I found a friend who was using Chinese Miraculous Insecticide Chalk otherwise known as Pretty Baby Chalk and Chinese Chalk.  Tres Pasitos is a Spanish name for this product. The product is illegal and dangerous. The EPA has a warning on it too. We tried it in the past and found that it didn’t really work.

It does kill bugs because it contains toxic chemicals but are hazardous around kids.  Did you know that plain old chalk also works!

If you want to use Chinese Insecticide Chalk, consider Black Flag Ant & Roach Killing Chalk instead.

The dangers of Chinese Insecticide Chalk

The chemicals in the insecticide chalk change from batch to batch and have contained chemicals that produce serious health effects, including vomiting, stomach pains, convulsions, tremors, coma, and death due to respiratory failure. Serious allergic reactions are also possible. If you see a store selling this, report them to the local health department or agricultural Department.

Green Pesticide Alternatives:

We prefer to use insecticides made with natural ingredients and no poisonous chemicals. Orange Guard, which is made from d-Limonene (orange peel extract) keeps the ants away. Spray and leave it for a while to soak in.

Check out our green pest control article. Eco friendly pesticide alternatives includeDiatomaceous Earth – (Info), Baking soda, vinegar, plain old ordinary soap, peppermint, baby powder. Here are some ant removal tips.

EcoPCO ACU contact insecticide is another eco-friendly insecticide alternative. It is made from plant essential oils and contains no poisonous chemicals.

Eliminating ants at the source

We have tried to trace ants back to their source.  Follow the ant trails and patiently observe where they are coming from. When you have found their origination point, caulk holes, foam up areas next to pipes, etc. to prevent them from reaching you in the first place. Preventing bug access should be the #1 goal.

photo credit: TheeErin

I saw an article about propane tank refills that was disturbing.  As oil prices soared, propane suppliers quietly reduced by 2 pounds the amount of gas pumped into each 20-pound tank, to avoid raising prices!  No marking on packaging have indicated this!

“Until last year, Blue Rhino and Amerigas, two major suppliers, put 17 to 18 pounds of propane in each 20-pound tank. Tanks should not be filled completely for safety reasons.

About a year ago, that amount was cut to 15 pounds to save consumers a price hike, Blue Rhino spokesman Chris Hartley said.”

A better bet is to take your tank to a place like U Haul and get it refilled. It is much more green and environmentally friendly. Also beware that Blue Rhino is not installing standard OPD valves. They are installing their OWN proprietary valves, called Tri-Safe II valves that cannot be refilled!

Everyone wants a nice clean walkway but almost everyone hates the and noisy, polluting gas leaf blowers that most gardeners use. The American Lung Association state that leaf blowers emit 15 tons of carbon monoxide the day. One hour of use generates as much pollution as driving a car 100 miles.

The particulate matter that they generate kicks up toxic chemicals, animal feces, and pesticides into the year, making it a hazard for gardeners and the public. Gas blower noise routinely hits a very loud when 90 to 110 dB.

Some cities have actually banned gas leaf blowers, like Palo Alto. The alternatives of using brooms and rakes will cost customers extra in labor. Electric leaf blowers are available, but they cannot last an entire day on a single charge. Recharging them in the field is problematic. Sounds like a business opportunity for some company!

Need another reason to install a solar electric power system? Your home’s value will increase after you install solar panels.

Internships to Help Companies Save Energy

Summer Internships are available for MBA students where they will get trained in energy efficiency and helped large companies save energy. The Environmental Defense Fund has set up this program and is accepting applications until Friday for companies to host Climate Corps interns.

MBA students are embedded as summer interns in large companies and help create action plans to cut their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. They are hoping that these fresh faces will provide new and more innovative solutions and help the companies think outside the box.

Method has a new way of packaging refill products such as their foaming hand wash refill and their laundry detergent, and dish soap. They use a pouch with easy pour spout that they claim uses 83% less footprint than a rigid plastic bottle.  It uses less plastic, energy, and water. Refills are in widespread use in Europe, where they are more green and landfills are as plentiful.

The pouch itself is a stock pouch from Winpack International, so more vendors may start using this packaging. Consumers can save money by purchasing refills, while companies can actually make more money. Less fuel is utilized transporting packaging and essentially water. Concentrated refills save even more money, and just require the addition of water.

It will take some time for consumers to accept refilling. Hand pump soaps are one area in which refills have gained acceptance.

Recycling Refill Pouches

Now is this pouch recyclable? NO! There was no recycling information or plastic number on their pouch. Method states:

Update: TerraCycle is now providing recycling services for these types of pouches. It is a pain to send them in, but it is available nonetheless.

Windex is now selling concentrated refill pouches for their glass cleaner. They state it uses 90% less plastic than a 26 ounce bottle, it saves transporting about 1.5 pounds of water, and possibly most important, saves the customer one dollar.