BOZEMAN - Cockroaches, ants, bedbugs, hornets and spiders are among the insects that invade Montana schools.
To teach Montanans how to control those and other insects, a free "School Integrated Pest Management Inspection and Training Tour" will be held Wednesday, May 18, in Bozeman, said Ruth O'Neill, School IPM coordinator for Montana State University Extension.
Participants will inspect Bozeman schools to learn how to identify common pests. They will also receive tips and techniques for monitoring insect and learn how to identify and address conditions that are conducive to insect pests, such as cluttered areas and rooms that are highly humid. Those include cafeterias and kitchens. Insects often enter buildings through gaps and cracks in floors and walls. View full article.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Journal of Extension article on the Pest Private Eye video game
Pest Private Eye: Using an Interactive Role-Playing Video Game to Teach About Pests and Integrated Pest Management
Abstract
The trend toward encouraging adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in schools has increased in the last decade. Because IPM helps reduce risk of human pesticide exposure, reduce allergens and asthma triggers, save energy, and protect the environment, it's essential that IPM awareness continue not only with current school administrators, parents, and staff, but with students as well. This article discusses how UNL Extension developed, piloted, and evaluated Pest Private Eye and the Case of IPM in Schools, an educational video game that teaches children about pests and IPM, and potential impacts its lessons will have on future generations.
Abstract
The trend toward encouraging adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in schools has increased in the last decade. Because IPM helps reduce risk of human pesticide exposure, reduce allergens and asthma triggers, save energy, and protect the environment, it's essential that IPM awareness continue not only with current school administrators, parents, and staff, but with students as well. This article discusses how UNL Extension developed, piloted, and evaluated Pest Private Eye and the Case of IPM in Schools, an educational video game that teaches children about pests and IPM, and potential impacts its lessons will have on future generations.
Monday, February 14, 2011
National Healthy Schools Day - April 11, 2011
National Healthy Schools Day is great day for everyone to celebrate and promote healthy and green indoor school environments for all children and staff.
For more than five years parents, personnel, advocates, and agencies have held National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide to highlight the importance of clean indoor air in schools. Whether you are at the beginning stages of investigating issues or have an established IAQ program, we invite you to create an activity that educates others and celebrates your successes. For more information, visit http://www.nationalhealthyschoolsday.org/.
For more than five years parents, personnel, advocates, and agencies have held National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide to highlight the importance of clean indoor air in schools. Whether you are at the beginning stages of investigating issues or have an established IAQ program, we invite you to create an activity that educates others and celebrates your successes. For more information, visit http://www.nationalhealthyschoolsday.org/.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Call for Program Proposals for the 7th International IPM Symposium
"IPM on the World Stage—Solutions for Global Pest Challenges" is the theme of the 7th International IPM Symposium that will be held March 27–29, 2012 in Memphis Tennessee USA at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. Symposium sessions will address Integrated Pest Management (IPM) across disciplines internationally, in the market place, agriculture, community settings, horticulture, and natural environments.
The program committee has organized the symposium around four themes: management, research, best practices, and outreach. You are invited to submit a proposal describing your program, activity, or research that addresses effective and efficient pest management. Visit
http://www.ipmcenters.org/ipmsymposium12/IPM_Symp_theme_Description.pdf for a description of symposium themes.
Session proposals must be submitted online at http://ipmcenters.org/ipmsymposium12 by April 29, 2011 for full consideration. Click on “Program” to find the online form.
• Sessions may be one (1) or two (2) hours in length.
• We are planning two types of session formats for the program.
o Mini-symposia should have a broad interest with estimated audiences of 75-100 people.
o Brainstorming sessions will likely be topic specific, attracting 20-30 attendees.
• Session abstracts should be limited to 250 words.
• Objectives and/or expected outcomes are limited to 50 words.
The number of each type of session will be limited, as will the number of accepted posters due to space constraints. The program planning committee will review all proposals and try to accommodate as many as possible.
As at past symposia, limited “Program Enhancement” funds for speaker support are anticipated. Preference will be given to speakers who would not normally attend the event. Details about requests for these funds will be made available after the proposals have been submitted.
A call for poster submissions will be announced later this year.
If you have questions regarding the format or development of the program, please contact program planning committee members: Margaret Appleby (or 613-475-5850); Dawn Gouge (or 520-381-2223); Lynnae Jess (or 517-432-1702); Norm Leppla (or 352-273-3951.
The program committee has organized the symposium around four themes: management, research, best practices, and outreach. You are invited to submit a proposal describing your program, activity, or research that addresses effective and efficient pest management. Visit
http://www.ipmcenters.org/ipmsymposium12/IPM_Symp_theme_Description.pdf for a description of symposium themes.
Session proposals must be submitted online at http://ipmcenters.org/ipmsymposium12 by April 29, 2011 for full consideration. Click on “Program” to find the online form.
• Sessions may be one (1) or two (2) hours in length.
