Disaster Preparedness

 

When Mother Earth creates havoc it’s important to be prepared. This month’s addition of Pet Product News had some really great information on pet preparedness in case of a natural disaster or other emergency situation. Hurricane Katrina left millions of pets and pet owners in serious trouble when they had to evacuate. The article made some really good points and strongly suggests having a pet survival kit. Hurricane season is coming to a head in certain parts of the country and Texas is experiencing severe flooding.  Other disasters, such as fires and chemical spills should be taken into consideration.  

Roundup: Three Green Tips this Tuesday

 

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products – Save money while protecting  your family and pets

Crunchy Chicken (If you haven’t yet checked out this eco-chick’s blog I really recommend it) asked her readers for natural cleaning solutions. The comments she received covered everything from windows and bathtubs to natural hair cleaning recipes.  Many of the solutions will also save you money.  

Did you know, you can make your own laundry soap  using a combination of Fels Naptha  , Borax and washing soda. Apparently it is much less expensive that regular laundry detergent.

No Acetaminophen in Pet Food?

 

Following article reprinted from Pet Product News International  

No Acetaminophen in Pet Food, FDA Says
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration finds no evidence to support an earlier report that acetaminophen contaminated pet food.

Florida Dog Lovers, A dog needs YOUR help!

A good friend of mine’s neighbors moved out of their house yesterday and left their poor dog behind. She is a red shephard mix, weighs about 50 lbs, and is the sweetest dog! They had her living outside chained in their backyard and now they have left her chained to some trees beside their house. She has food and water but has no shelter from the heat or rain. If you have a fenced yard and would be able to take care of her, we would really prefer not to take her to the humane society. The family that owned her had three young girls, so she is good with kids.

Do you take your pet to work?

 

This Friday is “Take Your Pet to Work Day”, and while I’m not one of the lucky pet lovers that has the privilege of taking Fido to work, I was shocked to read that  1 in 5 businesses allows employees to bring their pet to work on a daily basis (according to the APPMA– the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association).  

Today Pet Poop, Tomorrow Methane Gas

 

San Francisco and other Bay Area cities are looking at ways to reuse and recycle animal waste in an effort to stop sending trash to landfills by 2020. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the city is the first to try and convert pet feces into methane to be used as fuel.  San Francisco has an estimated 240,000 dogs and cats.

According to Will Brinton, a scientist in Mount Vernon, Maine, and one of the world’s leading authorities on waste reduction and composting, 

Pots Made From Poop

 

A friend of mine came across this fun, ultra-green product that was featured on the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs, CowPots™.   

CowPots™, “The Pots You Plant,” were invented by the Freund dairy farming family in northwestern Connecticut. They are made from manure solids and are of course, 100% biodegradable. This is a great example of farmers turning an agricultural waste product into a horticultural goldmine. Not only do the pots fully decompose, they add rich nutrients to the soil, feed seedlings and attract beneficial earth worms. Since plant roots continue to grow into the earth, there’s no risk of straining plants during transplanting. 

71.1 Million Strong

 

I just received the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association’s (APPMA) National Pet Owners Survey for 2007-2008.