Scorpions on a stick (Photo credit: ming1967)

How do you know if somebody is doing CrossFit?

They will be sure to tell you all about it!

The CrossFit community is a passionate group to say the least. With all seriousness, you can definitely tell if somebody is avid about CrossFit, and has been doing it for awhile… Their muscles will be bulging out of their shirt.

With this growing nationwide Crossfit trend, many CrossFit enthusiasts are practicing the accompanying Paleo diet.

As a bug guy, this Paleo lifestyle struck my curiosity… “Are insects Paleo?”

What Is Paleo?

You’ve heard it called the caveman diet. Others call it the ancestral, primal, real-food, or nutrient-dense diet. Whatever you call it, the Paleo way of eating mimics the eating habits of our ancient ancestors.

Paleo (short for Paleolithic) is about eating the foods that were prevalent during the Paleolithic era. Sorry, jelly-filled powdered donuts where not available back then. Needless to say, eating Paleo is very challenging for most. In terms of weight loss, and changing your body shape; results can be amazing.

Paleo foods include lean meats, seafood, grass-fed beef, veggies, roots, berries, various nuts, and eggs. Pasteurized dairy products, grains, legumes, and refined foods are strictly off limits. So where do insects fit in on the spectrum?

Eating Scorpions (Photo credit: istolethetv)

Are Insects Paleo?

While the thought of eating bugs is repulsive to some; insects are a healthy, protein packed, meat alternative food option.

So is this healthy meat alternative Paleo? Short answer… Yes.

According to Paleo traditionalists, anything with a face is Paleo; and that includes insects. With this definition, apparently cannibalism is also Paleo.

A Paleo diet is less about avoiding grains, legumes, pasteurized dairy and refined foods; and is more about eating nutrient rich foods that work well with your body. Insects like crickets, scorpions, grubs, and grasshoppers are packed with protein and are actually very healthy when prepared correctly.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, some insects contain twice the protein of raw meat and fish, while others, particularly in their larval stage, are also rich in fat, vitamins and minerals. Now that’s Paleo!

Paleo Flow Chart

Entomophagy- The Practice Of Eating Insects

Eating insects might seem like a gross act, better left for ‘Bizarre Foods’ host Andrew Zimmern. The truth is Entomophagy, or the act of eating insects, is a way of life for millions of people worldwide. People in less developed countries rely on insects for protein and other nutrients needed for survival. Scientists have long been touting insects as a protein-packed meat alternative that could help meet the world’s growing food demand.

While the practice of eating insects, may be unsettling for some people’s palates, different species of beetles, ants, bees, grasshoppers and crickets are eaten in 23 countries in the Americas, 29 countries across Asia, and 36 countries in Africa. In Thailand alone, 200 different insect species are consumed and are commonly sold as street snacks throughout the country.

Learn more about different country’s insect cuisine by clicking here.

Related articles

• What’s the Deal With Paleo?
• Thinking About Methods For paleo diet
• Why the Paleo Diet and Lifestyle Are Not Based in Scientific Reality
• The Paleo Diet Vs. The Gluten & Dairy Free Diets

Anthony Ball

Western Honey Bee (Photo credit: Aditi-the-Stargazer)

A recent study by St. Louis’ Washington University School of Medicine has indicated that we are one step closer to a cure for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This news gives hope to the 34 million people worldwide, who are currently living with HIV or AIDS.

Bee Venom Can Destroy HIV

A study conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and published in the journal Antiviral Therapy, claims that the common bee may be the answer to killing off HIV; the virus that leads to the development of AIDS.

Bee venom carries a toxin called melittin, which has been proven to destroy the human immunodeficiency virus. The toxin works by poking holes in the virus’s outer layer. This outer layer envelope protects the virus; and without it, the virus eventually dies. Furthermore, this toxin found in bee venom kills HIV while leaving the other cells in the body unharmed.

Because the bee venom toxin attacks the virus’ outer layer, the virus is likely unable to develop a resistance to the melittin. Researches believe that this development may make it more effective than other HIV drugs, which the virus eventually develops a resistance to. Current HIV drugs only prevent the virus from replicating and do nothing to kill it off like the bee toxin does.

