"tips & tricks to help you live a healthy lifestyle without putting a big impact on the earth"

17 September 2011

What "people" food you can feed to your pets.

Like buying candy for kids, we often think snacks that have been specially packaged for pets are the best treats in the world. Why would they want anything other than a tasty treat? But a lot of those packaged pet snacks and treats are the equivalent of candy. They are not a big deal, as long as you don’t do too much of it, since they are mostly devoid of nutritional value.

And just as we encourage kids to eat their veggies rather than another candy, we can also encourage a love for veggies in our pets. These low calorie, low fat, vitamin and mineral-packed “treats” are a great alternative to the packaged dog biscuits and kitty chews.

Which Vegetables Are Best and Which Vegetable Are Not Safe for Pets?

There are some plant foods that are toxic to pets, so you will want to be familiar with what to avoid and even prevent access to. If you are unsure, check with your veterinarian to make sure that your planned treats are not going to be harmful to your pet. Also keep in mind that while dogs are omnivorous and thus more open to trying different kinds of foods. Cats, on the other hand, are carnivorous. They are not just picky about what they eat — they are constitutionally incapable of digesting some types of foods.

Good Foods

  • Apples – without seeds or core (apple seeds contain chemical compounds that are poisonous to animals)
  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Watermelon – without seeds
  • Frozen bananas
  • Green beans
  • Carrots – raw or cooked
  • Sweet potato – cooked, cubed or mashed without butter or seasoning; regular potatoes are also good, but in limited amounts since they are high in sugar and can increase weight
  • Squash, zucchini
  • Lettuce
  • Spinach
  • Popcorn – unsalted and unbuttered
  • Catnip or cat grass

Bad Foods

  • Grapes and raisins – contain chemical compounds that are toxic to dogs
  • Garlic and onions – both have chemical properties that can be toxic and even life threatening to dogs and cats
  • Tomatoes
  • Avocado
  • Mushrooms – particularly wild mushrooms
  • Fruits with pits, such as peaches, cherries, and plums – in some cases the pit can be toxic or can simply present a choking hazard
  • Nuts – particularly macadamia nuts, which are toxic to pets

What is the Best Way To Feed These Types of Treats?

The foods should be baked or steamed, cut up into smallish pieces, and only given in small amounts at a time. This will prevent both choking and an overload of carbohydrate- and calorie-rich foods. You can give the vegetables and fruits by themselves, or you might mash or puree them and mix them up with the prepared food and given at meal times.

Replacing your pet’s dense, high fat packaged treats with healthy treats like fruits and vegetables will be one of the most beneficial things you do for your pet. Over the long term, your pet’s health and immune system will be stronger, aging will not be as severe, its weight will stay steadier, and if weight is already an issue, you may even see your pet’s weight become more manageable — if you stick to it and include moderate exercise.

With any change in diet, it is important to observe your pet for issues that can arise in response to the change. If your pet begins to show digestive or behavioral changes, stop feeding the new foodstuff and consult with a veterinarian if the problem does not go away in the absence of the added food.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/best-and-worst-people-food-for-dogs-and-cats.html#ixzz1YCN7PJvO

21 December 2010

green decorating :)

For many of us, December brings the holidays, and whether it’s Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or Christmas that’s celebrated, family and tradition are always in the forefront.

To celebrate, we can add some festive touches from our own natural landscape and bring the sense of calm and serenity we usually feel in our gardens inside our homes during this often-hectic time.

Here are some quick and easy ideas using collected branches, seeds, plants, leaves, fruit, and other natural items to extend the garden’s bounty into the winter holiday season.

Related: Real vs Fake Christmas Trees

  • One of the simplest things to do is to decorate the house with fresh greenery from your garden. Greenery gathered from your own garden will be much fresher than any that you can buy. Just remember when gathering live greenery from your shrubs and trees you are actually pruning the plants so carefully consider which branches to cut and which ones to leave.
  • You can use the greenery to create garlands, wreaths, swags, and to add to centerpieces and flower arrangements.
  • Door ornaments are quick and easy to make from evergreen branches. Wrap a sturdy wire around the ends of branches of several types of evergreens for contrasting color and texture. Then add a large bow to cover the attachment point. You can also substitute rope or raffia for the ribbon for a more natural look.
  • Use winter berries from your shrubs such as holly, pyracantha, and toyon to add to your garlands and wreaths.
  • To add unique color to your decorations, attach shiny, red, and gold apples to your wreaths and garlands. Cranberries, citrus, and pomegranates also look great in holiday decorations.
  • Gather dried pods, pine cones, dried wildflowers, and twigs and display them in a basket. They can be used as they are, sprayed with gold or silver paint, or sprayed with potpourri oil. You can also put a dab of glue on each point of the pine cone and sprinkle them with glitter.

