Greening the Apple

Dec 20, 2016

Flying for the Holidays? Follow our Tips to Manage Your Carbon-Footprint Guilt

airports, carbon offsets, ecofriendly, flying, sustainability, traveling 0 Comments

By Sophia Rini

I usually avoid travelling for the entire time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. But occasionally it’s unavoidable. Despite taking public transportation to work every day, just one holiday season and it seems like I’ve undone all my good climate karma. The fact is that for those of us who aren’t lucky enough to have family nearby, sometimes flying is the only option. To help my fellow airborne travelers with their jumbo-jet sized guilt, I did some research on how to minimize our environmental impacts, even while travelling in the most un-ecofriendly of ways.

Although some of the suggestions below might seem small, since almost one-quarter of all travel occurs during the holiday season, if everyone followed them, the impacts would certainly add up.

Tips for decreasing the environmental impact of flying:

Use electronic tickets whenever possible and save the unnecessary paper.
Bring your own water, snacks etc. and pack them in reusable containers. Now that airlines charge for everything, this is both economically and environmentally smart. The last time I was at LaGuardia Airport, I was impressed by a water bottle refill station in one of the terminals. I hope these become more common in public places around the country.
Travel light. Don’t bring disposable items or things that will become waste, ask your hosts where you’re going if you need to bring shampoo and other toiletries or if they will be able to share. Alternatively, divvy up the items with your travel companions – your partner can bring the toothpaste, no need for two tubes. Packing lighter means less fuel is used and less shoulder strain too. In addition, consider giving experiences or gift cards rather than lugging a pile of presents across the country.
Go before you fly. Use the airport bathroom instead of the one on the plane. I read this tip on the Go Green Blog and though it sounds funny, according to them, the fuel for every mile-high flush could run a car for six miles.
Decrease your emissions getting to and from the airport. Take public transportation or carpool.
If you can, opt for non-stop flights and avoid flying on older, fuel-guzzling jets like first-generation 737s and MD-80s.
Take direct flights. If you do have to stop over, try and have the layover be at an airport that supports recycling or other green initiatives. Chicago O’Hare recently installed an urban garden that is not only visually appealing, but also supplies vegetables to airport restaurants (just in case you didn’t follow tip #2 and forgot to bring your own snacks).
Review which airlines are the greenest before purchasing your tickets.
Consider participating in a carbon offsetting program. Find out your personal carbon footprint to determine how big an impact your regular lifestyle has on climate change. You can also calculate the extra amount your flight will add to your emissions and choose to offset the carbon dioxide. Carbon offsetting neutralizes the carbon emitted when you travel from point A to point B. Offsetting is performed by organizations that channel funds to carbon-reducing projects such as tree planting or solar panel installation. Remember to investigate the plan before you purchase: check how the donations are used, if the results are guaranteed, and if there is a seal of approval.

The urban garden at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport provides vegetables to the airport restaurants.

Do you have any suggestions for decreasing the environmental impact of airline travel? Add your tips to the comments section.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Dec 15, 2016

An Eco-Friendly Holiday Season

ecofriendly gifts, holidays, Tags: sustainability 0 Comments

By Marilyn Jerome

Travel, shopping, dining and gift-giving are activities that are generally more pronounced during the holidays. Unfortunately, these activities may inadvertently prove challenging to the environment. On a redeeming note, there is an opportunity to partake in seasonal festivities and tradition while also practicing environmentally friendly behavior for the holidays and beyond. Holiday activities such as gift giving and dinner parties needn’t be environmentally harmful if we take deliberate steps toward conscientious behavior. Here are a few tips that one might adopt to create a holiday season that simultaneously supports tradition and environmental stewardship.

