pest control industry” person traveling to “industry” events). Majority of my audiences are consumer driven marketplaces. I do not sell to the pest control industry. My audience are non industry folks mainly who buy my services and want to hear me talk about any and everything including my fear of brown recluse spiders. When I share that in a Women’s publication or a professional women group it is ok, talk about that in a room full of pest control guys and I sound bat crap crazy.

Thomas: Not only do I admire you as a pest professional, a great speaker, and a business savvy lady,  but you strike me as a mother that cares for her family.

Genma: I respect motherhood deeply. Thomas: How many kids do you have? Genma: 3! Franz (sports medicine) Cornelius (sports journalism) Alexis (sports marketing)…all would be 2nd generation PCOs!

Thomas: What’s your favorite question to be asked? Genma: How the hell did you get into pest control?

Thomas: You know that is a great question! So let me ask you… About your politics. =)
I know that your are politically active, do you take sides? Democratic, Republican? Liberal, Conservative?

Politics... Let's break that down for you... "Poli" Many & "tics" blood sucking creatures.

Genma: I vote my conscious. That’s not a wiggle out, that is the truth. Always have and always will. My grandfather’s taught me to think for myself. I don’t put campaign signs on my trucks. My business can not vote. I personally do not endorse anyone, because of my role at several newspapers BUT I throw some of the best parties in town to support a cause or a candidate. In the last year, I formed a group called POI…pissed off independents! Never met a Margarita we did not like!

Thomas: How does your political activism help and maybe hurt your business?

Genma:It doesn’t hurt or help. From the time I came out the womb, I was given a campaign sign from my granddaddy. Knocking on doors to get people to exercise their right to vote was his life story. He spent his life being a civil rights activist. Not the kind on TV spouting nonsense about nonsense but a man of the people who loved all people. I learned from him to have that fire in your belly for something that you believe in that works for the greater good..not lining your pocket! Vote for whoever you like..just vote damn it! See there goes that fire in me.

Thomas: Do you link religion, politics, and pest control?

Genma:All the time! I love my God, I am a citizen that votes in EVERY election, and I kill bugs. I can not get around any of that! But there are times and places for everything. I try not to push my beliefs on others but I am firm in my faith. if you don’t like my politics that fine, we live in a country that allow us to have differing views. I kill bugs and I am not shame of the work I do.

Thomas: Well you are wonderful.  Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.  I look forward to following your tweets.

And I encourage other professionals to do the same.  Check her out here:

http://twitter.com/bugsact

http://genmaspeaks.blogspot.com/

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Green pest control is on a lot of minds these days. We just happened to find a Seattle based based exterminator that promotes their Green name, GREEN CHOICE PEST CONTROL. They are also a family based service that has good reviews from their happy customers. So we decided to get to know them a little better.

Another family pest control service, Small enough to care, Big enough to do it right!

“How is pest control in Seattle and Portland different?”

Bill: The Pacific Northwest is a challenging place to conduct pest control services. Consistent rain water runoff and the constant proximity to waterways makes pest control more challenging than it might be in other dryer climates. Coupled with the diverse ecosystem is a diverse population demo graph that is sometimes at odds with its own values.

Thomas: “Yes it’s tough to please everyone. People want to feel safe in their homes and they often have fears of pesticides whether warranted or not. Then they are conflicted on what’s worse, pesticide or spider bite. I assume that is why Green Choice Pest Control goes with a low impact service?

Bill: The culture of the Northwest is extremely ecologically conscious. That being said, this same population often wants all pests killed at their residence, while minimizing or even eliminating any secondary effects on surrounding habitats. This places pest control companies, especially those with ecological sustainability in mind, in the awkward position of sometimes saying no; No to certain products, and no to certain procedures. “Yes, we can kill your rodents, no we will not use gas within your home to do so.”, for example. Pest Control in Portland and Seattle is also extremely seasonal in its apparent active pest months. Carpenter ants are readily seen during our short summers, and raise the alarm of any homeowner. During our cool, wet months, however, they are usually not seen, and therefore not considered an issue by most people. This is despite the fact that they may be just as active reducing your two by four studs into dust while you are comfortably watching television.

Thomas: “So what you can’t see and don’t know can hurt you, or in this case hurt your home. You talked about winter months, in most of Bulwark’s locations we see a lot of rat and mice activity in the cooler months… Can’t say cold, since Phoenix is rarely cold. Las Vegas, and Austin, maybe but not like Vancouver”

If you think the Fiat is different try their service!