Related: 4 Natural DIY Holiday Decorations

  • All different sizes of candles, from votives to pillars, can be scattered with metallic painted pinecones and branches of leaves to make a decoration for the mantle.
  • For a simple Hanukkah centerpiece, you can light nine assorted candles (to represent the nine candles on the Menorah). Scatter colorful clementine or other tangerines from your garden, dreidels, and chocolate gelt with the candles. That way, between dinner courses, your family and friends can snack on a tangerine or chocolate and the children can play with the dreidels.
  • Add some sparkle to your decorations by including glitter or small mirrors.
  • Use fruit for decorating your holiday table. Pears and small apples are great for spray painting with metallic colors or in your favorite holiday color.
  • Oranges, lemons, or apples sprinkled with cinnamon or cardamom and stuck with whole cloves make fragrant pomander balls and are a great rainy day project for the whole family.


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/holiday-decorating-from-the-garden.html#ixzz18oDey7Is

13 November 2010

Biscuit the puppy

4 OF MY FRIENDS WHERE TAKEN DOWN TO A ROOM YESTERDAY AND THEN I COULD HEAR THEM SCREAMING AND CRYING FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND THEN THEY STOPPED AND NOW I CAN'T HEAR THEM AT ALL ANYMORE. I KNOW THAT I AM REALLY SCARED AND DON'T WANT WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THEM TO HAPPEN TO ME. I SAW THE PEOPLE WHO LOOK AFTER ME HERE AT THE POUND LOOK AT ME WITH SAD EYES AND SAID THAT I WOULD BE NEXT IF NO ONE COMES TO TAKE ME HOME WITH THEM! SO CAN'T SOMEONE OUT THERE PLEASE COME AND TAKE ME HOME SO I WON'T HAVE TO BE SCARED ANYMORE? I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN TO THAT BAD ROOM!!! I'M ONLY A PUPPY AND I WANT TO RUN AND PLAY AND GIVE KISSES TO SOMEONE. PLEASE???




BISCUIT

Yellow Labrador Retriever Mix, Large Baby Male
I am a gorgeous 5 month old... pup in kennel 8. I may have a little Husky in my mix? ***Must be 18 years of age or older to adopt***

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17818558

PLEASE CONTACT MARTY IF YOU CAN SPONSOR ME--EVEN $5 COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE--IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH!
PLEASE HELP ME!!

See PayPal address below!

Contact:
Marty Conklin
Trumbull County Dog Pound
Warren, OH 44484
330-299-0434 home
330-647-3892 cell
marty.conklin@gmail.com
PAYPAL ADDRESS: dlconklin70@gmail.com
Vezi mai mult

10 November 2010

PROSECUTE DINOS KOUKOS FOR PREPARING TO BURN A POOR KITTEN'S EYES


SIGN THE PETITION: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/prosecute-dinos-koukos-for-preparing-to-burn-a-poor-kittens-eyes/

THE PICTURE SHOWS A GREEK GUY PREPARING TO BURN THE POOR KITTEN'S EYES!

THIS CANNOT BE TOLERATED IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM!


Show their government that we need them to enforce stronger animal protection laws.
PLEASE make constructive comments. You want their government to hear you, so please be tasteful. They will come to this petition and read your comments. Since This petition is on public viewing...All they have to do is view it.
In addition, send, copy and paste to let them see the full note in copy of the e-mail.


Greek crime line:ccu@ath.forthnet.gr
Also the chief of police:pressoffice@astynomia.gr
Trikala municipality who have or had a notoriously cruel mayor webpress@trikalacity.gr; dim_trik@otenet.gr; info@trikala.gr
Trikala municipality mayor webpress@trikalacity.gr; dim_trik@otenet.gr; info@trikala.gr


***SHARE THIS PETITION!***
This is one great shot of the monster, Let's get his picture out there! SHARE THIS PETITION, SHOW THE WORLD HE NEEDS TO BE CAUGHT!