Choosing to hand-craft gifts rather than purchasing them may hold more meaningful value for some people while providing a more environmentally friendly outcome. Homemade edibles are thoughtful and offer an opportunity to utilize locally grown foods and recyclable materials. For those who enjoy arts and crafts, such as knitting, painting and jewelry making, special customized gifts are always great ideas that reduce the need for intense shopping. Skipping gift wrap for simple bows or useful baskets is also another environmentally conscious choice. A talent may even be given as a gift, through private informal performances among friends and families. There are countless ways in which we can give without creating traffic congestion and overconsumption. These are only a few examples which may further spark your own imagination.

Holiday parties can incorporate environmentally friendly elements through the use of eco-friendly trappings such as, re-usable dinnerware, edible decorations such as popcorn strings and recyclable aluminum foil rather than plastic wrap. If steps like these are collectively adopted huge impacts may be realized in the context of resource management, sustainability and environmental protection, especially so during seasons of historically high economic activity. More conscientious holiday celebrators in the New York Metropolitan area, for instance, may translate into decreased consumption, increased recycling activity and less traffic.

About the Author: Marilyn Jerome is a volunteer intern with EPA’s Region 2 Public Affairs Division. She is currently an environmental studies major at Queens College in Flushing, NY.

Dec 6, 2016

EPA’s Successful Emergency Response in Vineland, NJ

anhydrous ammonia, Emergency Response, South Jersey Ice, Vineland New Jersey 1 Comment

By Barbara Pualani

Front of South Jersey Ice facility

The end of the year is typically a time for reflection – when we think back on the events of the past year and shape our plan for the year to come. When I think back on EPA accomplishments of 2016, one of the first accomplishments that comes to mind is South Jersey Ice & Cold Storage – a successful emergency response in Vineland, New Jersey. It was my first experience working in response to an emergency. Moreover, it is an excellent example of how EPA works hard every day to protect human health and the environment in our local communities.

Emergencies tend to happen at the most inconvenient of times, and this emergency was no different. On July 4, I was celebrating the Independence Day holiday when I got a call from my supervisor asking if I could go to New Jersey to help with Spanish translation in response to an emergency. As a speechwriter, I generally write about emergencies and hardly go out into the field to address them, but I was happy to help out. As public servants, it’s our duty to serve in a myriad of ways.

Ice and frost buildup on refrigeration system

I arrived in Vineland, New Jersey the next morning with a colleague. We first met with EPA on-scene coordinator, Dwayne Harrington, who gave us the rundown. South Jersey Ice & Storage, a storage and refrigeration facility, was in a state of disrepair. Excessive ice and frost had accumulated on the cooling coils of the refrigeration system, revealing the risk of a potential release of anhydrous ammonia – a toxic substance that can have serious health effects ranging from itchy eyes to burns and blisters and even death, depending on the level and length of exposure.The concern was that the anhydrous ammonia used in the facility’s refrigeration systems could be released at any moment, exposing residents to the toxic gas. EPA’s duty was to inform residents of the risk and figure out how to safely and securely remove the ammonia from the facility before a toxic release could take place.

Meeting with local officials at the firehouse, we sat down to establish an action plan. My role in this effort lasted one day, but my EPA colleagues would work continually on this emergency response for the next couple of months. In the end, EPA safely relocated 35 residents to nearby hotels, coordinated several daytime evacuations, and safely and securely removed over 9,700 pounds of anhydrous ammonia from the facility. Door-to-door visits and regular updates kept the community informed, and the threat was completely eliminated by the end of August.

U.S. EPA Command Post

Emergency situations are unpredictable, and desired outcomes can often be hard to achieve. Looking back on 2016, I say proudly that EPA’s response in Vineland was impeccable. In the end, I was most impressed by my EPA colleagues, who remained calm, poised, and methodical and kept public health at the top of their list of priorities. This situation is the perfect example of how local, state, and federal officials can effectively work together to safeguard the environment and public health. At EPA, people are at the core of the work that we do – and that’s something to be celebrate.

About the author: Barbara Pualani is a speechwriter for EPA Region 2. Prior to joining EPA, she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic. She is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado and Columbia University.