• We are planning two types of session formats for the program.
o Mini-symposia should have a broad interest with estimated audiences of 75-100 people.
o Brainstorming sessions will likely be topic specific, attracting 20-30 attendees.
• Session abstracts should be limited to 250 words.
• Objectives and/or expected outcomes are limited to 50 words.
The number of each type of session will be limited, as will the number of accepted posters due to space constraints. The program planning committee will review all proposals and try to accommodate as many as possible.
As at past symposia, limited “Program Enhancement” funds for speaker support are anticipated. Preference will be given to speakers who would not normally attend the event. Details about requests for these funds will be made available after the proposals have been submitted.
A call for poster submissions will be announced later this year.
If you have questions regarding the format or development of the program, please contact program planning committee members: Margaret Appleby (or 613-475-5850); Dawn Gouge (or 520-381-2223); Lynnae Jess (or 517-432-1702); Norm Leppla (or 352-273-3951.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
February School IPM 2015 Newsletter
The February School IPM 2015 newsletter features articles on IPM in the Classroom, Performance Standards for IPM Coordinators and the new Inspector's Field Guide for Pest Identification.
http://www.ipminstitute.org/school_ipm_2015/Feb11_eNewsletter.htm
http://www.ipminstitute.org/school_ipm_2015/Feb11_eNewsletter.htm
Friday, February 4, 2011
EPA Seeks Applicants for $1.2 Million in Environmental Justice Grants to Address Local Health and Environmental Issues
EPA Seeks Applicants for $1.2 Million in Environmental Justice Grants to Address Local Health and Environmental Issues
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting grant applications for $1.2 million in funding to support projects designed to research, educate, empower and enable communities to understand and address local health and environmental issues. Eligible applicants from non-profit, faith-based and tribal organizations working in the community of the proposed project are encouraged to apply.
Environmental Justice Small Grants funding is available for two categories of projects:
• 40 grants of up to $25,000 each to support projects that address a community’s local environmental issues through collaborative partnerships, and;
• 4 grants of up to $50,000 each to gather better science on the environmental and health impacts of exposure to multiple sources of pollution in communities.
Environmental justice means the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race or income, in the environmental decision-making process. Environmental justice issues often involve multiple sources of contamination, like pollution from several industrial facilities within one neighborhood, environmental hazards at the workplace or home, or contamination resulting from the consumption of fish or other subsistence food.
Environmental contamination can lead to costly health risks and can discourage investments and development in low-income, minority, and indigenous communities disproportionately impacted by pollution. Understanding the impacts of multiple environmental risks can help communities develop more effective solutions to their environmental and health concerns.
More information on eligibility and how to apply: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-rfp-2011.pdf
More information on the Environmental Justice Small Grant program: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting grant applications for $1.2 million in funding to support projects designed to research, educate, empower and enable communities to understand and address local health and environmental issues. Eligible applicants from non-profit, faith-based and tribal organizations working in the community of the proposed project are encouraged to apply.
Environmental Justice Small Grants funding is available for two categories of projects:
• 40 grants of up to $25,000 each to support projects that address a community’s local environmental issues through collaborative partnerships, and;
• 4 grants of up to $50,000 each to gather better science on the environmental and health impacts of exposure to multiple sources of pollution in communities.
Environmental justice means the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race or income, in the environmental decision-making process. Environmental justice issues often involve multiple sources of contamination, like pollution from several industrial facilities within one neighborhood, environmental hazards at the workplace or home, or contamination resulting from the consumption of fish or other subsistence food.
Environmental contamination can lead to costly health risks and can discourage investments and development in low-income, minority, and indigenous communities disproportionately impacted by pollution. Understanding the impacts of multiple environmental risks can help communities develop more effective solutions to their environmental and health concerns.
More information on eligibility and how to apply: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/resources/publications/grants/ej-smgrants-rfp-2011.pdf
More information on the Environmental Justice Small Grant program: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html
Children's Pesticide Safeguards Advance
South Jersey News - Children's pesticide safeguards advance
A N.J. Senate committee released a bill that would prohibit use of most such chemicals on school lawns.
By Angela Delli Santi
Associated Press
TRENTON - A bill that would make New Jersey a national leader in limiting children's pesticide exposure was released with unanimous support of members of a Senate environment panel Monday.
The measure, dubbed "The Child Safe Playing Field Act," would prohibit the use of most lawn pesticides on public and private school playgrounds, recreational fields, and day-care centers. Low-impact organic pesticide applications would be allowed, and there is an exception that allows stronger pesticides during emergencies, such as insect infestations.
"This is a bill that would indeed protect our children, particularly in their most vulnerable stages of life," said Sen. Shirley Turner, a Trenton Democrat and the prime sponsor.
The proposal would be the most far-reaching in the nation, said Jane Nogaki, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Environmental Federation. A similar law in New York state covers just school grounds where students are in kindergarten through 12th grade, she said, while Connecticut's version is limited to K-8 schools.
If New Jersey's proposal were to become law, all but a small class of lawn pesticides would be banned from public and private school grounds, including high schools; recreation fields owned by municipalities, counties, or the state; and all day-care centers.