I AM ASKING YOU TO SEND E-MAILS TO SHOW YOUR DISGUST AND ASKING FOR JUSTICE TO:


Greek crime line:
ccu@ath.forthnet.gr Also the chief of police:pressoffice@astynomia.gr

Trikala municipality who have or had a notoriously cruel mayor webpress@trikalacity.gr; dim_trik@otenet.gr; info@trikala.gr

His name is Dinos Koukos, he lives in Trikala and either he is or was ...a student in at the 3rd highschool of Trikala. Send a protest email to his school mail@3lyk-trikal.tri.sch.gr his school group on facebook is

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24556280319

Send a message to
3rd High School of Trikala
mail@3lyk-trikal.tri.sch.gr,2431022571,2431030435

This is the link to report to Interpol:
http://www.interpol.int/public/organisedcrime/default.asp

Kirsty Bob is good at dealing with monsters like this through interpol, message her too.

PLEASE SAVE AND ATTACH THE PHOTOS AS EVIDENCE

09 November 2010

8 Ways to Reuse Old T-Shirts

BY BECKY STRIEPE

We all have them in our dressers: a couple of t-shirts that are past their prime, but we just can’t get rid of them. Whether it’s from an awesome concert or a really special family reunion, you can give an old t-shirt a new life with some crafty skills!

1. Laptop Cozy

The folks at Make share a quickie tutorial for turning a t-shirt into a laptop case by simply folding the shirt in half with the wrong sides in, stitching up the sides, then flipping it back.

2. Pillow

Cut a straight line from shoulder to shoulder and from sleeves to the bottom hem. Trim as much off of the bottom of the shirt as you like, then stitch it up inside out, leaving a bit of room to flip and stuff. Once you’ve flipped and stuffed your pillow, close the seam with a whip stitch or a sneaky ladder stitch and you're ready to go!

3. Quilt

Is that collection of shirts a little bit out of hand? You can turn a bunch of old t-shirts into a super-comfy memory quilt! Just cut your shirts into squares, piece them together, and sew it up! If you’re new to quilting, About has some great, quick tips for quilters to help you out.

4. Skirt

Ready for the quickest refashion yet? Cute Circuit shows you how to turn an old shirt into a skirt in 30 seconds flat!

5. Necklace

Dollar Store Crafts shows you how to make a simple, elegant t-shirt necklace. I like how she added decorative beads to spice things up.

6. Grocery Bag

A grocery bag is another super-quick t-shirt craft. The ever-fabulous Martha Stewart walks you through how to turn an old shirt into a reusable grocery bag.

7. Applique

Is a little spot, tear, or stain keeping your favorite shirt from being wearable? That’s easy as pie to fix up! Just cover that pesky spot with your very own applique. You can use something store bought, or cut shapes you like out of fabric or felt and stitch it right on. If you’re using a machine to stitch, you’ll want to put interfacing inside the shirt behind where you’ll be stitching, or the fabric could pucker around the stitches.

8. Undies

Over at SuperNaturale, Logan shows you how to transform an old tee into a comfy pair of undies.



Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-ways-to-reuse-old-t-shirts.html/8#ixzz14rIKmZD7

07 November 2010

5 greenest pets! By samantha

You can use eco-friendly initiatives to go green in nearly every aspect of your life, including the house you live in, the cars you drive and the food you eat — but what about the pets you love? From teaching responsibility to providing unconditional companionship, furry friends can certainly change your life for the better, but can they also change the environment for the worse?

Just like people, animals multiply, require food and shelter, produce waste, and use a variety of accessories such as toys and bedding that require a manufacturing process — all of which contribute to shaping and defining their carbon paw print. But just as we have the ability to make more sustainable choices within our own activities and lifestyles, there are more eco-friendly approaches when it comes to pet ownership as well. Check out the top five options for getting a green pet.

