Results matching “dog” from Green Spirited

I heart this little reminder from Animal Planet and I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that the little pup in this flick is the spitting image of my very own MagPie. Is it the British accent that makes this message so darn irresistibly charming?

I just heard about the coolest thing! Flea control nematodes! What's that you ask? Well the easy answer is nematodes are a kind of worm, and flea control nematodes are teeny worms that eat fleas in the larva and pupa stages. I know it seems kind of nasty. But, the reason I'm giving you this bio lesson is it's a great eco-friendly way to rid your yard of fleas. No chemicals, so it's safe for pets, plants and people.

You can get these critters via an online company called Gardens Alive. I just ordered some so I'll let you know how they work. I'm not in the middle of an infestation or anything like that but I do share my house with 2 dogs and 2 cats so a stray flea or two comes as no surprise to me, particularly in the summertime.

The nematodes are diluted and applied to your lawn with a hand held sprayer, hose sprayer or even water can. Five million of the little suckers cost $19.95.

More to come.

We've covered animal output fairly extensively around here, what with the dog dropping bags, kangaroo exhaust, cow vapor and all...but not without good reason. The methane output from cows is blamed for a significant portion of global warming, methane being the powerful greenhouse gas that it is.  Talk about the price of gas!  And the question is, not to be indelicate, but how does one stop cow flatulence?

No worries, a bunch of faithful scientists are on the job. The lab coats in New Zealand are trying to pin down the gene that is responsible for excessive methane stirring in the guts o' bovines to create a vaccine. Japanese brain trusts discovered that feeding cows cashew nuts cuts down the cow emissions. (Can you imagine attending the next family Christmas party and answering that inevitable question "So, Scientist Friend, what are you working on?" "Cow farts" you would answer.)

To read even more about what's being done to stem the methane tide in livestock, check THIS and THIS out.

I know we've covered this topic before, but I think it bears repeating: No more plastic bags, even  if you save them just to pick up after your doggy friend! I've found a little something to replace those skanky plastic bags that don't biodegrade no matter how many times you use them. (It's easy to fool one's self that just because you're using a plastic bag twice means you're on the road to re-freezing the polar ice caps.)

From Simply Out, I bring you their Waste Pick-Up bags. Totally biodegradable, sturdy and available at your neighborhood Target. No mail order required. I just  picked me up a gaggle o' bags during today's weekly pilgrimage to The Target.

It's still not as dignified as teaching the pooch to use the toilet, but what else ya gonna do?

I have a couple dogs and I have been known to take them on long walks from time to time. Any pet owner knows when you take a dog for a walk no matter if it's long or short it always means one thing. Doggy poo. This is one of the handful of excuses, yes I said excuses that people use to continue getting the eco-disastrous one-time use plastic bags. Well I guess in this case it would be two-time use.

When I broke the plastic bags habit I had to find a collection device for the souvenirs that my pooches leave on the neighborhood grass. I did some research and found PoopBags.com and they work great. They biodegrade within 60 to 90 days. Which is much faster than plastic grocery bags which are not biodegradable, they photo-degrade which means they break down into little toxic pieces. That can contaminate soil, water and harm wildlife

So today I'm cruising the interweb looking for cool eco-stuff and I come across something new. Doggy waste bags called Flushadoo, cute name. The premise is bags that can be flushed down the toilet. Hm? The website claims that they are strong, safe to flush, non-toxic and biodegradable. Sounds good. I made an effort to contact a company rep to find out what they are made from, but as of now I have not been contacted. So do ya feel lucky? They seem to be worth at least a second look; maybe I'll buy a sample pack.

Standing in line at the post office today, I let my eyes wander over the plethora of mailing product displays...you know, the priority mail envelopes, the express mail packs, mailing labels, stamp collections...wait, what's that? Whatever it is, it says "recycle." I must investigate.

It turns out that US Postal Service has launched a brand new program to recycle customers' small electronics for free. Green and free? Tell me more.

All you have to do is pick up a free, postage paid envelope in the lobby of any post office, pop in your old cell phone, PDA, MP3 player, inkjet cartridge or any old small electronic that has outlived its usefulness, close up the envelope and stuff in the nearest mailbox.  No excuse, now!

According to a statement from the USPS: "Postage is paid for by Clover Technologies Group, a nationally recognized company that recycles, remanufactures and remarkets inkjet cartridges, laser cartridges and small electronics. If the electronic item or cartridges cannot be refurbished and resold, its component parts are reused to refurbish other items, or the parts are broken down further and the materials are recycled. Clover Technologies Group has a 'zero waste to landfill' policy: it does everything it can to avoid contributing any materials to the nation's landfills."

And not to toot their own horn, but they also mention "The Postal Service recycles 1 million tons of paper, plastic and other materials annually...The nation's environmental watchdog, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the Postal Service eight WasteWise Partner of the Year awards, the agency's top honor."

So even though, Rox and I were just griping about the lack of recycling bins near the post office boxes, it seems as if the Post Office is good green wackiness for all. For more information, check out the USPS press release.

I've been investigating eco-friendly products and solutions for my silly old pug dog…who is not just any stinky, rotund, spoiled canine, but The Pie. See I’m a SINK (single income, no kids) so this dog, her name is Pie, is my BFF. And thank goodness, there’s a rapidly growing green pet economy for me and Squatty The Love Muffin over there.