Nov 30, 2016

Historic Shipwreck Removed from Gowanus Canal Superfund Site

0 Comments

By Natalie Loney

At the bottom of the murky polluted waters of Gowanus Canal rests the remains of a World War II vessel. How did a WW II boat end up in a canal in Brooklyn, NY?

Recent photograph of the shipwreck. (AHRS, 2016)

This shipwreck is all that’s left of a Miami 63-foot Aircraft Rescue Boat. The “Miami’ boats, designed by the Miami Shipbuilding Corporation, were used at sea in WWII to rescue downed pilots and air crew. The boat in the Gowanus was built in 1943 and was used by the U.S. military until about 1963.

Subsequent to its military service as a “crash boat”, the now Gowanus wreck was refurbished and converted into a ferry. Renamed the Point O’Woods V, the boat was used as a ferry service to Fire Island from 1963 until 1985. In around 1989, the boat became the Kokkomokko and was used as a houseboat in the Bronx until around 2003.

After suffering ice damage, the boat was salvaged and towed to the Gowanus Canal where it became a floating arts and community services space called the Empty Vessel Project. In 2006 the boat, now renamed the Green Anchor Yacht (or more commonly the SS GAY), was used as an arts area, houseboat, and a “queer and trans-friendly space.” It’s believed that the SS GAY sank sometime in 2009.

63’ Aircraft Rescue Boat operating at high speed. (Buhler, 2008)

On October 24, 2016, as part of EPA’s overall plan to clean up the Gowanus Canal, contractors began removing debris from the Gowanus Canal 4^th Street turning basin. Unfortunately, the SS GAY was too far gone to be salvaged. Bits and pieces of the vessel where among the first items removed from the canal. The material recovered from the canal was sorted into recyclable and general landfill categories. Hopefully the metal parts of the SS GAY will be recycled into another use and the WW II crash boat will live on.

For more about the Gowanus Canal shipwreck, see “IDENTIFICATION AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT OF “TARGET 31a” 4th STREET BASIN, GOWANUS CANAL SUPERFUND SITE, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK”, William Jason Flatt, PE and Michael Audin, RPA, Archaeology & Historic Resource Services, LLC.

About the Author: Natalie Loney is a community involvement coordinator in New York City. She has been in Public Affairs since 1995.

Nov 22, 2016

Unintended Consequences of Transporting Firewood

emerald ash borer, firewood, Integrated Pest Management 0 Comments

by Marcia Anderson

Over the past 15 years, exotic insects like the Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer (EAB), and hemlock woolly adelgid have killed millions of trees in cities and forests across the United States. Once established in new areas, these pests can quickly kill trees in our favorite forests, parks, communities, and campgrounds. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that over 30 million ash trees have already been killed by the emerald ash borer in Michigan alone, with millions dead or dying in other states (see related blog).

Split firewood in a backyard
Photo: ©L. Greenwood; The Nature Conservancy

Firewood has been shown to be an especially troublesome means by which pests are spread. According to the USDA, the best preventative measure to protect our uninfested urban and rural forests from these pests is to limit the movement of infested materials, including firewood.

Firewood is frequently moved long distances by campers and retailers. Not surprisingly, pest infestations are showing up around campgrounds and highway rest areas. In many states, all trees used as firewood are now regulated since they have the potential to harbor invasive insects and diseases.

Firewood has historically been moved with little consideration of the pests it could be harboring. However, the issue is getting increasing attention. This year, USDA and several states put out urgent pleas to avoid transporting firewood.

Emerald ash borer and its damage to an ash tree
Image: National Park Service

To protect forests and trees that are threatened by a host of invasive insects and diseases, regulation has become necessary. While regulations vary by state, they generally include restrictions on importing firewood, the movement of firewood within the state, and the transportation of firewood into state, local and federal parks.

Thirty states have imposed various levels of quarantine as a result of the emerald ash borer. In the Northeast alone, most states have restrictions on the movement of wood products. Other states, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Maryland, have also imposed regulations on the movement and importation of firewood. Some regulations do not allow the transport of wood beyond a 50-mile radius of an EAB-restricted zone. A restricted zone is the quarantine of an infested area that prohibits the movement of logs and firewood outside of the zone. Check USDA’s quarantine map before you move firewood, even to another town. Because EAB does not travel far on its own, limiting human transportation of infested material will slow its spread.