Adopted Pets

One way a potential pet owner can take the eco-friendly route is by opting for a “recycled” pet of sorts through shelter adoption. These organizations have plenty of pets of various ages and breeds to choose from. In fact, up to 8 million dogs and cats — including many purebreds — enter animal shelters every year, according to the Human Society of the United States (HSUS). However, many potential owners still decide to buy their pets from pet stores or directly from breeders, which only adds to the problem of pet overpopulation by creating a demand for additional pets that need homes. As a result, animal shelters put down nearly 4 million animals a year, because the number of potential pets far outweighs the number of actual adoptions. Pet overpopulation can create serious issues for the environment, including increased waste production, as well as the need for additional farming space to provide enough food to feed those extra mouths. Adopting a shelter pet and having it spayed or neutered may, in a small way, help with combating this problem.

Why You Should Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet

Indoor Cats

If you’re a proud cat owner, making the decision to keep your kitty indoors can do a lot to help keep the environment in balance. First, wildlife such as birds, squirrels and butterflies will thank you for saving their lives. Outdoor cats love to hunt, not out of a necessity for food but because they’re instinctually compelled to do so. According to the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife, these pets’ annual kill counts are in the hundreds of millions — one recent study estimates that domestic rural cats kill 39 million birds in Wisconsin alone. This can cause profound damage to the ecosystem, including the extinction of certain bird species, which has led to the development of programs such as Cats Indoors!, a program created by the American Bird Conservancy and promoted by the Audubon Society. Cat feces are also an environmental foe, because they contain parasites, such as toxoplasma gondii, that can wreak havoc on local water sources and the health of other outdoor creatures. Keep it green by keeping kitty inside.

Bringing an Outdoor Cat Inside

Double Duty Pets

Getting a pet that provides an additional benefit beyond companionship and love can also be a green choice. For example, one of the latest trends in eco-friendly pet ownership — even in urban areas — is keeping and raising chickens, which lay eggs that owners can keep for personal use. Some may find these birds less cuddly and pet-like than cats or dogs, but many who’ve raised them say that chickens can be trained to come when called and sometimes enjoy petting and lap-holding. Of course, anyone considering chicken ownership should make sure they’re able to provide proper living conditions for the animals, which includes allowing them the ability to move around and spread their wings, along with providing accommodations for adequate food, water and shelter. Also, many cities have regulations about how — or even if — you can keep chickens at your house, so it’s a good idea to find out what the rules are in your area before bringing home any hens. If chicks are out of the question, you still have dual-purpose pet options: Some other animals, such as rabbits, also can prove to be more than just a cuddly sidekick, since their droppings can be used in compost piles.

Build a Backyard Chicken Coop

Small Dogs

For dog lovers — especially those that live in tight quarters — opting for a smaller breed will not only help your personal space feel, well, more spacious, it will keep things in check from an environmental perspective as well. In their 2009 book “Time to Eat the Dog: The real guide to sustainable living,” Dr. Robert and professor Brenda Vale maintained that even a medium-size dog eats up to 360 pounds of food per year and has an environmental impact greater than that of an SUV driven 10,000 kilometers (6,213 miles) a year. In general, smaller dogs, such as Yorkshire terriers or chihuahuas, eat less than, say, Labrador retrievers, St. Bernards or German shepherds. This means less food that needs to be produced and packaged, and less waste that’s created as a result. Of course, this is not to say you should totally rule out medium or large breeds, but if your living space is already small, sticking with a small pet might be the greenest way to go.

Where Did Small Dogs Come From?

Low-Maintenance Pets

When people play around with the idea of a getting a pet, dogs and cats are often the first types of animals that come to mind. But there are other choices out there, and some of them are much more eco-friendly. For example, hamsters, birds, snakes and fish typically require minimal food and produce less waste. They also generally need only a minimal number of toys and very little bedding or other accessories. According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spend billions of dollars each year on their pet supplies — many of which, toys in particular, are made from plastic. Their production can take its toll on the environment, so getting a pet that needs less may help you start out on a greener foot.

If you do decide to get a low-maintenance pet, however, proceed with caution. It’s possible to accidentally stray into exotic pet territory, which includes certain types of frogs and lizards, among other creatures. These exotic pets often need very specialized (and costly) habitats to mimic their natural environments as closely as possible. Not only could you end up spending more time and money than you initially bargained for, you may find that you’re actually hurting the environment by using special filters and chemicals needed to maintain your pet’s tank.

Ultimately, though, being eco-conscious while choosing a pet can be a rewarding process. You’ll take strides — big or small — toward improving the planet’s overall well-being while finding a pet you can love for years to come.



Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/top-5-greenest-pets.html?page=7#ixzz14fhCubUo