For example, did you know that the material typically used for pooch chew toys is loaded with chemicals, carcinogens and toxins and is not even a little bit recyclable? Yeah, scared the daylights outta' me, too. So when searching for something to satisfy that chomp, something that doesn’t include your lovely new sandals, go for something made with natural rubber, Zogoflex or hemp.

Of course there’s my favorite thing in the world, the Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Recycle Bone made from recycled of rubber. It’s also made in the U.S.A., non-toxic, recyclable and rinses clean. And if that’s not enough, 2% of the proceeds from every Planet Dog purchase go to the Planet Dog Foundation. The mission of the Planet Dog Foundation is to promote and celebrate programs in which dogs serve and support their best friends.

Even your dog’s stuffed and fluffy friend – you know, the one she carries around all the time – should be full super green materials. There are all kind off snugglies stuffed with organic cotton and covered in earth-friendly fabrics. There are even these seriously fantastic plush toys covered in this stuff called IntelliTex Fabric, which is made from 85% Post Consumer Recycled Bottles.

If you’re that scary person, I don’t judge, who insists on slapping a sweater  on your long-suffering pup, consider natural fabrics only: wool, cotton…yes, even cashmere. For one stop shopping, you gotta check out Olive and their wonderful green goods, including adorable fashions, for your beast. 

Can't commit to a doggy sweater wardrobe? How about simple, cute new hemp collar and matching leash. Cuz they all have to have a collar, and hemp is the wave of the future.

Of course, for low-pro, low-tech fun nothing beats a knotted-up old sock for good times. AND it’s recycling at it’s most fun for everyone! Just ask Pie's brother Gizmo. He loves him some old sock.

In the era of Paris Hilton, giant SUVs and disposable everything. It's hard to imagine a great number of us are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet.

For the past few decades we have been using and abusing everything from ourselves to the planet to our bank accounts in a gluttonous frenzy. Now we are just about used up and looking for a change. Well at least I am.

Our economy demands that we make consumption a way of life. So we buy more shoes when we own twenty pair, we buy a new sofa when the one we own is perfectly fine. We just want more. Or maybe it's because they are having a really great sale at our favorite store. We dutifully go to the mall, credit card in hand and shop til we drop. To make ourselves feel a little better maybe will buy an earth friendly hemp shirt, to put in our reusable shopping bag.

The real green lifestyle is living with less. Doing less. Buying less. When people tell you that you don't have to change your lifestyle to go green it's not true, you do. It's up to you just how much.

I know it goes against everything we have been doing for years. But try if you will, to go an entire week without seeing something new and shiny and uttering these words, I want one of those. I think people should start thinking in terms of need more. You don't have to totally deprive yourself and never buy anything at all. I personally love going shopping. May I simply suggest that you can start thinking more in terms of family and friends and other things in your life that you love and can't live without.

The culture of waste has been ingrained into us over many years. We throw away old sweaters and shirts when they get a small hole instead of repairing them. I actually knew someone that would throw away a shirt rather than replace a lost button. Don't even get me started on the cell phones and MP3 players that absolutely have to be replace every year because the new iPhone came out.

What works for the environment works for your wallet. Don't replace things unless you have to. And when you do replace your things give your old stuff away. Donate them to a homeless shelter or the goodwill. Or if it's broken recycle it properly. Electronics such as cell phones and TV's need to be taken to a hazardous waste recycling center.

Instead of going to a fancy restaurant, make an intimate dinner at home with locally grown fresh ingredients. Instead of going out and partying away a big chuck of change have some friends over and play games or just chat. Instead of going to see that movie that you really don't want to see anyway, rent a classic and pop your own corn.

Take your kids or dogs to the park. Go for a hike. Go for a bike ride. Have a picnic. Reconnect with someone you love. It's not all about the stuff you own or keeping up with the Joneses. It's about living well and leaving a beautiful planet for the ones we love.

My peeps know I love my Crocs. Yes, those wacky rubber shoes all the kids are wearing - although I don’t do the clog style, I rock the ballerina flats. They’re just so darn comfortable…and I can put them in the dishwasher.

I also love my rubber shoes because the folks at Crocs have started this fab new program called SolesUnited by which they donate a recylced pair of Crocs to impoverished people all over the world. Your old shoes are sorted, cleaned, ground up and manufactured into new Crocs! To do your part, simply drop off your worn out pair o’ Crocs at any collection center and they will recycle them into a brand spankin’ new pair for someone else. Just think how useful something like a rubber show would be in harsh third world climates. To answer all kinds of questions percolating in your brain, go HERE.

For participating drop-off retail locations, go HERE. Or if it’s easier, just mail ‘em in:

crocs recycling - west            crocs recycling - east
3375 enterprise ave.              1500 commodity blvd.    
bloomington, CA 92316          lockbourne, OH 43137

Crocs has also revamped their classic “beach” clog and “made it out of 20% recycled material from the donated Crocs shoes, providing consumers a built-in way to give back. For each pair of SolesUnited shoes purchased, Crocs will donate a pair through the SolesUnited program.” It’s like a “Buy one, Give one” sale!

Well, I’m off to walk the dog and wear down my Crocs some more so I can donate ‘em…

xoxo, Stace