DNAinfo: Uptown Neighborhoods Infested With Rats, City Data Says

As a Washington Heights resident this news is both sad and concerning. I know from experience that the less maintenance  in the building (garbage is found inside and within the premises, food is left in the open, lack of prevention and treatment) the more likely and big the rat problem becomes. There are buildings uptown in which maintance is not an issue but rats may come from adjacent buildings for instance. I think the rat problem in NYC is an issue that can me alleviated (not completely resolved) with a collective effort. Full news article below:

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A recent report from the city’s Department of Health revealed that Upper Manhattan’s Community Board 12 has the highest reported rate of rat infestation in the borough — with 306 verified during an inspection of 2,616 sites in Inwood and Washington Heights in 2011.  

However, the district did experience a 4 percent drop in its reported rat population between 2010 and 2011, according to Department of Mental Health and Hygiene records. 

Upper Manhattan has the highest reported rate of rat infestation in Manhattan. (Health Department)

The Lower East Side and East Village come in second in Manhattan with an 11.4 percent rat infestation rate in 2011, based on 492 reported rat infestations verified out of 4,279 inspections. 

Murray Hill and Gramercy had the fewest reported rats in 2011, with a 0.3 percent infestation rate, based on 95 reported rat infestations verified out of 2,798 inspections. 

“Part of the reduction in active rat signs we’re seeing in Washington Heights and Inwood can be attributed to our proactive indexing program, which inspects every property in the community,” a DOH spokeswoman told DNAInfo, noting that the department has also increased rat baiting in the past year. 

Despite the reported decrease uptown, Becky O’Hannigan, 36, said rats continue to be an issue near her home on West 175th Street and Fort Washington Avenue. 

“I’ve had rats run across the sidewalk next to me when I’m walking my dog, and they’re always rattling the garbage cans outside my building,” the Washington Heights resident, 23, told DNAinfo.

“It’s disgusting.”

The teeming rat population in Upper Manhattan spurred Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer to call on the city to better fund its rat-fighting program last year, as it moved to cut 63 inspectors from the DOH’s rolls in early 2011. 

But Mayor Michael Bloomberg dismissed the concerns, saying "the city is doing a great job" combating the pests.

According to the Health Department, efforts to track and reduce the population have been ramped up over the past several years. 

Inspectors respond to complaints from business owners and residents, and visit designated areas in order to look for signs of rats — like gnawed garbage bags, droppings and burrows. They inspect “most properties even if no complaint has been received,” according to its website. 

The department notes where rats live in Manhattan and The Bronx on its “rat indexing” electronic mapping system and identifies rat “hot spots and return[s] to areas with high failure rates multiple times.” 

But Community Board 12 chairwoman Pamela Palanque-North said more needs to be done. 

She said the board is “deeply concerned and outraged” that "one of the most densely populated districts in the borough [that] has a very high number of school-age children and youth has the highest number of reported rats in the borough." 

In response, Palanque-North said the board plans to partner with the DOH and others to offer a series of rat-control workshops for building managers and supervisors this spring, as it has in the past.

“This rat infestation is a public health emergency,” she said, “which demands immediate and sustained resources and action by the [Department of Health], our elected officials and residents.”

Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20120326/washington-heights-inwood/rats-run-wild-uptown-despite-reported-drop-infestations#ixzz1qeqTbHs1

Ecuador is Wild, Beautiful, Pure Nature

Bird view of Los Banos 

I would like to share some nature photos of Ecuador from my last trip there. It was certainly an experience and if you like nature, bird watching, and adventures this is a great place to visit. I have many amazing memories from all the different areas that I visited, from the shy Cholas to the  playful parrots in the mountains oblivious to anything happening around them.

Banos Mountains 

The "snake" Orchid 

Indigenous reserve 

Cotopaxi

Beautiful Orchid 

Beautiful mountains of the Cotopaxi area 

BBC: Study sheds light on plants' 'spring switch'

Researchers have identified the genetic "switch" that triggers the flowering process in plants as they respond to warmer temperatures.

