Most of us remember a time when, as children, it was possible to simply run out the door into a forest or a field and never think about the danger of a tick bite.

Disease-bearing ticks are continuing to expand their range north at the rate of about 7 - 10 miles per year in North America and now the verdant Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec and even Nova Scotia are befallen with the zombie bloodsuckers.

When hiking or even cutting the grass, I wear protective gear infused with permethrin. The clothes can withstand 70 washings before loosing their deadly effect on thirsty arachnids. If you are planning to be outside in the greenery this summer (and who isn't?), please take a look at insectshield.com for more information. You'll get 15% off your first purchase of clothing and gear and you'll feel and be MUCH more secure.

Speaking of the effects of a heating planet on its inhabitants, a few worthy initiatives have sprung up hereabouts to help locals save energy, money, and the biosphere all at once. Back in January a steady cold draft kept flowing through my entire house.

I came across an online advertisement for a company called SEALED (sealed.com). I have since hired the company to re-insulate my home to keep it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. SEALED gets paid if and only if it can reduce your energy bills; the average 20% saving attained by the new insulation goes toward paying off the renovations.

For an energy consumer, little changes; you continue to pay the average per-month cost of heating/cooling your home based on your historical energy use. Meantime the project finances itself based on reduced energy consumption. It's a financially painless way to start living more comfortably in your home, year-round.

On a related front, a few years ago “Sustainable Bethel,” a citizen advisory board appointed by the Town of Bethel, recommended that the Town ‘go solar.' Bethel has now launched a Community Solar Campaign in partnership with Source Power and BQ Energy to bring 400 Bethel subscribers access to 100% renewable solar energy.

A 10% credit is given against your NYSEG bill. The power will be generated on a soon-to-be-built solar array atop the capped landfill at 608 Old White Lake Turnpike. The same advisory committee was pivotal in the Town's previous decision to install 176 new LED streetlights this summer around Kauneonga Lake and Smallwood and White Lake Homes.

If interested in the solar energy, sign up at bethel.sourcepowerco.com or ask questions or subscribe by phone at (888) 887-5711. Have your current utility account number handy and you'll soon be helping minimize global warming and slowing the march of new tick species northward!

IMPORTANT REMINDER! Smallwood Civic Association's May General Meeting: Saturday, May 29th at the SWCA Lodge, 302 Pinegrove Road, starts 11:00 a.m. Rain Date is May 30th and if it rains both days, a Zoom meeting will be held. Further info at the SWCA website at www.smallwoodcivicassociation.org.