Bill: Yes… Rodents, conversely, are heard in attics and under homes during winter months, as they seek shelter, but are rarely considered a problem when seen outside a home during the summer months. Since the majority of people wait until it’s on the fringes of too late before they hire a professional exterminator, this minimizes the amount of sustainable pest control that can be accomplished, and moves us into an aggressive, multi product approach that we would rather reserve for the rarest occasions. Preventive pest practices doing pest control Seattle and Portland operations are the ultimate solution. While this is not on the forefront of most homeowner’s minds, it needs to become as standard in our culture as recycling. This gives us the greatest opportunity to enjoy our beautiful slice of the world for generations to come.

Pest specific to the Northwest?

Thomas: Bulwark has made headway with scorpions because they are a more unique pest, are there any pests in Seattle or Portland that would be considered unique? … Or maybe just your biggest ugliest bug?

Bill: One pest that is more specific to the Northwest is the hobo spider. The hobo spider makes a cone shaped web and is extremely poisonous, similar to a brown recluse. An untreated bite will probably be fatal.

Thomas: Hobo Spiders sound as bad as scorpions.

Hobo Spider with Cone Web

Bill: They are not nice and are related to scorpions as they are both arachnids. Since there is no shortage of fear of these creatures, many other spiders are killed in process “just to be on the safe side”. This is unfortunate, as spiders are good for the ecosystem, and actually eat certain wood destroying pests such as carpenter ants. Green Choice technicians are specially trained to be able to identify if a spider is or is not a hobo. We offer free inspections to and are happy to stop by your home or business and take a look at any living or dead specimens you may have.

Thomas: “Yep, its much easier to prevent major problems with regular maintenance. Hence we chose the name Bulwark, as in a defensive barrier. Keep up the regular defense and you can avoid extremes. By the way, I have only made one trip out to Seattle. I actually met a really cool internet marketer, very coincidental that his twitter handle, @inflatemouse, was pest control related. Anyways, My favorite Seattle site was the Fountain by the Sky Needle. Beautiful city. Any places that you’d recommend I visit next time I’m in town? Any local Deli’s or hidden restaurants?”

Bill: Most any of the delis or restaurants in the Pikes Place Market are really good and a good value. You can watch the fish markets throw the fish back and forth there. Pikes Place Market is famous for throwing fish. Anyone can point you in the right direction once you’re there. Also the Mariner’s Ballpark is quite an attraction. Seeing any of  the Islands in the Puget Sound area via ferry is also something which is more unique to our area. Seattle is very tourist friendly with great restaurants and deli’s on just about every corner of the city.

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Do Electronic Pest Control Devices Work?

I just got this story from Grandpa Ballantyne which has much wisdom in it, so as a wise old man once said…

In a nutshell, it isn’t that the ideas of people are done with bad intentions (often, at least), it’s just that they don’t work. My grandson put a bunch of fruit in a cookie tin yesterday, explaining that it was “for Santa.” It was very thoughtful of him, but because I love him, I explained that while it was thoughtful of him, it would not work. Yes, like so much that is proposed by well-intentioned people, it was thoughtful, but, no, it will not work. We should all at least do as I did with my grandson, and point out what is obvious to us. Many will ignore us, but some will actually see the logic. Meanwhile, we will have done what we should do, and sometimes this all we can do.

Why wouldn’t a tin full of fruit for Santa work?

Perhaps because today is the 2nd of December and fruit left in a tin for Santa to eat on the 25th would only spoil and be wasted. Perhaps the grandson was wanting to hide the tin, which would only mean a stinky banana in the home for his poor single mother to clean up months later. Yuck.

What this story is about is being realistic with a child and taking a moment to teach the child despite his good intention.

How does this relate to Electronic Pest Control Devices?

Quite simply, electronic pest control DOES NOT WORK EFFECTIVELY. It doesn’t matter what you call it, ultrasonic pest control, electronic pest repeller, electronic spider control, electronic insect control, pest devices, or pink barking poodles, none of them provide effective lasting pest control. They are not effective at pest defense or offense. Now I know that you may be saying, “He’s just a pest control company trying to hold back technology that he sees as a threat to his livelihood.” But I am not the only one saying this. Try reading the Federal Trade Commission’s report warning consumers of fraudulent electronic pest control device claims.