How The Process Works

Nanoparticles that are smaller than HIV are infused with the bee venom toxin, melittin. These melittin infused nanoparticles then fuse with the HIV’s viral envelope. The melittin forms little pore-like attack complexes and ruptures the envelope, stripping it off the virus, attacking a natural physical property of HIV. Hypothetically, there isn’t any way for the virus to acclimatize to that. The virus has to have a protective coat, a double-layered membrane that encompasses the virus.

Molecular bumpers prevent the nanoparticles from harming the body’s normal cells, which are much larger in size.

HIV Particle (Photo credit: AJC1)

How The Bee Venom Toxin Is Administered

If you are living with HIV or AIDS, the solution won’t be as simple as getting stung a couple dozen times by a honey bee. Remember, the melittin, or bee venom toxin must be in the form of a nanoparticle; and it needs to be in a highly concentrated form.

Currently, scientists and researchers are looking at implementing the bee toxin in the form of a topical gel, and also administering it intravenously. The gel is for HIV prevention, while intravenous injections will treat those already infected with HIV or AIDS.

Potential Cures To Other Diseases

Since melittin attacks double-layered membranes arbitrarily, this concept is not limited to HIV alone. Many viruses, including hepatitis C and B, rely on the same kind of protective envelope and would be vulnerable to melittin-loaded nanoparticles.

Additionally, research has revealed melittin-loaded nanoparticles to be successful in killing tumor cells. This is potentially a huge step in cancer research, with almost unlimited medical adaptations.

Bee venom has been used to treat arthritis and other painful conditions as well.

Honey bee with tongue partially extended (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bees & Their Venom

Bees are a very valuable group of insects that still have much to teach us as a society. They play key roles in pollinating flowering plants, and help in controlling the numbers of many other species of pests.

While being beneficial insects, bees do carry toxic venom. The main component of bee venom responsible for pain is the toxin melittin. Histamine may also contribute to pain and itching after a bee sting.

Out of the 54 reported insect deaths each year, 14 are caused by bee stings. Bee sting deaths are usually only common when the victim has an allergic reaction to a bee sting.

HIV & AIDS

HIV destroys T-cells, which are the white blood cells vital to sustaining the functionality of the immune system. As HIV attacks these cells, the person infected with the virus is less equipped to fight off infection and disease, ultimately resulting in the development of AIDS. Most people who are infected with HIV can carry the virus for years before developing any serious or deadly symptoms. Over time, HIV levels increase in the blood while the number of T-cells decreases. It’s about this time an individual living with HIV becomes very ill, and can eventually die.

According to recent data, more than 34 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Of these 34 million, some 3.3 million are under the age of 15 years old. Each day, almost 7,000 people contract HIV around the globe.

Let’s hope this bee venom research is a solution to a disease that is affecting so many worldwide.

Related articles

• Bee Friendly Gardens no more
• Bees need honey’s natural pharmaceuticals.
• Honey May Be Bees’ Best Medicine for Colony Collapse Disorder

Anthony Ball

basti (Photo credit: krischall)

I was driving my daughter home from dance class the other day when we passed a dread-locked transient waiting at a bus stop. As we were waiting for the stoplight to turn green, we watched as this destitute looking individual furiously scratched the back of his neck.

My daughter asked, “what’s wrong with him daddy?”

I jokingly responded, “Maybe he has fleas… Just like our cat Cosmo did that one time.”

While my snide comment to my daughter was tongue-in-cheek, more of a reflection of the hippie’s appearance, it did get me thinking:

“Can people catch fleas just like a common house cat?”

“If so, can those fleas be spread to the other people on the bus that this guy was about to board?”

Do Fleas Bite People?

English: Cat flea (Ctenocephalides canis) Magyar: Macskabolha (Ctenocephalides canis) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Technically, Fleas Don’t Bite

First off, it’s important to note, that technically fleas do not bite. The mouth parts of fleas are tube like, adopted for piercing skin and sucking blood—Kind of like a mosquito. There is no easy or familiar colloquial term that describes flea or mosquito feeding as “stabbing” or “piercing,” so we just use the term bite.