Only Canada has a more extensive prohibition: No cosmetic pesticide use is allowed, said John Boechner of the New Jersey Green Industry Council, which represents the lawn-care and pest-management industries and opposes the measure.
The New Jersey bill expands a 2002 law requiring schools to develop Integrated Pest Management plans that combine pest control, building maintenance, and sanitation practices. That law encourages the use of low-impact pesticides and requires notification before applications.
Jeff Tittel of the New Jersey Sierra Club, who testified in support of the bill, said the new proposal strengthens the existing law, which was groundbreaking at the time.
"Children are our most vulnerable population as far as pesticides go," Tittel said. "Our first goal should be 'do no harm,' and this bill does that."
Robert Laumbach, an environmental researcher and assistant professor at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, agreed.
"Although we cannot precisely estimate the risks of cancer, asthma, developmental disorders, or other diseases from the application of lawn pesticides where children play, we know enough to act now to protect children from these risks," he testified.
The measure advanced with affirmative votes from three Democrats and two Republicans, though one GOP senator, Kip Bateman of Somerville, urged more input from industry representatives as the bill moves forward.
Nancy Sadlon, executive director of the Green Industry Council, said the bill was drafted without consultation from her trade group, which includes representatives from Lawn Doctor, TruGreen, and the New Jersey Pest Management Association.
Sadlon testified that untreated playing fields would become weed-choked, hard-packed, and bug-infested in time.
Turner, however, said she had a letter from a public works administrator in Basking Ridge saying that the playing fields were in fine shape two years after pesticides were banned.
A N.J. Senate committee released a bill that would prohibit use of most such chemicals on school lawns.
By Angela Delli Santi
Associated Press
TRENTON - A bill that would make New Jersey a national leader in limiting children's pesticide exposure was released with unanimous support of members of a Senate environment panel Monday.
The measure, dubbed "The Child Safe Playing Field Act," would prohibit the use of most lawn pesticides on public and private school playgrounds, recreational fields, and day-care centers. Low-impact organic pesticide applications would be allowed, and there is an exception that allows stronger pesticides during emergencies, such as insect infestations.
"This is a bill that would indeed protect our children, particularly in their most vulnerable stages of life," said Sen. Shirley Turner, a Trenton Democrat and the prime sponsor.
The proposal would be the most far-reaching in the nation, said Jane Nogaki, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Environmental Federation. A similar law in New York state covers just school grounds where students are in kindergarten through 12th grade, she said, while Connecticut's version is limited to K-8 schools.
If New Jersey's proposal were to become law, all but a small class of lawn pesticides would be banned from public and private school grounds, including high schools; recreation fields owned by municipalities, counties, or the state; and all day-care centers.
Only Canada has a more extensive prohibition: No cosmetic pesticide use is allowed, said John Boechner of the New Jersey Green Industry Council, which represents the lawn-care and pest-management industries and opposes the measure.
The New Jersey bill expands a 2002 law requiring schools to develop Integrated Pest Management plans that combine pest control, building maintenance, and sanitation practices. That law encourages the use of low-impact pesticides and requires notification before applications.
Jeff Tittel of the New Jersey Sierra Club, who testified in support of the bill, said the new proposal strengthens the existing law, which was groundbreaking at the time.
"Children are our most vulnerable population as far as pesticides go," Tittel said. "Our first goal should be 'do no harm,' and this bill does that."
Robert Laumbach, an environmental researcher and assistant professor at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, agreed.
"Although we cannot precisely estimate the risks of cancer, asthma, developmental disorders, or other diseases from the application of lawn pesticides where children play, we know enough to act now to protect children from these risks," he testified.
The measure advanced with affirmative votes from three Democrats and two Republicans, though one GOP senator, Kip Bateman of Somerville, urged more input from industry representatives as the bill moves forward.
Nancy Sadlon, executive director of the Green Industry Council, said the bill was drafted without consultation from her trade group, which includes representatives from Lawn Doctor, TruGreen, and the New Jersey Pest Management Association.
Sadlon testified that untreated playing fields would become weed-choked, hard-packed, and bug-infested in time.
Turner, however, said she had a letter from a public works administrator in Basking Ridge saying that the playing fields were in fine shape two years after pesticides were banned.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Best Management Practices for Bed Bugs by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA)
The resurgence of bed bugs has created significant concern in the pest management industry and in society overall. Controlling, let alone eradicating, this pest is extremely difficult. To ensure industry professionals have the best possible guidance on controlling bed bugs effectively, responsibly and safely, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) has created Best Management Practices for Bed Bugs (BMPs), guidelines developed by industry professionals, regulators, academics, and entomologists. In addition to helping industry professionals, the guidelines are useful to consumers so that they can understand what they should expect in working with trained pest management professionals for problems associated with bed bugs. Rest assured, bed bugs can be treated but proper management will involve an effective partnership between a pest professional and customer. For more information, click here.
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