Camping firewood on the move.
Photo: © L. Greenwood; The Nature Conservancy

It is recommended to use locally-sourced firewood, or firewood that has been confirmed as pest free. Firewood producers and dealers must provide documentation on the source of their firewood. Note that seasoned wood alone is not an adequate treatment method because some insects can survive in untreated firewood for many months. Only firewood that is heat treated, kiln-dried (160° F for at least 75 minutes), is allowed to be brought into parks with source documentation.

Be warned that RVs and other vehicles that have been parked for long periods of time can also harbor tree pests and their eggs. If not removed prior to a road trip, these vehicles can introduce pests into a previously uninfested area. So, take the time to check your vehicle, especially the wheel wells, and remove any insects you find. You can also wash down your camper between trips to help remove any hitchhiking pests.

What is at risk from transporting these pests? The trees in your backyard, along your streets, and in your neighborhood, along with the wildlife that depend on them. In addition, jobs in the timber and forestry industries and manufacturing sector (flooring, cabinets, pallets, and even baseball bats) are impacted. A direct consequence to taxpayers are the costs borne by cities and towns to remove the hazardous trees killed by these pests.

Preventing the spread of pests is one component of an Integrated Pest Management program. Doing your part will help sustain the health of our great forest resources and neighborhood trees.

About the Author: Marcia is with EPA’s Center of Expertise for School IPM in Dallas, Texas. She holds a PhD in Environmental Management from Montclair State University along with degrees in Biology, Environmental Design, Landscape Architecture, and Instruction and Curriculum. Marcia was formerly with the EPA Region 2 Pesticides Program and has been a professor of Earth and Environmental Studies, Geology, and Oceanography at several universities.

Nov 15, 2016

Are You a Foodie?

foodie, QAPP, quality assurance, weight loss 1 Comment

By Linda Mauel

Do you love food? New York has some of the best in the world. I’m a foodie! I admit it! I love the look, taste, smell and textures of it all. And we are entering the time of year that this foodie both loves and hates, looks forward to and dreads – all at the same time. You see, I am, to put it kindly, overweight. So, instead of waiting until the new year and my New Year’s resolution, which has been long ago titled “here we go again,”, I decided to get ahead of it all this year. I joined a weight reduction program the beginning of November. (Yes, I had to get Halloween out of the way first.)

So, I am sitting at the hair dresser’s after joining the program and am trying to figure out how to make it work this time. Don’t get me wrong, I have been very successful many other times…until I wasn’t. Looking in the mirror, I decided that I am just too old to stay on this roller coaster and it is time to, borrowing a popular phrase, just do it. Having time on my hands while in the chair, I decided it was high time to figure out what contributed to my past successes and then what changed, resulting in long term failure.

Let’s see. Each time I began by setting some goals (lose weight, get fit, learn to like the new life style), objectives (follow the program, lose X pounds, do Y minutes of activity) and criteria (measure change in pounds per week, change in inches per month, changes in bloodwork per six months), then I learned how to proceed (attend meetings, read material, plan meals and set activities), how and what to measure (what I ate, how it counted towards my daily allotment, minutes activity conducted) and how to keep track of it all (record what I measured).

With all my years in Quality Assurance, I should have known. I had prepared and followed a Quality Assurance Project Plan (aka a QAPP)! And I was doing really good! Then I became cocky and slowly stopped planning, measuring, learning, and tracking. I “remembered” or guesstimated, decided I did not need to go to the meetings or follow the criteria I originally set. Or in other words, I stopped following the QAPP! That’s when it fell apart!