They found that a gene, known as PIF4, activated the flowering pathway when a certain temperature was achieved.

The team added that the findings could be used in future research to improve crops' resilience to projected changes in the climate.

Details of the study have been published in the journal Nature.

"We have known for hundreds of years that when it gets warmer, plants come into flower," said co-author Philip Wigge from the John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.

"The question then is... how is it possible that plants are able to control this process with such accuracy and sensitivity."

Dr Wigge said that there were two mechanisms that allowed plants to respond to the arrival of spring: measuring day-length and changes in temperature.

"The switch we discovered is to do with the second one, and helps shed light on how plants know when it is getting warmer," he told BBC News.

"This gene is remarkable because it is only active when it is warm. If you cool the plant down, it has no effect. The gene works in such a way that it is only on in the warm.

"When there are higher temperatures, it activates the target genes and switches on the flowering process."

For their study, the researchers used Arabidopsis thaliana, a small flowering plant native to Europe, Asia and northern parts of Africa.

It was the first plant species to have its genome sequenced, Dr Wigge said, making it a "terrific tool" for molecular biologists.

Out of synch

Dr Wigge explained that plants appeared to use a combination of the two trigger mechanisms but to varying degrees, which affects the characteristics of plants' flowering behaviour.

"Research carried out by a team in the US has shown that plants that use warmer temperatures to control when they flower are out-competing other plants to a considerable degree."Some plants will flower at the same time each spring, whereas other plants will flower earlier if it is warmer. Those are the plants that have an active PIF4 pathway," he said.

"In the past 100 years or so, many plants that have just used day-length have become locally extinct.

"Yet plants that have used temperature to control when they flower have increased their range considerably and now much more common.

"That makes a lot of sense because those plants will be able to out-compete other species in a climate change scenario."

Phenological studies have shown that plants are flowering and producing fruit earlier than in the past.

Experts warn that the changes will lead to a breakdown in symbiotic relationships within ecosystems, such as plants' dependence on pollinators.

Protecting crop yields

"We have know for some time that wild plant populations are changing, and they are responding in different ways to changes to the climate," Dr Wigge observed.

"But what we have not understood is the underlying mechanism. So now we know some of the genes that are important in the (flowering) process, we can start to make predictions.

"We can look at ecosystems, and based on whether or not the plants use temperature-based signalling, we can start to make predictions about how ecosystems are likely to change in the future."

The findings can also help crop research, allowing scientists to consider possible ways to ensure yields are not adversely affected by projected climate change.

Dr Wigge said it has been estimated that for every 1C (1.8F) rise in mean global temperatures, crop yields would decline by about 10%.

"Many crops are already been grown near the top of their optimal temperature range," he said.

"Temperature basically has a very large and complex effect on yields. We think that the same process that works in Arabidopsis also works in wheat and barley."

This understanding could allow researchers to modify the plants' responses to temperature changes, either genetically or through breeding programmes.

"Identifying these genes gives you a very powerful tool to modify crops to make them more resilient to climate change," he suggested.

Major Turning Point in Efforts to Improve NYC's Animal Shelters

August 12, 2011

Dear New Yorker,

We've reached a major turning point in our efforts to revamp the City's animal shelter system.

This past month, the Administration, the City Council, Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals announced a major new plan that will fundamentally improve the way the City cares for abandoned and homeless animals.

A key part of this plan is the Administration and City Council's commitment to add nearly $10 million to the City's shelter system over the next three years, including $1 million this fiscal year.  This badly-needed boost in funding will help restore and expand critical services, bettering the lives of animals in the shelter system and increasing their chance of being placed in loving and supporting homes.

In light of our current fiscal situation, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) will no longer be obligated to build shelters in the Bronx and Queens as required as part of an earlier five borough shelter requirement.  Instead, the department will work with AC&C to improve services in the Bronx and Queens by expanding the hours of operations that dogs and cats can be accepted from 8 hours a day, 1 or 2 days a week, to 12 hours a day, 7 days a week; and by increasing van service to rescue stray, injured and abandoned animals.  The existing shelters in Staten Island, Manhattan and Brooklyn will also receive additional staffing to strengthen their operations.  

