Earlier this year Orkin released its 2014 Bed Bug Cities List. Needless to say, it is not the kind of list your convention and visitors bureau is going to be crowing about. Topping Orkin’s list was Chicago, followed by Detroit, Columbus (Ohio) and Los Angeles. My hometown of Cleveland came in at No. 5. A number of cities made big jumps on Orkin’s list. Omaha, Neb., for example, jumped 16 spots, and Sacramento, Calif. jumped 14. The annual list is not based entirely on hotel reporting but all of the different types of places Orkin services.
In the press release Orkin released, the company’s Entomologist and Technical Services Director Ron Harrison, Ph.D, said, “Bedbugs are a serious issue across the country, and they’re very difficult to control. Bedbugs are not limited to any level of cleanliness or income, which means they can be found in any home or hotel. They’re great hitchhikers, and people often bring them inside on their clothes or in their luggage.”
I have reported on eco-friendly bedbug treatments in the past and am currently working on another article. So far I have chatted with someone whose company uses heat to kill the pesky critters and another who sells a spray that he says works better than synthetic pesticides. Interestingly, the guy who sells a heat system said heat is raised slowly in a room so that bedbugs do not realize that they are about to get baked. Of course the guy who sells the spray product said raising heat slowly in the room just gives bedbugs time to run for the hills (an adjacent room or wall perhaps?) and that is why it is critical to also use his product. Just one reason that you need to be clear about the science behind bedbug killing and to do your homework before buying any products.
You can bake them, spray them, steam them, freeze them and entomb them. You can sniff them out with a pooch or choose from numerous devices to detect them. Exterminating bedbugs is definitely a big industry.
As part of my research for my article, I would love to chat with those of you who have taken environmentally friendly steps to prevent or treat bedbug infestations. Do you really encase your mattresses? Do you use bedbug detection devices discretely placed in your guestrooms? Have you purchased and used sprays made from natural ingredients? What about heat, steam or freezing? Did those approaches work for you? Don’t worry, I will not quote you or mention your property. I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com, or by phone at (813) 510-3868. I will look forward to hearing from you.
Green Lodging News Adds ConservCo as Founding Sponsor
Green Lodging News welcomes ConservCo as a Founding Sponsor. ConservCo has been providing hospitality clients with water conservation consulting since 2008. The company performs comprehensive facilities water audits and landscape irrigation audits for hotel and golf resort operators worldwide. ConservCo’s goal in conducting the audit is to help the facility save money by reducing waste and lowering water, energy, and sewer utility expenses. ConservCo interviews personnel in facilities and maintenance, food and beverage, housekeeping and laundry, and irrigation and landscaping. ConservCo’s audits include measuring aggregate water consumption, analyzing total cost, and identifying practical, cost-effective ways to reduce potable water use throughout the facility. Recommendations in the company’s final reports offer analyses of predicted water savings, estimated costs of any retrofit, and an analysis of the total return on investment of suggested retrofits. Call (775) 747-3333, e-mail sales@conservco.us, or go to www.conservco.us.
Green Lodging News Adds Solar UV Solutions to Directory
Green Lodging News has added Solar UV Solutions to its Green Product & Service Directory. As an authorized distributor of the SunQuest 250 solar thermal collector, Solar UV Solutions provides cost effective, energy efficient solutions for all commercial heating and hot water needs. The SunQuest 250 utilizes evacuated tube technology to convert UV rays into heat. Customers regularly save up to 50 percent of energy costs, and return on investment is generally within five years for all hot water applications and between five and 10 years for space heating applications. Call Jack McMahan at (317) 796-6878. You may also e-mail jack@solaramericasolutions.com, or go to www.solaruvsolutions.com.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Planning Advertising for 2015?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2015. Many excellent spots are available on the website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2015 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. A media kit can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all of those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
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As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
