Going Green with your pet

[Catherine]

I found an article about having your pet live "green" when you choose to live green.
The article has some good ideas and once you start thinking about it I am sure you can come up with more.

http://www.thenownews.com/news/help-your...-1.2061334

I have been keeping my guinea pigs and various reptiles as "green" as possible for years. I use a green bin for waste material so that all their waste goes to be recycled. I even line the bin with a biodegradable liner. I try to buy locally sourced food so that it is not trucked long distances. I use cleaners that are safe and biodegradable. If all pet owners tried to be aware of the environmental impact of a pet and worked to offset it, I think we would see a positive change in our local environment.
Living green is a goal to be hoped for and our pets should be part of our important goals.

[Tobi]

Yes, there are a number of things a pet caretaker can do to keep things 'green'.

I certainly agree with cutting or stopping the use of household cleaners when an animal is around. So many 'allergies' can be caused by the toxic chemicals in those cleaners. And who knows....those toxins may contribute to illnesses like kidney failure etc.
I used to like a window spray, and it smelled very nice and fresh too. But one day years ago when I used it, I noticed the smell was hanging around low on the ground, and near Misty's 'food-station'! (No food there at the time, but I washed out her water bowl, and changed the water.)
Then I read the ingredients.....they were horrible, and included formelin.

That was it. I didn't care about me breathing it -but wasn't going to let Misty breathe it, or drink it with her water!
From then on I used white vinegar for windows, and rinsed with water, then polished. It worked just as well, non-toxic, didn't take much longer to do, and was far cheaper!

(Misty did her own version of 'recycling'....out in the woods....LOL!)

[Catherine]

Green cleaning is a good place to start. It is safer for our pets and it is safer for us. I avoid spray bottles because it puts things into our lungs. I am sure many pet water dishes are full of scary chemicals. You were smart to change your cleaning habits to protect Misty.

Out in the country pets can do their own recycling. Good for Misty for being so green. In the cities there are now recycling programs and green bin programs. I put all my pet waste in a green bin and it is taken away and composted. Later on the compost is brought back and I get to pick it up as fertilizer for my garden. I never use chemical fertilizers. So my pets help make my flowers grow.

I wash guinea pig laundry, but I do not put it in the dryer. I air dry it because it uses less electricity.
I buy guinea pig food in bulk so there is less packaging and then I recycle the packaging. If I let them, the guinea pigs would probably eat the box the hay comes in, but I usually recycle it.

[Tobi]

It is a great idea in your local community, to bring back the compost to you! We have an option to recycle food waste here, but we never get the compost back....I never have found out what happens to it. Presumably it goes to be sold somewhere.
I don't use the food waste recycling option though. I have very little food waste, only banana skins, orange peel, the bottom of the broccoli, etc. I always put that underneath the huge Oak trees just away from my house, so all the tiny creatures can find what they want. The soil is very good just underneath there!
I used to have a compost heap once upon a time, but don't need one any more.

Misty was an ACE recycler!

[Catherine]

If you live in the country you can recycle food waste directly. We always had a pile down the end of our property. How kind of you to put food out for the little creatures. It saves waste and makes life better for them.

The city makes the waste available all summer long at various places in the city. My city counsellor set up a number of places right in my area. When I went there he was filling people's bins for them. That is what I call service and dedication to making the city more green.

Misty was a dog ahead of her time. How many dogs back then had ever heard of recycling.

Years ago I had an indoor worm composter. It was a special bin of soil that I filled with special worms and then I added kitchen waste. They happily munched away for years. I am not sure why they died out. I had fun with them. Some kitchen waste was more to their liking. Fruit peel was eaten before potato peel. Who knew that worms had likes and dislikes.

[Ruth]

I had never thought of those things before. I'm glad the green items are available.

[Catherine]

I think a lot of us are looking at ways to live more green.

When they started picking up animal waste for composting my garbage dropped down to nothing. I fill one green bin a week and the bigger recycling bin every two weeks. I put out a small bag of garbage once a month.

When I have pets to bury, I plant a tree or shrub over them.

Then the pet can really give back to the environment as nature intended.

[AnimalFamily]

Yes, we definitely need to think green in all areas of our lives.
It's pretty green at the AnimalFamily farm.
Cleaning chemicals are mostly limited to: vinegar, baking soda, and very rarely some bleach when major disinfecting is needed.
I will let you in on one of my favorite little cleaning secrets. I operate a small housekeeping business and years ago discovered that, in most cases, just plain old water will clean windows and mirrors better than anything.
The best part is that they will stay clean longer than if you use anything else in the water.
Anything you add to water will leave a residue behind. Hence the cloudy look you get after a period of time.
Bonus: you will save a ton of money!

All food scraps are either given to the goats, chickens, dog and whatever they won't eat is put in compost or put out for the 'other' critters.

Plastic, glass, cans, etc., are all recycled. Paper trash is burned, which leaves us with one tiny bag of trash every couple of weeks.

Since we live in the country animal waste is composted directly, lol!
When we clean out the goat/chicken houses, that goes into our garden. I must say I have some beautiful garden soil!

All of these things do require a a little thought and a little more effort, but the benefits well outweigh the extra effort. Not to mention the money we save!!!

[Catherine]

I must try straight water on glass. Even vinegar leaves streaks some times.

The Animal Family farm has got its own green cycle going.
You produce some of your own food. You use most of it up amongst yourself and your animals and you use the waste to produce more healthy food.
Other than the beefsteak plants you can use everything.

I think we all can think in those terms. I need trees to help with climate control. They really clean the air and cool the house in the summer. I planted trees that feed the birds. So the birds hang around my yard and they eat any insects that are causing problems(aphids on my roses). I don't worry about pest control. The bird droppings make good fertilizer and the birds spread seeds so more plants come up each year.

Right now there is a bird festival happening in my yard. There are dozens of Robins and Finches feasting on the Mountain Ash berries. There are big clusters of bright orange berries. The tree can hardly support them. The birds are filling up before they head south. Their droppings will fertilize the tree for the rest of the year.
Once you get a cycle going it just sustains itself.

I think where ever you live and no matter what your pets you can find ways to live greener and more natural.

[AnimalFamily]

Yes, and if everyone planted trees in their yard like you have, the world would be a much better place!!

Our place was slicked off when we bought it. The entire property was brush hogged regularly [I assume for hay or something]. Very few trees.
15 years later it is like a small forest. My neighbor, who used to be one of my clients, comments every time he is here how much it has changed. Not for the better mind you. He thinks we have really let the place go, LOL!!!
Years ago he kept coming by wanting to brush hog the place. We nipped that in the bud very quickly.
I love my trees, mostly walnut, and they are an investment. So many say it is like a park now. They goats keep the grasses down and the trees are quite spectacular, in my humble opinion, of course
I explain to him it is by design, not laziness. Some people, sheessh!!

Oh and about the beefsteak........Bock has been researching it online. It seems it has quite a bit of medicinal value. After reading all about its benefits she said: "Well now I'm having a hard time hating it." "I'm actually starting to like the darn stuff.
Of course, there is no way we can use up that much even if we ate it all day every day. And the goats still hate it.
It would be awesome though if we could find a way to market it. It is organic after all.
Wouldn't it be hilarious if the stuff that has brought me to the brink of insanity, could somehow provide my retirement?!?!
...and the beat goes on.....