The City will also be required to issue a report providing key data on trends and the progress and quality of care at each full-service animal shelter and animal receiving center – data that will help us analyze and track the progress of these enhanced services.

The plan will be codified through legislation sponsored by Council Member Jessica Lappin, which will be introduced later this month.  As part of this legislation, free-roaming cats will be required to be neutered and DOHMH will issue rules regarding trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs to help control the City's feral cat population. 

Finally, the City Council and DOHMH will work together to increase dog licensing in all five boroughs.  This will make it easier for owners to find lost pets while raising additional revenue to help support the continued enhancement of the City's animal services. 

We want to thank the Mayor, Health Commissioner Dr. Farley, and the folks at AC&C, ASPCA, the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, and NYCLASS (New Yorkers for Clean, Livable & Safe Streets) for all of their hard work and input in developing this plan.  Special thanks as well to all of the advocates and activists who have continued to fight and advocate for these animals.  With this plan, we will be better able to provide abandoned and homeless animals in our city the quality care and support that they need and rightfully deserve.

The City Council will be holding a public hearing on the legislation this fall.  At that time, folks will have an opportunity to officially comment and weigh in on the new shelter plan.  We will be sure to notify you once the hearing has been set.  

In the meantime, you can read more about this plan by clicking on the links below:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/gimme_animal_shelter_R8Sprt6p0eXv5Rqn49VjLN 

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/07/27/nyc-animal-shelters-could-get-big-boost-in-funding-from-the-city/ 

Also, if you have any questions about the plan, please feel free to contact Joe Mancino in the Council's Human Services Division at (212) 341-0357 or jmancino@council.nyc.gov.  

We look forward to working with you to help better serve and save the lives of animals in New York City.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Christine C. Quinn

Speaker

NYC Council

Maria del Carmen Arroyo

Chair, Health Committee

NYC Council

Jessica S. Lappin

Council Member

NYC Council

Download the Seafood Watch application on your phone or computer and learn about sustainable seafood choices!

We have literally fished the ocean to unsustainable levels. Most of the seafood we buy in the supermarket is farmed in Asia or South America then shipped to the U.S. Few weeks ago I read the “all you can eat” article in my American Best Science Writings of 2010 book and it’s pretty scary; shrimps are farmed in large ponds frequently containing illegal amounts of antibiotics and sometimes other toxic chemicals. There is dumping of these pond wastes into the ocean and destruction of ecosystems to accommodate these large farms all to meet the high market demand. The same article also provides the example of how Red Lobster is able to offer you all you can eat shrimp for only a few dollars and it’s not pretty. Next time you find yourself in a restaurant where you can have seafood for a really cheap price, ask yourself where did this seafood come from? And, how was it raised?
 This may be a long post for you but I truly believe it is worth 10 minutes of your time to read about this very important topic. As a person who does not eat red meat or poultry, seafood constitutes a great portion of my diet but I never know where the seafood is coming from or whether my choices hurt the environment. In particular, I won’t be eating octopus as frequently anymore, and I will be more conscious of my sushi options. This post gives you a brief summary of some of the best choices when it comes to different types of commonly sold seafood. There is also an iPhone application you can use when you are shopping at the supermarket. It has easy to read tables and lists of Best, Avoid, and Sustainable options.

 The Seafood Watch program helps consumers and businesses make sustainable choices when it comes to buying seafood. It raises consumer awareness through pocket guides, website, mobile applications and outreach efforts.

 About Seafood Watch: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_aboutsfw.aspx?c=ln

 You can download the pocket guide for North East Guide here: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_NortheastGuide.pdf

North East Guide for Various Seafood Options:

 Octopus


 As a semi-frecuent octopus eater, I found the following information about best octopus choises:

Common Octopus

The common octopus is a popular sushi item where it is sold under the Japanese name tako. Due to heavy fishing pressure (current and past), habitat damage caused by the fishing gear, and a lack of fishery management, we recommend consumers "Avoid" octopus used in sushi.

