ISSA - Value of Clean [INFOGRAPHIC]

ISSA - Value of Clean [INFOGRAPHIC]

Snow in August? It's steamy now, but forecasters see a big winter coming .

It's an August of steamy heat and rattling air conditioners, but the long-range forecasts are out: The big cities of the Northeast corridor should expect no repeat of last winter's snow drought. Last winter, big cities like New York and Philadelphia saved a lot of money because the Northeast had a snow drought. Not so this winter. Yes, even while air conditioners are still running, meteorologists are beginning to focus on the long-term winter weather forecast. And, it looks as if the I-95-corridor cities from Washington to Boston will need to make sure the plows are gassed up and rock salt plentiful. “I think the East Coast is going to have some battles with some big storms,” says Paul Pastelok, Accu-Weather’s lead long-term forecaster in State College, Pa. However, Mr. Pastelok predicts the battles won’t start until January and then will extend into February. “November in the Northeast could be above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation, and December could be a transition month,” he says. “By January and February it’s going to get pretty cold.” IN PICTURES: Extreme weather 2012 The cold will collide with moisture flowing up the East Coast, he says, resulting in some big snowstorms that could create travel problems, close school systems and create challenges for retailers. “The good news is that the winter will be good for hats, gloves, scarves, rock salt, and the plowing industry,” says Scott Bernhardt, president of Planalytics, Inc. a business weather intelligence service in Berwyn, Pa. “It’s bad for store traffic, because other than urban areas it’s hard to get around, and restaurants also take a hit because people just don’t go out.” Mr. Bernhardt says the possibility of a severe winter has yet to hit some of the businesses he talks to. “It’s crazy how many businesses plan off last year,” he says. “And, it’s a no-brainer that it’s not going to be as nice as last year.” Last year, the worst snowstorm in the Northeast occurred in late October, when some areas got as much as twelve inches of snow. The precipitation came at a time when the trees in most areas still had their leaves. As a result, the snow toppled trees and branches onto power lines, causing massive power outages that lasted as long as two weeks for some homeowners. The difference this year is that a powerful current that runs along the coast of South America is in the process of shifting from a La Nina, with colder water temperatures, to an El Nino, which results in warmer seawater temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific. “It changes the weather patterns,” says Pastelok. Using this summer’s weather as a template, Pastelok looked for what happened in the winter in other years when a weak to moderate El Nino formed. He found a similar pattern in 2002/2003 and 1953/1954. In those years, storms early in the season drenched the Southeast and then headed out to sea. But, then later in the winter, the snows came. According to the National Weather Service office in Boston, the winter of 2002/2003 featured below-normal temperatures and above-normal snowfall in many locations. “It was the coldest winter in nine years since 1993-1994,” wrote the Weather Service, noting that it was a “stark contrast” to the prior winter, which was the mildest on record. In 2002/2003, the temperature was 10 degrees colder than 2001/2002. Pastelok thinks the Southeast could actually get the worst of it this winter. He can envision flooding in the late fall followed by snow and ice this winter all the way down to the Gulf Coast. “Tallahassee could have some snow and ice issues this winter,” he forecasts. He says the middle of the country is harder to forecast. In general, he anticipates the Central Plains will get drier again. That area has been suffering from a drought but has recently had some precipitation. “We will know better in October,” he says. The weather forecasters will issue a more detailed winter forecast at that point.

Unseasonable Temps Might Lead To Bed Bugs

Banner Chemical has an all natural, chemical free bedbug solution. call Dave Charlie or Beth today for more info!

In March, more than 7,500 daily record-high and more than 540 all-time high temperatures were set, according to meteorologists at Weather.com. These unseasonable temperatures can mean the insurgence of bed bugs.

According to ABC News reporting, Timothy Wong, technical director of M&M Pest Control in New York City, said business gets "out of control" in the summer because eggs hatch quicker in warmer weather. In colder temperatures, eggs take between seven and 14 days to hatch, but in the warmth, they hatch in six to 10 days.

Once the temperature hits 65 degrees outdoors, travel increases and facilities see more occupants walking through the doors. Wong comments that during the warmer months, his staff will respond to at least 400 to 500 cases of bed bug infestations each month.

"March has been insane," he said. "The number of cases for us are up 18 percent from last March."

Reports indicate that bed bugs might not be the only insect terror to hit an early upswing. Experts say there may be an early surge of ticks, and in turn, Lyme disease, because of the warm weather.

"Ticks ... are fussy, and high heat, high humidity or cold can dampen, but they are very local in that density of ticks can vary merely hundred yards apart in a given region," Dr. Paul Auwaerter, clinical director of infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, wrote in an email.

"Warmer weather certainly means an earlier start to the tick season, and I have had patients bringing in ticks as early as the last week of February this year," Auwaerter said. "Whether this translates into more cases of tick-borne infections is unclear."

Research Shows Bed Bugs Can Carry Staph

According to a study conducted by the Natural Link Mold Lab (NLML), Reno, Nev., bed bugs can carry potentially life-threatening bacteria. The study collected several groups of bed bugs gathered from geographically diverse locations. Employing cultures, incubators and petri dishes, the bedbugs were examined for the presence of microbial vectors, including bacteria and yeasts, which were carried by the insects, primarily on their surfaces.

The research documented bed bugs’ ability to transfer live Staphylococcus aureus (staph) cells from a culture to a sterile plate, demonstrating their potential as a bacterial vector. These findings support a different study that detected drug-resistant staphylococcal bacteria (MRSA) in bed bugs. There is the potential that bacteria could be transferred from bed bugs to humans.

“While a bed bug doesn’t inject its saliva into the host as does a mosquito, its mandibles act like a pair of sharp forceps, piercing and tearing the skin, so the potential exists for surface bacteria to enter through the bite,” said Sean Abbott, Ph.D., senior biologist for NLML, in a news release. “This evidence underscores the urgency for employing effective solutions against the pathogens sooner rather than later.”

The study also found that heat was the best result in killing both the bed bugs and bacteria.

Banner Chemical now carries a totally green, all-natural bed bug eliminator!!! It kills bed bugs and their eggs without the need for dangerous chemicals. Call Dave, Charlie, or Beth for more information today! 973-676-2900

New Ice Melt article from Sanitary Maintenacne magazine

http://www.cleanlink.com/sm/article/Ice-Melt-Melting-Points--12261

Banner Chemical Corp Receives 2009 Best of Business Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Banner Chemical Corp Receives 2009 Best of Business Award

Small Business Commerce Association’s Award Honors the Achievement

SAN FRANCISCO, March 13, 2009, Banner Chemical Corp has been selected for the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Sanitation preparations category by the Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA)

The Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is pleased to announce that Banner Chemical Corp has been selected for the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Sanitation preparations category.

The SBCA 2009 Award Program recognizes the top 5% of small businesses throughout the country. Using statistical research and consumer feedback, the SBCA identifies companies that we believe have demonstrated what makes small businesses a vital part of the American economy. The selection committee chooses the award winners from nominees based off statistical research and also information taken from monthly surveys administered by the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports. Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small businesses great.

About Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA)

Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is a San Francisco based organization. The SBCA is a private sector entity that aims to provide tactical guidance with many day to day issues that small business owners face. In addition to our main goal of providing a central repository of small business operational advice; we use consumer feedback to identify companies that exemplify what makes small business a vital part of the American economy.

SOURCE: Small Business Commerce Association

CONTACT:
Small Business Commerce Association
Email: Press@SBCAAwards.org
URL: http://www.SBCAAwards.org

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Sometimes it Snows in April (Prince)