Quality Assurance (QA) and its tools, such as the QAPP, is to many people what this time of year is for this foodie – it is loved and hated, looked forward to and dreaded. Preparing and using a QAPP takes a little extra time but, as shown above, sticking with it will help you to succeed by encouraging you to do what you say you’ll do. And as discussed above, if it moves (like me) – train it, if it doesn’t move (like my food scale) – calibrate it, and no matter what (like my food and activity choices) – document it. And I can vouch firsthand that if you (and I) stick with the QAPP, your next project, like my weight loss adventure, will be a success!

Have a successful World Quality Month, Happy Holiday Season, and Healthy New Year!

About the Author: Linda Mauel serves as the region’s Science Integrity & Quality Assurance Manager. She works in the Division of Environmental Science and Assessment out of EPA’s Edison Environmental Center. Linda holds a BS in Chemical Engineering and a BA in Chemistry from Rutgers University. She worked in the private sector for 11 years then began her 25+ year career with EPA, 23+ in the quality assurance program.

Nov 8, 2016

Mr. Superfund

community group, public service, superfund, superheroes 2 Comments

By Wanda Ayala

In the comic books we have fictional superheroes like Batman and Superman whose mission is to safeguard the people of Gotham or Metropolis, communities that are similar to where many of us work or live. Here, in our Region 2 offices, we have our own hero. His name is Walter Mugdan, head of our Emergency and Remedial Response Division, and I call him “Mr. Superfund.” He is part of a great team of people dedicated to public service, many of whom started when the Agency was young (so were they!) as part of a movement that was taking place in our society to ensure that we safeguarded our people and our nation from the consequences of pollution. Mr. Superfund knows and explains to others that EPA is not just about consolidating authority over environmental issues, but that we work to establish standards for industry and life that directly and indirectly affect public health and our overall well-being. Having an EPA means the concerns over the air that we breathe, the water that we drink and the ground that we walk on are reduced because our environment is being protected and maintained.

Walter Mugdan addresses Newtown Creek Superfund Site Community Advisory Group in Brooklyn, NY

About the Author: Wanda Ayala is a community involvement coordinator in New York City.

Nov 1, 2016

Confronting Plastic Pollution One Bag at a Time

Marine Debris, plastic bags, plastic pollution, sea turtle, trash free waters 5 Comments

By Marcia Anderson

Plastic bags are inexpensive, lightweight, durable and made of plastic, which does not readily biodegrade. Much of the plastic ever made still exists. Worldwide, as many as one trillion plastic bags are used each year and less than 5 percent of plastic is recycled. In the United States, according to the EPA, we use over 380 billion plastic bags and wraps yearly, requiring 12 million barrels of oil to create.

1. Turtle ingesting plastic.
Photo: Ron Prendergast, Melbourne Zoo

The big problem with many of these plastic bags is that we are not disposing of them properly. You can find them littering parks, roadsides, and parking lots. When it rains, storm sewers, sewer overflows, and drainage outflows transport litter to rivers which eventually carry the plastic into lakes or oceans. In addition, plastic collects water and can become a breeding site for mosquitoes and other pests. Did you know that it takes just one bottle cap of water for mosquitoes to multiply?

Living on the Atlantic coast, I have become accustomed to plastic bag ordinances. From Washington, DC, to Portland, Maine and numerous coastal communities beyond, many understand the importance of keeping plastic bags from reaching the shore. On the West Coast, Portland, Seattle as well as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and 120 other California towns have plastic bag ordinances. In Texas, 11 communities, like Austin and Brownsville, ban single-use grocery bags. In addition, many mid-western communities have also followed suit.

When I am in New Jersey, I bring reusable bags to the market. So, as creature of habit, I do the same when I visit other communities further from the shore. One of the communities I regularly visit does not have a bag ordinance and it often seems like I am the only one who is using reusable grocery bags. Yet, I recently have seen glimmers of hope.

2. Royal terns with plastic around its neck.
Photo: WaterEncyclopedia.com

Some stores now have signs in their parking lot: “Did you remember your reusable bags?” A few weeks ago, I noticed that some local people were catching on and bringing their reusable bags shopping – just like me. I later found that the local middle school had an Earth Day program to educate students on the dangers plastic bags pose to wildlife. The PTA asked a local store if it would donate reusable bags for each student to bring home. The store was happy to comply and parents are beginning to use them.