Consumer Note

The octopus found in American sushi restaurants is generally the common octopus, Octopus vulgaris. However, it is rare for octopus to be listed by species on menus and, at times, other species are also marketed as common octopus. Another menu offering might be “baby octopus” which could either be a juvenile common octopus or an adult octopus of a smaller species. What is clear is that it can be very difficult to determine what octopus one is eating. Tako is available year-round and served in a variety of forms including: live, fresh, dried, frozen, cured, salted, and brined.


As its name implies, common octopus is found in numerous oceans. Worldwide, the species and its fisheries suffer from a lack of solid information and little or no fishery management.


Common octopus has a short life span and produces many offspring – characteristics that typically help make a species resilient to fishing pressure. However, there are very little population data for any of the octopus fisheries that contribute to the U.S. sushi market. This is especially true of the fisheries in Vietnam and Mauritania, which are known to be heavily fished.
Most common octopus is caught in bottom trawl fisheries, which have moderate levels of bycatch of non-target species. The overall impact of these fisheries on the ecosystem and habitat is not well understood, but bottom trawling is known to heavily disrupt sensitive seafloor habitats.
Little is known about the overall effectiveness of the developing fishery management programs in Morocco, and management in Mauritania and Vietnam is poor.


Overall, we recommend to "Avoid" common octopus/tako.

 Octopus, Hawaii

Octopuses are fast growing and produce numerous offspring. These traits, combined with a sustainable fishing method, make Hawaiian octopus a “Good Alternative.”

Summary

 In Hawaii, octopus is mostly caught by spearfishing or by lure-and-line, where a lure with many hidden hooks is used to snare octopuses when they pounce. There is little bycatch associated with this technique.
There is limited management of octopus fisheries in Hawaiian waters so it’s unclear if octopuses are being overfished. It’s also extremely difficult to determine the population status of octopuses, as they hide in crevices and are masters of camouflage.
Only a fraction of the octopuses sold in Hawaii are caught locally. Octopuses caught in other parts of the world are often caught in bottom trawls, where nets are dragged across the seafloor. Trawling is problematic, causing habitat damage and catching large quantities of bycatch.


Seafood Watch Scientific Report about their findings: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_TakoOctopusReport.pdf

Tuna:

 Tuna are the Olympians of the sea—fast, efficient swimmers able to reach speeds of 50 miles an hour and cross ocean basins. These magnificent animals are also tasty and bluefin tuna belly is prized by sushi eaters around the world for its rich flavor and texture. Sadly, our appetite for this delicacy has led to high prices, overfishing and the near collapse of bluefin populations worldwide.

What You Can Do:

Avoid ordering Bluefin tuna.

 Try albacore tuna (shiro maguro) instead; it tastes similar and is a best choice when troll caught in the US or Canada.

 Consumer Note

Common Market Names: Kuromaguro, Atun de aleta azul, Thon rouge, Horse mackerel.
Health Alert

Environmental Defense Fund has issued a health advisory for bluefin tuna due to elevated levels of mercury.

Summary

Avoid bluefin tuna—they're severely overfished and fishing gear used to catch them entangle sea turtles, seabirds and sharks and endanger their populations.


Bluefin tuna provide the world’s most valuable sushi and the high demand for this fish has taken its toll. The Atlantic population has declined by nearly 90% since the 1970s. Bluefin are slow to mature and, unfortunately, many young fishes are caught before they have the chance to reproduce.

Fishermen use a variety of methods to catch bluefin tuna, including longlines and purse seines. Even when they’re “dolphin-safe,” purse seines catch tons of unwanted fishes and other animals, called bycatch. Longlines entangle and kill sea turtles and other marine life.


Bluefin are caught in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea. More than 31 nations, including the U.S. and Japan, are trying to manage these highly migratory species.
Sushi Guide: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_sushi.aspx

and finally



Let your chef know that you prefer sustainable seafood.