Do Fleas Bite People?

The short answer is yes. Any mammal is a food source. Most types of fleas, with the exception of the human flea (Pulex irritans) prefer the taste of animal blood over human blood. Even then, human fleas will still dine on multiple species of animals from monkey to chicken; and they are extremely rare in North America.

The most common domestic flea pest is the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). The cat flea is the predominant flea on both dogs and cats, and readily bites humans in the home. Most flea species have a preferred host, but will bite and feed any mammal if they are hungry enough. If there are no pets around for a flea to dine on, then a human may be their only option for a blood meal.

Can People Catch Fleas?

Can people catch fleas like a common house cat can? Another short answer here… Yes! Just like pet fleas enjoy animal hair, they enjoy human hair as well. Hair provides warmth, comfort, food, and protection for the flea. The good news is that fleas can be washed out of hair with a warm shower, and a little extra shampoo. Sometimes, more extensive measures are needed to completely solve the problem.

How Fleas Are Spread

Cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché) (Photo credit: Armed Forces Pest Management Board)

Fleas are most commonly spread from your pets. While cats and dogs are primarily the hosts, fleas will also feed on rats, mice, chickens, rabbits, etc. When a pet owner is treating a flea infestation, the fleas may jump onto someone/something else to avoid the treatment or pesticide.

When it comes to people being bitten by fleas, one of the most common scenarios that us pest control professionals hear about is when the victim moves into an apartment or house that had once had a pet with a flea infestation; and where the pet is now gone. Like I mentioned before, if there are no pets around for a flea to dine on, then a human may be their only option for a blood meal. The new tenants are now the flea’s new meal source.

In general, fleas will not spread as frequently or easily as a bedbug. If you were to share a bus or a bed with an animal or even a person that has fleas; you can catch them too. Nothing a little hygiene (shower) can’t fix though. Remember, fleas prefer animal blood to human blood.

Flea Bite Warning Signs & Symptoms

Flea bite reactions vary in humans from very extreme to totally non-existent, depending on immune reaction to the flea’s saliva. Most people will not notice the actual flea bite. This is because fleas inject a natural numbing agent into a victim’s skin when they bite.

Flea bite on the waist of a human with no reaction (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Symptoms

Most people that are bitten by fleas will experience small red bumps that rise above the skin—Kind of like a mosquito bite. Just like mosquito bites, these red bumps will itch. If a victim’s skin is sensitive, these bites can quickly turn into a rash. If a flea bite victim has insect allergies, they may experience addition swelling, tingling, numbness, and difficulty breathing. In such cases, medical attention is a must.

Diseases Spread By Fleas

Pet fleas rarely carry dangerous diseases, but they can spread bacteria that will make you very sick. One disease that has been transmitted by fleas is endemic typhus (Rickettsia typhi). Human infection occurs because of flea-fecal contamination of the bites on human skin. This infection is commonly treated with antibiotics. Symptoms of endemic typhus include headache, fever, muscle pain, joint pain, nausea and vomiting. Additionally, 40–50% of patients will develop a discrete rash six days after the onset of signs. Up to 45% of victims will develop neurological signs such as confusion, stupor, seizures or imbalance.

Tapeworm (Photo credit: Nathan Reading)

Tapeworms

Fleas can also cause tapeworms. People don’t get tapeworms from the actual flea bite; they have to eat the fleas themselves to get infected with tapeworms. This isn’t an appetizing thought, but someone has to actually eat an infected flea.

In Conclusion

After doing a little research I can now answer the question that my daughter inspired: “Do Fleas Bite People?”

• Yes, that dread-locked transient that we saw boarding the bus may have fleas.
• Yes, those fleas can spread to others.
• Yes, those fleas can feed on his blood.
• Those fleas can cause disease or tapeworms, although it’s rare.
• If he does have fleas, a hot shower will go a long way in solving the problem.