“Staff of the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Enforcement today announced that they have sent warning letters to more than 60 manufacturers and retailers of ultrasonic pest-control devices, stating that efficacy claims about those products must be supported by scientific evidence.

…that any reaction by rodents to ultrasound would be temporary at best because rodents become accustomed to ultrasound and will return to their nesting or feeding areas even in the presence of an ultrasonic device. Furthermore, previous FTC complaints alleged that ultrasound devices do not control insects.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices”

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/05/fyi0128.shtm

Further, Bulwark Exterminating supports advancing technology and society. If electronic devices worked we would happily embrace them and find a way to sell them, service them, and stay in business. Our customers want the safest most effective pest control service. We recognize that electronic devices would be cleaner and greener. And if they worked then they would be potentially less toxic then even tap water. But customers want both safe pest control and effective pest control. A fly-swatter is considered a safe pest control device, but it’s not an effective roach control device.The only semi-effective electronic pest control device that Bulwark will acknowledge are the blue glowing zappers that mesmerize bugs into their ultimate destruction… I love hearing mosquitoes get zapped.

If you think that pest control companies are afraid of electronic pest control devices then Bulwark and  pest control companies everywhere should also be the Do It Yourself pest control stores.  If you want to a Do-It-Yourself pest control solution then visit www.PestProJoe.com, see not afraid of them.  Bulwark caters to individuals that want a guaranteed hassle free pest control service. Yes, service is the keyword there. Consumers want the safest most effective pest control solution.  If a pest control company does not provide an effective service then they will struggle to stay alive.

Morale of the story…

Electronic Pest Control devices may be a good idea and have really good intentions, but its similar to a grandson putting fruit in a cookie tin for Santa,… its just fruitless.

P.S. If super sonic electronic pest control devices do become effective at some future date then Bulwark pest control will gladly support them.

For further reading and reviews on Electronic Pest Control devices can be found at EcoSmarts blog:
http://blog.ecosmart.com/index.php/2008/08/28/electronic-pest-control-reviews-and-ratings

Read what Universities are saying about whether electronic pest control devices work or not…

Considering Ultrasonic Pest Control Devices? Save Your Money -
http://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resources/ultrasonicdevices.shtml

If you are considering electronic pest control devices for Christmas this year then perhaps you should consider a Charlotte pest control service instead.

ThomasB All Natural Pest Control, Environmentally Friendly, Green Pest Control electronic insect control, electronic pest control, electronic pest repeller, electronic spider control, Green Pest Control, green washing, pest offense devices, ultrasonic pest control

Yes it seems that the Wall Street Journal hit the nail on the head.  Even the big dogs in pest control are moving toward green pest control options.  In fact, the world’s largest pest control service now offers an All Natural pest control product.  Apparently they have been testing out different products and have found one they are happy with.  They even appear to have beat out the other large national competitors. Green is the thing.

All of this goes to show that Bulwark is still ahead of the curve.  As featured in the Wall Street Journal, Bulwark not only offers an All Natural Pest Control solution, but the customers on the service are happy with the service.  And the regular service that Bulwark offers is still the same low impact pest control solution that Bulwark has always promoted. As Bulwark’s executive put it:

When it comes to safety, Bulwark puts its technicians and employees first.  I know that may sound a little backwards since I said the technicians safety is my primary focus, but let me explain. I am most concerned about the technicians health as they are the individuals most exposed to the products.  I read the labels and MSDS for the pest products.  I have even gone beyond the MSDS of the product and into the MSDS records of the ingredients.  I have opted not use all natural products that contain silica due to research from other industries on this organic ingredient… Once I am satisfied that my technician’s health will be fine with products we use then in turn I know that the customers, their families, and their pets will be okay.

Bulwark’s leader puts it the best, if the technician is safe then customers will be as well, its the natural result of doing what’s best for everyone.

Ask for Bulwark’s All Natural Pest Control Service

ThomasB All Natural Pest Control, Environmentally Friendly, General Pest Control, Green Pest Control, Health Risks All Natrual Pest Control, All Natural, Green Pest Control, organic, pest control, pest control service

The other day we were delighted to receive a phone call from the wall street journal asking about our green pest control solutions.  Adam spent some time on the phone with her explaining the pest control industry and how efficacy directly affects profit margins.

Mesa, Ariz.-based Bulwark Exterminating LLC, which operates 11 branches in eight states, uses only botanical sprays and boric-acid products (also derived from boron) whenever customers request all-natural solutions and often includes them as part of an overall treatment plan even when they don’t.