Why is it important to keep plastic bags away from our coasts and waterways? In the ocean, turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and eat them. The bags do not pass through the turtles’ digestive system and block their intestines. They die of starvation. Studies on dead turtles have found that more than 50 percent have plastic in their stomachs. Similarly, seabirds, fish and other marine critters also mistake pieces of plastic for food, or become entangled in plastic, leading to exhaustion, starvation and eventual death. And plastic bags are just as much a hazard for wildlife in interior lakes and waterways.

Are there other reasons to focus on the plastic bags? Most people do not realize that plastic pollution also costs them in the taxes they pay. Some urban communities spend over $1 million annually to remove litter, and plastic bags are a big part of the problem. So, do you reuse your plastic bags or just throw them away? More and more communities are charging 5-25 cents per plastic bag with some shore communities charging as much as $1 per bag. So when the clerk asks, “Do you want a bag?” you should seriously consider whether you really need it.

To learn more, visit: EPA’s Trash Free Waters or NOAA’s Ten Things You Should Know About Marine Debris and the NOAA guide to marine debris and turning the tide on trash.

Oct 25, 2016

A Changing Population – Turkestan Cockroach Overtakes the American Southwest… and Possibly NYC

cockroaches, Integrated Pest Management 0 Comments

By Marcia Anderson

New York City isn’t the only place seeing changes in its roach population. (See Immigrant Cockroach found in NYC) In southwestern U.S. cities, the Turkestan cockroach (Blatta lateralis) is thought to be displacing the common oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis). Now that they are permanent residents of the Southwest, they can join in the rodeo fun like their cockroach cousins in the 1996 film Joe’s Apartment.

The most unusual thing about this immigrant to the southwestern US is that they are being spread via the Internet. The Turkestan cockroach is popular as live food among reptile breeders and can be easily bought and sold online. As a matter of fact, “this may be the first time that an invasive urban pest species is widely distributed via the Internet through the sale of live insects,” according to University of California-Riverside scientists Tina Kim & Michael Rust in their 2013 Journal of Economic Entomology article. So beware New Yorkers, they can easily be sent to a location near you.

Good to the last bite. Turkestan cockroaches clean up dinner dishes.
(Photo: Angela Simental, nmsu.edu)

The Turkestan cockroach is also known as the rusty red cockroach or the red runner cockroach. It is a close cousin of the Oriental cockroach. It is primarily an outdoor insect, not known as an aggressive indoor pest, unlike some cockroach species such as the German and American cockroaches. “They typically inhabit in-ground containers such as water meter, irrigation, and electrical boxes, raises of concrete, cracks and crevices, and hollow block walls,” remark Kim and Rust.

This new cockroach is primarily an outdoor-dwelling native to an area from northern Africa to Central Asia. The species is distributed through the Caucasus Mountains, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, northeastern Africa; Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Libya.

The Turkestan cockroach first appeared in the U.S. in 1978 near a California military base. This was followed by other discoveries near bases in Texas and other locations. By 2001, they had spread to Los Angeles and, in 2005, infestations were noticed in Georgia. Researchers Kim and Rust believe the species may have arrived in the U.S. on military equipment returning from Asia or Afghanistan.

We may be looking at a demographic shift in the U.S. roach population. Turkestan cockroaches have been rapidly replacing the common Oriental cockroach in urban areas of the southwestern US. The Turkestan cockroach nymphs have a shorter developmental period, and the adult female produce considerably more eggs than do Oriental cockroaches. With a faster life cycle and larger broods, the Turkestan cockroach is outlaying and displacing its Oriental cockroach cousins in many locations.

No need to feel sorry for the Oriental cockroach. Remember that the U.S. is a country of immigrants. The American cockroach is believed to have entered the U.S. from Africa with the slave trade and the Oriental cockroach was believed to have come from the Middle East.