Related articles

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• Frontline Plus For Cats to save pets from dog fleas and ticks
• Tips to cure cat fleas
• Tapeworm Genome Mapped, Researchers Find Weak Spots to Target Drugs
• Rock star claims tapeworm infected brain

Anthony Ball

Links Roundup- Pest Control Articles For The Week 

Squirrel Gets a Jolt, Leaves 4,500 in Dark

It wasn’t a big storm with hurricane-force winds that knocked out power for thousands. More…

Natural Methods to Eliminate Lice from Hair

Lets hope you never need this advice; but just in case, McDonald Pest Control offers advice on getting rid of a hair lice infestation. More…

Termite Season Is Here & So Are Termite Swarmers

Is it possible to see termites on your property and not have a termite infestation? With spring almost upon us, and termite swarmers resurging, you better be well informed. Walker Pest Management of South Carolina has some advice on termites. More…

Ants: There’s Never Just One

In addition to the painful ant bites that go along with certain kinds of ants, there are some ants that can also destroy your property. More…

Bed Bugs Spreading to Theaters, Schools and Office Buildings

Bedbugs are not just hiding in the mattresses and bedding of dilapidated trailer parks, but can be found in schools, theaters, nursing homes, dormitories, and office buildings. Learn more about bedbugs from Accuracy Pest Control by clicking here.

Understanding Silverfish and What You Can Do to Prevent Them

You can find silverfish anywhere in your home or office, but they particularly love dark, damp places such as attics, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and more.

Pest Of The Week: The Red Imported Fire Ant

Making their way into the United States in the late 1930’s, the malicious Red imported Fire ant has spread to most of the southern states. Because of their impact on properties, on human health, and their environmental impact; Red Imported Fire ants easily take the cake for the worst ant pest. They build huge mounds, reaching nearly eight feet deep. These mounds can easily destroy the trees and plants on your property. On top of their damaging effects, they can also sting and bite. Red Imported Fire ant stings are very painful, and have even lead to death in rare cases.

Red Imported Fire ants have dark red bodies, with black abdomens. They can reach lengths of almost 1/4 of an inch, and are notorious for their very aggressive nature. When bothered, fire ants will pour out of their mounds and assault any impostor by stinging them numerous times. if you are having problems with fire ants, get ant control!

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Anthony Ball

Image via Wikipedia

Don’t invite these pest over for Thanksgiving!

The National Pest Management Association continues to warn homeowners, that when the temperatures outside turn cooler, an estimated twenty-one million rodents will begin their search for warmth, water, food and shelter; to wait-out the long and cold winter months. Ideally, they will be looking to the cozy homes, offices, buildings and structures, across most of the United States and North America.

Pest management experts and industry professionals have identified garages and basements, as ideal targets for rats and mice, looking to invade homes and businesses. Smaller rodents like mice, require only a quarter of an inch, to enter a home, structure or dwelling. This means that determined rodents can gain entry through cracks in the foundation, air conditioner and dryer vents, pipes; or gaps in electrical wiring. In fact, some mice can even push their way through tiny openings, the size of a pencil.

Once inside a warm dwelling, it will not take long for a very serious pest control problem, to develop. Females rodent invaders can give birth to a litter of five to ten mice, every thirty days, and they breed all year-round. Furthermore, because some rats and mice are carriers of disease, like salmonella and hantavirus, the real danger comes when rodent droppings begin to collect; and must be safely removed from the home.

Using a vacuum (Shop Vac or like appliance), homeowners must collect all of the rat and/or mouse droppings they have discovered, and discard them outdoors; far away from the dwelling. Pest management officials warn that whoever will be responsible for collecting and disposing of the rodent droppings, should wear a protective mask, to avoid breathing in the associated fumes. This precautionary measure is especially important, if anyone who is coming into contact with the rodent droppings, suffers from asthma; or any other kind of related respiratory issue.

