Be aware that these products are only considered environmentally friendly because they conform to a standard set by officials.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that any of these pest control options are completely non-toxic or that they don’t do some harm to the environment, but they do fall within regulation boundaries and they do provide a better alternative to many of the extremely harsh chemical solutions that have been traditionally used to kill pests.

Additionally, some products that are touted as safe and reliable are neither of these things. Here is an at-a-glance guide to some methods of environmental pest control that have been proven to work and contain low levels of toxicity, or are completely safe:

Glue traps. These are fairly self-descriptive. Glue traps use various mechanisms to lure the animal or insect; one common technique is to douse the trap in pheromones that attract the pest. The animal then becomes stuck to the glue and either dies or is held there for further disposal.

IGRs. IGR stands for “Insect Growth Regulator” and these unique devices don’t kill, maim, or trap the targeted pest. Instead, they impair the pest’s capacity for molting, maturation, and reproduction, thereby providing a longer-term and more “big-picture” type of pest control.

Naturally-derived sprays. You don’t have to look any farther than the woods to find certain plant-derived substances that perform just as well as big-name chemicals, but with a lot less toxicity. In some cases they have been modified, but in all cases they are much safer than conventional pesticides. Cedar oil sprays, castor oil derivatives, the pyrethrin extracts of certain flowers, and natural alcohols all fall into this category.

Pheromone traps. A typical pheromone trap will always have a sexual excretion that draws the pests to it, and then a liquid or glue that either captures or kills them.

Ultraviolet light. Surprisingly enough, many types of flying pests are attracted to ultraviolet light traps which then “zap” or stick them. Many of them include pheromones. Zappers are not allowed in areas where food is prepared, so most professional kitchens and restaurants use ultraviolet traps with sticky parts on them instead of electricity.

Bait. Luring insects with bait usually doesn’t damage the environment at all, making it one of the ultimate environmental pest controls. Researchers have discovered how to modify bait so that it is only toxic to the target pest and won’t affect pets or other animals that ingest it.

Live trapping. Many people prefer this method when dealing with animals that they would simply like to relocate. There are many varieties of these traps, most of which leave the animal relatively unharmed.

They can be especially useful when dealing with animals like raccoon that could be rummaging through your garbage cans. Of course, you’ll need to investigate local restrictions and regulations before releasing captured animals into an alternate environment.

Sonic repellant. Sonic and ultrasonic frequencies can be emitted from a device to repel big animals like deer, which are more difficult to trap in the conventional way.

All of these methods are good choices for environmental pest control, and they solve a dilemma faced by many responsible home owners: environmental psychology dictates that a human being is entitled to a clean and restful environment, but the planet can’t handle more pollution. Environmental pest control addresses both these issues.