Let’s put this whole cockroach immigration into perspective. There are roughly 4,500 cockroach species worldwide, and only about 70 in the U.S. Correction – make that about 71! Of all of these cockroaches, only about two percent are pests. For all their creepiness, the majority of cockroaches do little actual harm. They can even be considered beneficial outdoors. They are scavengers that recycle dead animals and vegetable material, and aerate the soil. Thus, they provide an important ecological cleansing and fertilization service.

Roaches are really smart. Perhaps that’s why they are constantly trying to get into schools, homes, and other places. How else do you think that they were able to survive for 300 million years, outliving the dinosaurs and surviving multiple mass extinction events?

They are highly adaptable to hot and cold. Plus, they have a special tolerance for many toxic chemicals. They survive some chemical and pesticide exposures and live to tell the tale. For instance, they can detect the application of a pesticide, decide they don’t like it, and make a decision to avoid it in the future. They can do that because they are equipped with fat bodies – pockets of enzymes. (That’s the white gooey stuff that gets on your shoes when you step on one.) These enzymes can detoxify some pesticides, so the roaches can go on living. They can also pass on their tolerance to their offspring. Thus, they can easily build up a resistance through only a few generations making some pesticides ineffective after a relatively short time. This resistance certainly keeps the pesticide industry busy developing new controls for cockroaches, and building better roach traps. See why roaches are so hard to eliminate.

Male (a) and female (b) Turkestan cockroaches. (Photo: R. McLeod, tamu.edu)

Still concerned about a roach invasion into your neighborhood? Until recently, efforts to suppress cockroach populations in the urban environment have relied almost exclusively on repeated applications of pesticides. This approach has become increasingly less popular, primarily due to the development of multi-chemical resistance among cockroach populations and increased public concern about pesticide exposure in their living environments. These two issues have greatly emphasized the need for a more holistic and prevention-based approach to cockroach management.

Prevent cockroaches from taking over your school, home or office. You can do a lot to prevent a cockroach invasion by following an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. Cockroaches are most easily managed by means of exclusion (preventing their entry) and sanitation (eliminating their food, water and shelter). Not only will these measures prevent a future infestation, they will also help to reduce an existing cockroach problem. If the preceding measures do not solve the problem to your satisfaction, you can incorporate cockroach baits and traps. For infestations, having a pest management professional provide IPM-based advice is a wise decision and may save time and money, and prevent the unnecessary use of pesticides. More on cockroach IPM in part 2 of this series.

For information, see EPA’s Cockroaches & Schools webpage and the University of California’s cockroach guidelines webpage. You can also read an earlier blog on another invasive cockroach.

Oct 19, 2016

The Road Less Traveled

Ithaca, New York 0 Comments

By Natalie Loney

I was headed back to our regional offices in New York City after a community meeting in Ithaca, New York. Being a city dweller and completely unfamiliar with the area, I relied exclusively on the modern day roadmap, my trusty GPS. While driving, I listened intently to the robotic audio as she directed me to, “turn right at the next intersection” and to “bear left” where the road divided. Within minutes of leaving downtown Ithaca, I found myself driving along a quiet two-lane country road. The road twisted and turned as it steadily climbed up the side of one of the large hills of the Finger Lake region. The GPS voice was silent as I drove on. I passed very few houses and my view of the area was blocked by dense forest on either side of the road. Needless to say, I was completely out of my urban comfort zone. When I finally came to a clearing, I stopped the car. Before me lay an incredible view of a wide expanse of meadow, sloping down into a valley with hills in the background. I actually got out of the vehicle to marvel at the view. There were no sounds of horns blaring or sirens screeching, just a blue cloudless sky and that view. I have no idea where the GPS led me, but on that day, choosing the road less traveled made all the difference.

Rolling hills outside Ithaca, NY

About the Author: Natalie Loney is a community involvement coordinator in New York City. She has been in Public Affairs since 1995.

1 2 3 4 5 >»