Related articles

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• DIY Pest Control to Prevent Pest Control Problems This Fall (blogpestcontrol.com)
• Limitations of lab mice reveal limits of science (caritasestveritas.wordpress.com)
• Infestation nation: Why Britain is being overrun by pests (independent.co.uk)

Image source: http://theage.com.au/

Spider silk is becoming a hot commodity. Because of the strength of spider silk fibers, five times stronger than steel fibers, research is being done on potential uses. From bullet proof skin to artificial tendons, medical doctors are looking to capitalize on the health benefits a super spider silk lends itself to. But sadly the spider silk just doesn’t come quick enough. Noted by the spider silk tapestry that took millions of spiders to create. So scientists genetically engineered silkworms to produce a spider like silk. And that silkworm spider silk officially stopped a bullet. Taking that one step further, silkworm spider silk weaved with human skin was created, tested, and also stopped a bullet.  Interesting enough, a professor from Utah might just have a gold mind on this hands if he can take this mutated silkworms spider silk and produce similar fibers from goats milk. By mutating the goats genes, the goat will produce milk with the same protein in the milk. The Utah professor then takes these proteins, isolates them,  mimics the spider’s weave, and spins a spider like silk.

Related articles

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• Chimera Goat/spider hybrid thing??? …Gee Thanks

This message has been sponsored in part by Bulwark Exterminating, Need Phoenix Scorpion Control?

Many individuals have been asking, How does the recent FDA approval of the Scorpion Anti-Venom change anything. Most people don’t die from scorpion stings in the US. So why is this anti-venom getting so much coverage?

Here is the personal anti-venom Anascorp story of Tony (owner of Airport Phoenix Hotels), a Phoenix resident and a father.

To the relief of Tony and many other Phoenix families the FDA approval means the scorpion anti-venom will be readily available in Phoenix Hospitals soon. It will also be available in other hospitals throughout the US where scorpion stings occur on a regular bases.

Phoenix Scorpion Control

3 Keys to Scorpion Control

1. Quality Products at the right rate and in the right locations
2. Protective Physical barriers.
3. Consistency in treatment intervals.

While the antivenom may help parents sleep easier, scorpions are still a pest. Having a consistent treatment with the right products is essential in the fight against scorpions. General Phoenix insect control covers common bugs, but a scorpion is not a common pest. Scorpions actually fall under the arachnid family. Eight legs, two pinchers and one tail with a lethal stinger. Yes scorpions sting, and there is no such thing as a scorpion bite.  

Have you tried Bulwark for your Phoenix Scorpion Control needs?

Related articles

• First Scorpion Sting Antivenom Approved by FDA (blogpestcontrol.com)
• Mexico serum takes sting out of U.S. scorpion nips (reuters.com)
• FDA Approves Treatment for Scorpion Bites (ducknetweb.blogspot.com)

If you’d like to learn more about scorpion control services in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Austin, and San Antonio then contact Bulwark Exterminating.

The longest I had ever ridden my bike was 85 miles, and that was only 2 weeks ago.  Everyone that I knew riding in this year’s El Tour de Tucson was riding the 109 distance.  I was thinking I might only do the 80-mile race, but when a couple of older riding buddies (44-year-old female and 58-year-old male) kept egging me on to go the distance, there was absolutely no way I could back down from that.

I buckled down about 3 months ago.  I went from riding once or twice a week to three or four times a week.  I haven’t had a normal Saturday morning in that long.  I would actually get up earlier on Saturdays than any other work day.  Up at 4:15ish, meet my riding buddies around 5:00, back at home by 9 or 10.  Home around 1:00 more recently.

I ran cross country and track in high school, and continued to run recreationally in college.  I even entered a couple home-town races just to make my running worth it and feel the edge of competition again.  But this was different.  The physical demands were different.  The training and inherent tactics were different.  The nutrition was only similar.  I never ever drank anything in the middle of a run under 8 miles.  I was having to learn to not only drink during a ride, but also eat once and sometimes twice.  I was having to learn how to properly eat for the rest of the day after a long ride.  And post-ride naps were out of the question per my wife and mother of our two small children.  If daddy was going to be gone on Saturday morning, then there was no napping or other me-time for the rest of the day.  Or weekend, for that matter.

