When looking for an eco-friendly alternative to something as poisonous and environmentally harmful as termite extermination, the best defense is, as the saying goes, a good offense. An easy way to prevent termites from having access into your home is to not allow the wood parts of your home to touch any exterior wood or logs. It is best to not even let the wood of your home touch soil. If the wood of your home comes into contact with other wood surfaces or soil, termites living in these areas can easily move into the wood of your home. You can use metal shields or sand barriers between your home and any outside termite sources to prevent this.

However, if your home does become infected with termites there are a few options for extermination that are safer than traditional fumigation methods. One of these methods is to use boric acid bait blocks. These bait blocks still use toxic chemicals, but less of them, and in a more controlled area than traditional spraying. Another option is to use nematodes--microscopic worms that will kill the termites. However, if you don't feel like solving one insect problem by injecting your wood with another, you can use the new thermal method.

Thermal extermination involves pumping hot air into a sealed-off space, whether the whole house or a portion of it, until it reaches a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The air temperature is held at that level for a couple of hours--the termites are not able to withstand such a high temperature for a prolonged period of time. According to the California Department of Consumer Affairs the only process for termite extermination other than fumigation that is effective for total eradication is thermal, making it a great, non-toxic alternative to traditional methods.

Another great option, although available less widely, is the use of orange oil, which is injected directly into the wood. Orange oil is a natural oil derived from orange peels that has the active ingredient d-limonene. The highly acidic pH level in orange oil is fatal to termites, while it has little consequence to humans. Orange oil is injected into the affected wood and its surrounding areas at a low pressure; it then seeps through the porous cells of the wood. Orange oil kills all termites and their eggs that it comes in contact with, and will also kill any termites that eat wood that has been injected with orange oil. Additionally, orange oil extermination comes with a two-year warranty like other conventional pesticide extermination processes.