Before the days of rodenticides, glue traps, and companies specializing in pest control, apartment dwellers and homeowners had an effective (and eco-friendly) way of warding off mice: they kept cats. Nowadays most cat-owners value companionship over mouse-fighting powers, but several places are turning to this old-fashioned method of mouse control.

Take the San Francisco Working Cats Program, which started last year. Sponsored by the San Francisco SPCA, the program adopts under-socialized or feral cats into businesses for companionship and rodent control. The cats are vaccinated and spayed or neutered before adoption. The business owner commits to providing safe shelter, food, water, and any necessary vet care in exchange for the cat’s companionship and rodent control. The Humane Society of Huron Valley has a similar program called Barn Buddies.

Not only do these programs reduce the need for chemical repellents and sprays, but they also keep hard-to-adopt cats from being euthanized. Programs like Working Cats and Barn Budies also encourage mice to go elsewhere instead of getting caught in a trap or hunted by cats, since most will stay away from a warehouse or other building that smells of cat. One cat adopter in San Fran even created a blog about his working cats.

Yet not everyone is so fond of using felines for this purpose. Several delis in New York City use cats to scare off mice and risk getting fined by health inspectors. Of course, deli owners point out that rats or mice aren’t very hygienic either.

Image: r. s. m. b. Sees

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Though it’s technically not summer in the U.S. for a couple more weeks, many of us consider the recently long holiday weekend as the jumping off point for three months of sun and fun anyway. As you’re dragging out tiki torches and festooning your patio with umbrellas and lawn chairs, here are five solar-powered gadgets that can add flair to anyone’s summer.

Helios Solar Grill Slap some garden burgers and skewers of vegetables on this sun-driven oven set-up and skip the lung-irritating charcoal. We’ve mentioned the Helios before, and as long as you don’t mind looking like you’re trying call in alien spacecrafts as you cook, the Helios is a great way to get your grill on.

Solar Ant Charmer Any ant can ruin a good picnic, but if you live in a region prone to fire ants, you know they’re more than just a nuisance – those little buggers hurt! Stab this little gadget into a fire ant hill, open the solar powered top, and let the little beasts drop into the cone. The Charmer emits a small electric charge that keeps the ants busy squirming as it fills up with their partners in crime. Once you’ve collected a nice batch of ants, dump in some warm, soapy water and send them to their watery graves. An ant killer with no harsh chemicals.

The Loon This 22-foot solar-assisted electric pontoon boat carries eight people and runs up to six hours on a charge. At a top speed of almost 10 MPH, you can put about 50 miles on this party barge without leaving a trail of emissions and other nasties behind.

Solar Powered Golf Cart If you’re a land lubber, tool around your neighborhood in this golf cart tricked out with 72 photovoltaic cells built into the roof to collect solar energy. Its maker claims the cart runs 33 percent longer than typical battery-powered golf carts and can tote you and your bags around the greens for a full ten rounds of golf before needing a recharge.

Juice Bag This beach tote has solar panels to recharge your mobile devices while you catch some rays of your own. Just plug your phone, camera, iPod, or GPS into the bag’s adapter, and the 52 waterproof micro solar cells will continue to charge your stuff as long as the bag is exposed to sunlight. The solar panel pops off for cleaning, and the bag itself is made from recycled PET products.

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Whether rats and mice make you squeal in delight or terror, nobody wants to give the little critters free reign to roam around in their home. Before you run to the store for a giant bag of rat poison and an enormous mousetrap, let’s look at a couple of humane and eco-friendly ways to run the little marauders off for good.

Re-nest suggests soaking cotton balls in peppermint oil and jamming them into the tiny holes where the little pests are getting in. Of course, once you figure out where all the entry points are, plug them up. Mice can squirm their way through holes as little as 1/4′ wide.

Many home improvement and retail box stores sell humane mouse traps that snare rodents without injuring them. Don’t just dump your catch out the back door, though – he’ll just make his way back in the next night. If you can stomach a small passenger in the car, drive it to a nearby field or forest to turn it loose. At the very least, you can probably find a local neighborhood boy willing to walk it down the street a ways before releasing it.

If you encounter a four-footed friend during your midnight stroll to the kitchen for a drink of water, don’t drive all the way to the store to buy a trap – improvise. Grab the cardboard tubing from a roll of toilet paper and crush one side so it lays flat on the table. Put a dab of peanut butter or bread at one end, balance it on the edge of a table or kitchen counter, then position a trash can underneath. The mouse will camper into the tube to grab the bait and – BAM – the whole contraption will fall into the trash, taking Feivel along with it.

Of course, the best way to prevent critters from taking up residence in your home is to keep all your food sealed and off the floor. Plant mint around the perimeter of your house to keep mice and rats and bay, and store outdoor garbage cans away from the building.

Have some great tips for dispatching mice, rats, and other unwelcome four-legged tiny creatures? We’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Image by ArtBrom

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Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs held a webcast to announce the results of their year-long study into pet spot-on products, commonly known as flea and tick preventatives. According to EPA, the number of incidents and deaths associated with these products increased by 53 percent between 2007 and 2008. This is an alarming statistic considering that in 2008 alone, 270 million spot-on products were sold. While the study deemed the products safe – if used correctly – all products analyzed reported incidents ranging from minor symptoms like itchiness to major cases like death.

Despite EPA’s claims that topical pesticides are safe, Kristen Vance disagrees. Vance is a mother of two children, an 8-year-old Rottweiler mix, and a 5-year-old domestic cat. “I do not want unnecessary chemicals on my animals,” Vance said. “I have two young children who constantly pet the dog and put their hands in their mouths. I don’t want the children to ingest the pesticides by accident. Anything that is toxic enough to kill an insect is too toxic to willingly put on my animal or to expose to my children.”

Concerned? Searching for a greener option? Here are three steps you can take to find a safer, more sustainable way to keep fleas and ticks off your pet:

Do Your Research

Consider your flea and tick preventatives carefully. There are many products to choose from, some available only through a veterinarian, others available on the shelves of the nearest big-box retailer. Before selecting a product, talk to your vet, and consult the Natural Resources Defense Council’s product comparison site to see how different products stack up.

Exercise Preventative Measures

Check your pet for fleas and ticks regularly, especially after hikes or prolonged outdoor exposure. Bathe your pet regularly, and vacuum your home – including your furniture – to prevent flea outbreaks.

Go Low-Tech

To combat fleas, use a flea comb to check for and remove any fleas or make your own flea powder using a mix of powdered rosemary, eucalyptus, lavender and fennel. If you discover a tick on your pet, ease the tick out with a pair of tweezers. And if your area has tick-borne illnesses, put the tick in a bag and take it to your vet for examination.

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