“About 35% of people who call now ask us, ‘Will this hurt my kid or dog?’ ” says Bulwark founder Adam Seever. One customer, Carol Kidd, lives in a rural suburb of Phoenix and recently rang Bulwark to cancel her service because she was experiencing hormone imbalances and had read pesticides might be a contributing factor. Bulwark instead switched her to an all-natural service, employing botanical oils and boric-acid bait around her foundation instead of a synthetic solution, and didn’t raise her $44-a-month price.

“I’ve seen no excess insects since switching,” 39-year-old Ms. Kidd says, “and I’ve got bugs in the yard around my chicken coop, but not on my patio or in my house.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204563304574318231044370704.html

Bulwark has always offered a green pest control service and for those that want even more bulwark offers an all natural pest control solution.  We deliver what the customer wants, a bug free home in the cleanest and most friendly way possible.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

ABOUT OUR GREEN PEST CONTROL

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Leave Something On The Bone – Sick Pay, Benefits, Medical Coverage in the Pest Control Industry

Great write up by Gerry, I would have assumed that most pest control companies offered. Gerry suggests that the pest control industry should be inline with offering sick pay, benefits and medical coverage. I applaud him on that. Gerry is quite the visionary. He brings a different perspective to the pest control industry with his background. He seems to possess a superb business sense and it shows with how he treats his customers and his employees.

I agree with him. It would be ideal for pest control companies, and all companies, to offer more and take care of their employees. Even offer the most they possibly can. But I hesitate to allow an outside entity to mandate how a business must run. How a business should run and how a business must run are entirely different. I see huge negatives to the government interfering with business. A government agent may not take into consideration all of the other factors associated with that business. Just because it sounds good and looks good doesn’t mean that it is good. Shouldn’t the government leave more on the bone for the business owners to divide up? (read Animal Farm again before answering that question)

Besides, I hold to a belief that the “Good Guys” will always win. Yes, call me an optimist, but its survival of the fittest. A company that offers more, and rewards employees based on their performance will have better employees and in turn a better company. Evolution. The guy that does it better, faster, bigger, or whatev-er will win. What you aim for in those wins will determine longevity. The winner of a battle doesn’t always win the war.

I believe in free commerce. I believe that an open market is best for all. I believe in Capitalism. Capitalism often equal optimization. It turns the will of invention and forward thinking. Just as I have balked at the “Green Pest Control” green washing of many companies.  But in the end, a healthier safer pest control service will win… not simply because of a title, but because of a reality.

Back to leaving something on the bone….. In the end, maybe we should consider raising a bigger cow, a bigger Purple Cow, and then there will be more to spare for all on the farm.

Thanks Gerry for your thoughts.  Its always a pleasure reading your blog.

ThomasB General Pest Control Family Pest Control, Green Pest Control, industry standards, optimism, pest control, pest control companies, pest control company, pest control industry, purple cow

thos003 Uncategorized Green Pest Control, green washing

I am in a class yesterday some what bored by the simplicity of the course, when I hear the instructor mention something about a “Green Server”.  My ears perked up…

“… this server option is considered green. Versus your traditional server options, a shared hosting plan or shared server leaves less of a carbon footprint and for many of us that are in this industry the greener the better.”

Rewind… “A Shared server is considered green?”

So like a good student I did my research on Green Servers, Green Hosting and Green Websites.  Here is what I found:

Garner Research – http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=503867

According to Garner the IT industry is responsible for 2% of energy consumption worldwide.  Some have said this is nearly as much if not more then the aviation industry, but I could not confirm that rumor.  Further Garner is including much more then just PCs and servers in this equation.

Gartner’s estimate of the 2 percent of global CO2 emissions that ICT is responsible for includes the in-use phase of PCs, servers, cooling, fixed and mobile telephony, local area network (LAN), office telecommunications and printers. Gartner has also included an estimate of the embodied (that used in design, manufacture and distribution) energy in large-volume devices, namely PCs and cell phones. It also included all commercial and governmental IT and telecommunications infrastructure worldwide, but not consumer electronics other than cell phones and PCs.

This information sounds great if you want to point fingers and pass blame onto the IT industry for adding to the carbon footprint, but what about the benefits that IT is providing?  And streching this all the way out to telecommunications and government infrastructure???