El tour started at 7:00 am, but with nearly 9,000 riders, we’re wanted to get in the start line around 5:45.  We were up at 5, trying to down bagels and peanut butter at 5:15, checking tire pressure at 5:30 and out the door at 5:35.  Arrived to our place in line around 5:45 and had the next hour and 15 minutes to chat and stay warm.

Seven ‘o clock came rather quick and before we knew it we were off.  It felt like it took me a good 15 or 20 miles to decipher how cold I was vs. how much adrenaline I was pumping vs. how hard I was really working before I settled into a manageable pace that would work for the next 90 miles.    Just when my saddle started to feel somewhat comfortable around 8 miles in, we came across a dried river crossing.  One or two riders tried to brave the dirt pathway, while the remaining 8,990 of us didn’t hesitate to get off the bike and safely walk across the ravine.  The culture of Tucson awaited us on the other side, and I was in a much better mood now than I was going to be much later in the race, so I had to document this…

Other than the dried river and another wooded hiking trail that would come a little while later, I didn’t take my first real pit stop until 45 miles in.  Refill one of my bottles, grab some orange slices, stretch a little bit and apply some Bengay on my left knee, and off we go.  I was a little disoriented as to where we were in relation to downtown where we started, but the next several miles were through the suburbs of Tucson…I think.  I’m not gonna lie, it was fun to blow right through red lights as police had traffic stopped in all directions.  A lot of the locals even took time to camp out on the sidewalks with their cowbells and signs of encouragement.  I figure that’s about as close as I’ll ever get to climbing the Alps in the Tour de France with thousands of rabid fans running along side my bike waving United States and California flags in my face.

At this point there’s still 50+ miles to go, so one, especially a newcomer like myself, has to be smart about how you ride.  As a first timer, I didn’t have any shame or guilt about drafting behind other riders the entire race.  Drafting can save up to 40% of your energy, and with winds coming out of the south at 20 mph, I made sure to never lead any packs.  I’ll admit it, I even drafted behind a couple of girls.  Another factor I couldn’t overlook was fatigue.  That sounds simple enough, but I was about to surpass my longest ride by 25 miles.  I was feeling my way through the race as far as food and drinks were concerned.  How much to eat, how much to drink, a Clif Bar with higher density vs. an energy gel with no density and maybe half the calories.  When the body is tired, then the mind soon becomes tired.  When the mind is tired you forget things.  Simple things.  I needed to consciously remember to eat and drink and map out the remaining miles ahead in my mind to do so on a course I had never ridden.  My friends that have raced Tucson before cramped up around mile 85 or 90, so I needed to stay well hydrated to avoid that.

Things were going about as well as I could have expected until I hit the frontage road of the I-10 going south back to downtown Tucson.  The winds were still blowing as hard as they were earlier, but now I was getting a face full of headwind.  I knew I had the energy to finish, but I didn’t have any explosion left in my legs, so I was consigned to finish the last 12 miles at whatever pace I could go.  Riders would creep up on me and pass right by.  A couple times I tried to go with them, thinking that if I could get enough momentum to stick behind them, I could use their draft.  But every time I tried to fall in line, they just kept passing me.  Five feet head.  Ten feet ahead.  Now twenty.  Oh well.  I’ll try it again with this next group.  Nope.  That didn’t work either.  Oh well.

Aside from it being the last 10 miles of the race, there were 2 things that made it exponentially more difficult than I expected.  First, the wind.  Physically speaking, if there is no wind whatsoever, and you’re riding 20 mpg down the road, you actually have 20 mph of wind pushing back against you.  We call it “drag”.  But now there is actually 20 mph of wind pushing back against me, plus my drag at about 12 or 13 mph.  The second characteristic of this final stretch was loneliness.  It’s a frontage road, so there’s not a lot of businesses, or parking lots, or neighborhoods along side.  Which means there were no spectators yelling and clapping.  It all of a sudden got real quiet.  Just the sound of my wheels spinning and my legs hurting.

