Pest Protection vs. Pest Control: U. S. Pest’s Intervention in the Culture of the Pest Industry

The culture of the pest industry is a culture of pest control. Traditionally, pest control companies are called upon to treat a home only once there is a definite problem with pests. The assumption, on the part of the consumer, is that all homes need regular treatment once they are infested. The culture of control is represented at the national level through various campaigns that support this understanding of our home’s relationship to pests. For example, pest control companies offer to regularly inspect the home for termites and take action only once infestation and damage are apparent. Or, companies offer services that regularly treat the inside of the home. One of the difficulties the consumer faces once a home becomes infested is the application of chemicals we know to be harmful. The trade off is equally as dangerous, since we know pests carry diseases, can be poisonous, and can damage the structure of the home. The culture of control benefits from the difficulty of this situation. Not only have national companies been able to continue outdated methods of treatment, but they have also been able to ignore the growing public pressure to offer green alternatives because once infestation occurs, it must be treated. Surprisingly, then, among all major U. S. industries, the pest control industry has been among the slowest to respond to the demand for ‘green’.

U. S. Pest Protection Co., Inc. offers an alternative approach to the culture of control. From its inception, the company has emphasized a culture of protection, which both protects the home from infestation and the home’s occupants from the harsh chemicals traditionally used to control pests. To protect the home, pests must be prevented from ever infesting. While this means that product must be applied in the case of both termites and other pests, preventative treatments protect the home from infestation and protect the home’s occupants because the need for chemical applications is decreased. This is especially important in the South, where some homes must be fogged for termites every few years and the summer months bring in swarms of pests. Because of its situation in the South and because of its concern for changing the culture of the industry, U. S. Pest has sought alternative methods and safer products that protect the home from pests and that protect the home’s parents, children, and pets from the harsh chemicals traditionally utilized by the pest industry. Two years ago, U. S. Pest made a commitment to become Middle Tennessee’s first green company. U. S. Pest offers comprehensive termite and pest plans that challenge the culture of control by questioning the deep-rooted assumptions concerning the home’s relationship to pests, as well as the products and services needed to address them.

To prevent the home from termite infestation and structural damage, it is essential that product be applied to the foundation of the home before termites have the opportunity to infest. The pre-treatment termite services offered by U. S. Pest utilize Termidor, the #1 rated termite solution in the United States. Termidor is not only the most effective product on the market. It is also environmentally responsible. The active ingredient, fipronil, is only %0.06 of the solution, and only 8 ounces of the active ingredient is used on average for a single home. The dilution of fipronil is so great that the service of a single home requires hundreds of gallons of water. The active ingredient is the same active ingredient used to protect household pets from fleas and ticks and to protect agricultural crops from destructive pests world-wide. To protect the home from other pests, U. S. Pest offers a completely green treatment plan. Traditionally, pest control companies offer monthly, quarterly, and one-time services where the company sprays inside the home. U. S. Pest has developed, in line with its culture of protection, an ‘every other month’ service plan that is safer, more effective, and more efficient. The initial service creates an internal barrier against pests and safely distributes monitoring devices that allow problems to be diagnosed. The second service treats those problems and creates an exterior barrier that treats the environment of the home. After the second service, only the exterior of the home needs to be treated every other month, making the need for chemicals in the home unnecessary. All products used are completely natural and organic.