 *I would like to thank Julie Lulek for sharing her Seafood Watch Pocket Guide-Hawaii and introducing me to this topic and organization. **

Some Interesting Statistics About Infestation in NYC

As we may suspect the amount of pest infestation in a home is correlated to the living conditions.  Nevertheless, even though the residents may be clean, the location of the home/building also plays a very important factor in the amount of infestation for reasons that you are able to imagine. The most desirable nighborhoods in NYC are also the most expensive and the least likely to have infestation issues. However, it seems that for residents of Washignton Heights, East Harlem (where there is a high number of Latino and or Black population) rodents and pests co-exists side by side aww. None of this is surpricing, good to keep in mind next time you are planning to move within the city. 



Source: Housing & Vacancy Survey 2002



Source: Community Health Survey 2003

Help Decrease Subway Litter and Make Your Life Easier in the Process, Join MTA’s EasyPay

You may have seen the ad in the subway for EasyPay and it think it’s a good idea. We all have seen the used MetroCards on the floor and it’s really a waste. The MTA is looking forward charging $1.00 for each new metrocard passengers buy in part to mitigate this problem but also to make an extra buck out of poor NY kers. I have been in a rush going to work to find out my MetroCard has no funds and I have to make the line to buy a new one, and see my train pass by. Has that happened to you? Here is how to avoid it:

About EasyPay

EasyPay is for both full-fare and reduced-fare customers who want to enjoy the benefits of MetroCard that never runs out of rides.

The EasyPay MetroCard is linked to your credit or debit card, and refills automatically as you use it.

Create an account today, and in about three weeks, you'll receive your new EasyPay MetroCard in the mail. Use it right away and enjoy the benefits.

With EasyPay there's no more waiting in line to buy or refill a MetroCard.

All EasyPay customers have the convenience of using our automated telephone service or easypaymetrocard.com to track their account 24/7. Our Account Service Center specialists are also available to assist you six days a week, except holidays, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1-877-323-RIDE (7433).

Like any other MetroCard, your EasyPay MetroCard has an expiration date. You'll find the date on the back of your card. About one (1) week prior to the expiration date you will receive a replacement card from us.

Become a Full-Fare EasyPayXpress customer

Here’s all you need to do:

1. Apply online now with a credit or debit card

2. Select either the ‘Pay-Per Ride’ or ‘Unlimited Ride’ option

Note: If you choose the 30-Day Unlimited Ride option, we require that you provide two credit and/or debit card accounts.

3. Get your new card in the mail and use it right away.



How to decide which payment option is right for you:

If you choose: 30-Day Unlimited Ride

• You can ride any subway or local bus, but not express buses

• Open your account with $104, the same as if you bought it at a booth, vending machine or merchant

• Like any other 30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard, the card is activated when you first use it

• Near the end of 30 consecutive days from first use, your credit or debit card will be charged $104, and your first use after that will start a new 30-Day time period. Before this happens though, you will be sent an e-mail to notify you and give you the option to change to Pay-Per-Ride.

• We automatically replace your expiring MetroCard one week prior to the expiration of your old MetroCard

If you choose: Pay-Per-Ride

• You can ride any subway, local or express bus

• Open your account with $30

• Earn a 7% bonus for every $10 added, so your account starts with $32.10

• Your account replenishes automatically with $30 when your balance falls below $20.

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• You can ride any subway, local or express bus

• Open your account with $10 with the Pay-Per-Ride option

• Earn a 7% bonus for every $10 added, so your account starts with $10.70

• Your account replenishes automatically when your balance falls below $10

• Your replenishment amount may be increased to cover the number of rides you take during your billing cycle; you will receive a notice informing you of the new replenishment amount

• You never pay more than $52 in a billing cycle ($52 is half of the $104 cost of a 30-Day Unlimited Ride card). Your account automatically converts to unlimited rides whenever the required number of subway and/or local bus rides has been fulfilled. Express bus fares are added to the total of your monthly rides, but do not count towards the unlimited ride conversion per month

• There are no charges if you are not using your EasyPay MetroCard.