Ugh, housing

[rebeccmeister]

I have been poring over Craigslist ads to little avail in a search for a pesticide-free home. This is going to be a very difficult search. If any of you have any creative ideas on where/how to look, please let me know.

Comments

[sandokai.livejournal.com]

People might not advertise that way but it could still be true. I'm anti-pesticide, but I don't think it would occur to me to put it in an ad.

Maybe post a "pesticide free house wanted" sign in a health food type place (store, restaurant)?

How long do you want the place to have been definitively pesticide free for?

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I tried e-mailing a guy who owns a health food store, but I think the next step will have to be giving him a call because I haven't had any response. I'm declaring a 2-year timeframe, but even then I don't think we really know if that's long enough. I've been e-mailing people with promising-sounding Craigslist ads, but no luck yet...

[sandokai.livejournal.com]

Why-- do they all use pesticides?

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

It is so hot and humid there, plus there aren't many hard freezes in the winter. As a result, there are lots and lots of insects everywhere. While that makes me happy (or at least amuses me), most people tend to freak out about the "bugs" - advertisers have taught us that if there are "bugs" around it means that we are dirty / have dirty homes.

I take the "bugs" as bioindicators - if they are present, that means that a place is conducive to life! I can't say I care to have a lot of flies buzzing around in the house, but such things can be minimized with some effort to simply keep things clean.

Another major problem in the southeastern US is fire ants: the red imported fire ant, which is native to Argentina, does very well in human-disturbed habitats like yards full of grass. While one or two ant stings are no big deal, fire ants can be pesky when they sting en masse. People generally treat for them by hosing down their yards with organophosphate pesticides, without spending any time to learn how/why organophosphates work. There's a fairly large body of evidence supporting the idea that organophosphates take a toll on other important living things (humans and pets!) in addition to affecting insects.

[trifold-flame.livejournal.com]

I'd call the public library and ask if you can fax them a sign to post on their community board. And do you have a "house wanted" post up on craigslist? That was the only way I got my peculiar-needs house in Bloomington.

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

I haven't yet written up a "house wanted" post, but I should take care of that this evening. That's a great idea about the public library! I also need to call the guy who runs the natural foods store to see if I can mail/fax over a sign to post there.

[bluepapercup]

Perhaps also get a posting up at the university somewhere? Perhaps there is some student group that would have interest in these kinds of issues and could help you out?