Eventually the police escort standing in the middle of the intersection directed me to turn left.  All of a sudden, people.  And they were clapping.  For me?  I think so!  And more people.  Still clapping. I turned one last corner and the finish line is about 100 yards away.  And then, out of the hum of hundreds of people cheering I hear “STEVE-O!!!”  Me: “Hey, that sounded a lot like my wife!”  In fact, it was my wife.  After I crossed the finish line and got off the bike I was staggering back towards the crowd  and I see my wife emerge from a sea of people.  After 7.5 hours of riding with complete strangers it was nice to see a rather familiar face.  There was absolute, positively no way I would be riding and racing as much as I have without the love and support of my wife.  She’s been the #1 reason I’ve been able to get on the bike and push myself like the good ‘ol days.  And then I saw 2 more faces.  My 5-month-old, Leia, and my 2-year-old, Max.  I picked Max up and to no surprise all he wanted to do with play with my glasses and helmet.

I was done.  I did it.  This was something no one could ever take away from me.  This race was apart of me.  I didn’t really beat anybody on the course but myself.  I pushed my body further than it had ever gone before, for longer than it had ever gone before.  I was an El Tour de Tucson finisher.

I have to admit it was a bit emotional for me to finally be done.  Months of training. Rides at 5:00 am.  No Saturday mornings.  Gatorade economy cases at Costco.  Clif Bars.   Smoothie Powerbars.  Two or three tube changes a month.  A new bike.  A different pair of shoes.  Stiff legs.  Pulled muscles.  Rides in the rain.  Rides in the wind.  Fifty five degrees outside.  A hundred degrees outside.

Three days later I’m still a bit stiff.  I’ll get back on the bike sometime this week and warm my body back up and let my muscles stretch back out.  And then…I’m not touching my bike at least until after New Years.  But I already can’t stay away.  I’m already thinking about how I want to train differently next year and areas I want to work on.  Maybe I can make it out to CA for either the AMGEN Tour de California or Levi’s GranFondo.  Tour de Phoenix will be a must.  And it’ll all end this time next year at El Tour de Tucson.

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.

Green Pest Control – Dallas TX Conference

Green is the thing especially during Green week. The yellow brick road is now green. Pest control is no different. Green Pest control is the new buzz. But what does it mean? What is green pest control?

Is the pest control company green or are they just “Green Washing” ?

This brings back memories of the 80’s “Light” craze. Everything was going “Lite”, “Light food”, “Lite Beer”, “Lite Cheese”, stick a light label on it and it was hot. It’s the “New and Improved” sells pitch. Or try “No Calories” for water that never had calories. “Fat Free” gelatins, no fat all sugar. “Reduced Fat Mayo” sure you’ve gone down in fat nano grams, but shouldn’t you just skip the mayo all together? We went through and are still suffering from the “Low-Carb” label. From craze, rave, wave, to the grave. The problem with the newest fad is that being new makes it unknown and the results unsure. Fortunately the rage that is worthwhile leaves its everlasting impression. And we believe that green means better, better for you and better for the earth.

“Greener is Cleaner”

The problem still remains, “What is Green Pest Control?”

Unfortunately after day 1 of The Green Pest Management Conference, there is still no concrete answer. Being green is still too new for most of the pest control industry. The best way to say it is that Green comes in shades. There is the “100% Organic group”, the “All Naturals”, and the much looser “Mix and Match”. More of a hybrid approach.

Bulwark’s stance, forget the label and the hype, we know and have always known that the customer wants the most effective and the safest pest control solution. If you label green as using the most effective solution with the least amount of exposure to families, children, pets, water, and the environment then you can label Bulwark Green. Bulwark began its service with an in-wall treatment plan, no baseboard spraying, and using products that had been used and proven in agriculture pest control. Bulwark was one of the first pest control companies to feature EcoSmart products. Bulwark has always been aware of a customers concern about the safety of their family. Bulwark has always tried to do what we feel is best for the environment. Call it what you want. If you ask me, yes were are green, always have been a shade of green,… and a very dark green if you look at the logo…

and getting greener.

Always moving, always improving. Or as our employees have so lovingly phrased it, “Bulwark means Change” … The world is evolving, shouldn’t your pest control?