I did find some useful information on how to be a little greener. Here are a few tips on a “Greener Server”:

1- Newer equipment is considered more energy efficient, and therefore green. FYI, Dell is coming out with servers that are designed to be energy conservative.

2- Cooling.  Servers require cooling measures.  Fans, A/C, ventilation, etc.  Perhaps your floor fans are overkill or just placed ineffectively to optimize the cooling capacity.

3- Hosting on your own separate server/ dedicated server may give you more features, options, and speed, but like the Dodge Viper that out performs your smart car, your Dodge Viper only gets 8 MPG.  (i.e. your performance comes at a cost that may not be worth the extra performance.)  Shouldn’t everyone be content with a GEO Metro? … Of course, I would be tempted to take a Dodge Viper if you gave it to me.

4-Websites.  Not only should you consider the servers you are hosting them on but the computers that are visiting your websites…??? Sorry this is according the the ECOfriendly approved site stamp.  Essentially the best ways to have an ecofriendly website is to control the number of visitors to your site and to limit the size of your website.  So just consider all the waste that one or two extra images could add up to on your site.

GOOD NEWS FOR BLOGPESTCONTROL.com !!!

Our servers are hosted and since we are running a blog the website is much more efficient and smaller!  We qualify for a green website and green hosting!… My life is now complete.

Bulwark’s Pest Control, Green and Getting Greener.

FYI, This article does not give enough credit to the thousands of trees that we are saving by going digital, which should offset the 2% of consumption as trees saved should equal more CO2 eaters. Unfortuntely I don’t have the time or energy to spend quantifying the total offset… sorry, just conserving some of my own energy and putting it to better use.

TIP# 5

In red, because its the most important… It’s estimated that 2/3 of PC use is waste, WHY? Because people don’t turn them off.  So if you really want to help and be green then TURN OFF YOUR PC.

Thanks.

kennetht Environmentally Friendly blog pest control, blogs, funny, Green Pest Control, happy, health, pest control joke

Yes there is a pun in that.  Many farmers, and ranchers are turning to an ancient remedy for catching rats and mice, owls.  But it may not be such a bad idea.  A pair of nesting owls can catch and dine on nearly 3000 rodents in one year! Plus they add the benefit of recycling their prey into useful organic fertilizer, if you know what I mean.  Of course some people question the real effectiveness of the owls, but a professor from the University of California says “Why not try it? It seems a great alternative.”

I have nothing personal against organic pest control solutions or green pest control treatments.  I only have a problem with them when they claim to be effective and they turn out to be very ineffective.  Like the claims I have read on chalk used to control roaches and ants.  I have actually had a customer give me the chalk so that I could test it out.  So we went out and found some ants.  Picked them up with a stick.  Drew a circle on the sidewalk with the pest controlling chalk and then placed the stick in the circle.  Well the ant maybe paused for a split second when it came to the calk and then walked right on over it.  Good luck with that chalk trick. I am confident that some day soon we will have both a highly effective and organic pest control solution.  In the meantime, for those that want an organic solution they will have to live with the less effective control of bugs. For those that want a green rat control program, then try the owls, …or a cat.

kennetht Environmentally Friendly Environmentally Friendly, Green Pest Control, mice, organic, tips

Have you ever gone out and bought a new car thinking “this new car is awesome and I am the only one that’s driving it!” and then over the next few weeks it seems that your brand new unique car is popping up all over the place?  In fact, it seems that almost every other car is your same model!

Once we become aware of something or once its on our mind we start to notice it everywhere.  Well Green Week had its lasting impression and it seems now that everywhere I look Green is the thing!  Starbuck’s coffee cup holders has a tag about being made from recycled post consumer waste.  Residence Inn has a line at the end of the reservation about Green Your Hotel Stay. Learn More and Donate Now >> . Green is Everywhere and its GREAT!!!

Despite my little disappointment from the Green Pest Control Conference’s lack of definition on what it means to be green, I am generally optimistic about the direction the world is heading in.  Every little bit counts.  Every raindrop adds to the flood.  So the one extra piece of paper you put into the recycling bin is a good thing.  And Pest Control companies that have already being doing the right thing, the “Green Pest Control Service”, should pat themselves on the back and keep moving forward towards a greener world.

Bulwark is Green and Getting Greener!

ThomasB Environmentally Friendly bug control, Environmentally Friendly, go green, Green Pest Control, Green Pest Control Conference, industry news, industry standards, starbucks coffee