Welcome to the Year of the Rat

The work we do at AirMD – ranging from asbestos inspections in West Palm Beach and mold remediation in Jacksonville to VOC and formaldehyde testing in Houston – is firmly grounded in science. But that doesn’t mean we don’t keep an open mind about life and its many possibilities. And it certainly doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate the Chinese New Year when it arrives on Saturday, January 25!

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2020 is going to be the Year of the Rat. (They have 12 zodiac signs, too, but each one gets a whole year every time it pops up in the cycle.)

The Year of the Rat

Normally, we wouldn’t refer to one of our colleagues as a rat, but it turns out that one of our most experienced water quality testing technicians is quite proud of the fact that he was born in the Year of the Rat. (Previous Rat years include 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 and 2008.)

Turns out, there’s a lot to be said for being a Rat. “In Chinese culture, rats were seen as a sign of wealth and surplus,” ChineseNewYear.net says.

According to ChineseNewYear.net, “The Rat is the first of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. The Rat tricked the Ox into giving him a ride. Then, just as they arrived at the finish line, Rat jumped down and landed ahead of Ox, becoming first.” (There is a definite consensus around our company’s water testing facilities that we’re going to have to keep a closer eye on our own Rat colleague.)

The Rat is also said to represent the beginning of a new day, which seems appropriate since we are embarking on a whole new decade this year. All of us here at AirMD, the Boca Raton-based environmental testing company, hope it will be a happy and healthy one for you.