Jul 30, 2011 – Green Chemicals
QUESTION:
I have a customer who wants to know if Cyonara, Suspend, and Transport are Green "friendly", and if so where can I get the literature for my customer?
ANSWER:
A great place to start might be our resource on "Green Pest Management" on PestWeb, which you will find in the Business Tools tab. This document discusses the topic of Green, and emphasizes that this is a very misunderstood topic. What your customer thinks of when he thinks "green" and what you may be thinking could be on different tracks, and it is important to talk with the customer to find out what it is they are looking for. Some homeowners or business owners may think green means that you use no pesticides, or only "natural" pesticides, but this really is not how our industry views the whole topic. Bottom line is that there is no such thing as a Green Pesticide, but only that pesticides can be used in a green manner, or in a manner that is eco-friendly. Of course, anti-pesticide groups are going to take offense to my belief that ANY pesticide could be compatible with a perfect environment, but, well, what's that old saying about "opinions"?
These 3 products all contain synthetic active ingredients. Does that make them non-green? Of course not, as they all could be used in a manner whereby you ensure they are not polluting the environment and are not harming non-targeted organisms. The active ingredients in them are used in bait products that are very specific to the intended pest. They can be applied in a very discreet manner so that no one and no animals are contacted other than the pest. You can (and should) use them as part of a specific IPM program so that all possible non-chemical techniques are also put to practice for this customer. They may help to rid the customer's environment (his home, his business) of pests that threaten his personal health, and this creates a better environment for him and his family.
This shows why the topic of green is easily confusing, and you and the customer must work together to provide what he wants. Most homeowners probably think in terms of natural pesticides when they are thinking green, and if this is the case then no, these 3 products are not natural active ingredients. If we use Green Buildings under the LEED protocol then we would look for products on an acceptable list of pesticides, and this is provided as a link on another resource on PestWeb on LEED Certified Green Buildings, which you'll also find under that Business Tools link.
But, the most important points here are that there is no such thing as a Green Pesticide, but only that there are green ways to go about pest management, and that some pesticides seem to fit within those methods more logically than others. However, any pesticide may be appropriate - it is all about HOW the material is used, not WHAT it is.
View past Ask Mr. Pest Control questions.
I have a customer who wants to know if Cyonara, Suspend, and Transport are Green "friendly", and if so where can I get the literature for my customer?
ANSWER:
A great place to start might be our resource on "Green Pest Management" on PestWeb, which you will find in the Business Tools tab. This document discusses the topic of Green, and emphasizes that this is a very misunderstood topic. What your customer thinks of when he thinks "green" and what you may be thinking could be on different tracks, and it is important to talk with the customer to find out what it is they are looking for. Some homeowners or business owners may think green means that you use no pesticides, or only "natural" pesticides, but this really is not how our industry views the whole topic. Bottom line is that there is no such thing as a Green Pesticide, but only that pesticides can be used in a green manner, or in a manner that is eco-friendly. Of course, anti-pesticide groups are going to take offense to my belief that ANY pesticide could be compatible with a perfect environment, but, well, what's that old saying about "opinions"?
These 3 products all contain synthetic active ingredients. Does that make them non-green? Of course not, as they all could be used in a manner whereby you ensure they are not polluting the environment and are not harming non-targeted organisms. The active ingredients in them are used in bait products that are very specific to the intended pest. They can be applied in a very discreet manner so that no one and no animals are contacted other than the pest. You can (and should) use them as part of a specific IPM program so that all possible non-chemical techniques are also put to practice for this customer. They may help to rid the customer's environment (his home, his business) of pests that threaten his personal health, and this creates a better environment for him and his family.
This shows why the topic of green is easily confusing, and you and the customer must work together to provide what he wants. Most homeowners probably think in terms of natural pesticides when they are thinking green, and if this is the case then no, these 3 products are not natural active ingredients. If we use Green Buildings under the LEED protocol then we would look for products on an acceptable list of pesticides, and this is provided as a link on another resource on PestWeb on LEED Certified Green Buildings, which you'll also find under that Business Tools link.
But, the most important points here are that there is no such thing as a Green Pesticide, but only that there are green ways to go about pest management, and that some pesticides seem to fit within those methods more logically than others. However, any pesticide may be appropriate - it is all about HOW the material is used, not WHAT it is.
View past Ask Mr. Pest Control questions.
