Green Daily

(Photo by Nature\'s Inventory)

It makes sense that so many dogs, cats, birds, and ferrets find fireworks utterly terrifying and unbearable -- they are loud, unpredictable, and jarring -- and a delightfully patriotic celebration of our country's deeply martial history, don't get me started wrong.

Obviously you can't stop your local municipality from setting off a 20 minute light and explosion show set to bombastic classical music. But you can help your pet be safe, and hopefully shorten the length of time Felix, Fido and Lance the Lizard hide in the closet, under the bed and behind a rock, respectively.

The LA Times had a great article with suggestions for doing your animal friend a 4th of July solid, including:

• Leave your pet at home -- no pet wants to see fireworks up close
  
• Make sure all pets have a collar and ID tag (that's smart all the time)
• Ask your vet for advice on keeping your pet calm -- music, low lights, a comfortable bed, could all make a difference.
  

I would add, if you're going to be talking to Dr. Feelgood Veterinarian, consider requesting a prescription for doggie Ativan. Or, if you're more into holistic, herbal remedies, there is this Doggie Calm Wellness oil, which is basically lavender and patchouli. It's organic!

And of course, catnip won't calm your cat down, but he might thank you just the same. Everyone -- even pets -- enjoy a little herbal indulgence on a holiday weekend!

(Photo by Getty Images)

Oh, PETA. I just can't stay away from your sexiness. Of course, you can't stay away from me, either, can you?

This week I received a personal email invitation from the wild-eyed radicals, to attend a scalding tank demonstration. I know -- fun, right?

If you're unfamiliar with the term, it's the terrible method McDonald's uses to kill chickens, and it's about as grisly as it sounds. (Yo McDonald's, just stop and switch to controlled-atmosphere killing, okay?) But more importantly, why would anyone want to attend a demonstration featuring a vat of protesters flailing around in "bloody" water?

(Photo by Getty Images)

Why didn't anyone tell me that last week was National Pollinator Week? The festivities ran from June 22nd through the 28th, but we can still celebrate pollinators by planting some pollen-rich wildflowers in our backyards!

There's been a lot of media coverage about Colony Collapse Disorder, the mysterious phenomena that is wiping out whole hives of European honey bees, the pollination workhorses of industrial farming.

I recently interviewed Ed Flanagan, the president of Wyman's Blueberries, for Tonic, and we discussed the importance of bees for wild blueberry pollination and how the agriculture industry is responding to CCD.

I've been catching up on my green e-newsletter reading, including the latest Smart 2 be Green titled "The Beach is Not an Ashtray" which hit surprisingly close to home.

As you can probably guess from the title, the Smart 2 be Green post is a reminder to all of those summer vacationers and day trippers not to leave their used butts on the beach. In fact, those nasty, non-biodegradeable tidbits probably do more damage there than on a city street! So if you must smoke, plan to pack out your debris.

At the end of the post were a few links to some predictably dire but totally relevant sites about cigarette litter. Did you realize that cigarette butts "are the most littered item in the U.S. and around the world"? And that cigarette butts account for 50% of the litter in the developed world? Take that plastic bottles!

This resonated for a couple of reasons. First, because I used to be a blissfully unaware smoker, tossing butts out windows and into streets with abandon. I am mortified to remember how much littering I did! My green guilt can only be assuaged through hours of volunteering to clean up beaches and parks. Goodbye sleeping in on the weekends!

The other reason is that last week, our beloved San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newson (or as we like to call him, Mayor McHottie) proposed a "clean up tax" on every pack of cigarettes. His perspective is that discarded cigarettes make up 1/4 of the trash on city sidewalks and gutters, and it's fair to ask the smokers to foot the expense of cleaning it up.

As a former smoker, and recovering litterer, I'm with Gavin. Whatever your opinion on smoking, anyone who grew up with Iron Eyes Cody and the Keep America Beautiful campaign, plus "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute" is going to be with me on this one. You don't have to quit smoking (even though you should) but one way or another you do have to take responsibility for your trash!

(Photo by Getty Images)

Last November California voters passed the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act which makes it a criminal offense to confine hens in battery cages, pigs in gestation crates or calves in veal crates. Animal rights supporters, including the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), hope that this will get more big volume egg users, like fast food restaurants Wendy's, McDonald's and Denny's, to make the switch to cage-free eggs more quickly.

Right now, most eggs are still produced on factory farms that use tiny battery cages. The hens can't get up, stretch their wings, or nest. These cruel conditions aren't necessary, and the HSUS is working very hard to eliminate them. One way is to get the farms to change, like through the legislation in California. Another way is to change the market, creating a demand for cage-free over those laid by hens in battery cages.

Just last week, after a long campaign by the HSUS, Wendy's committed to sourcing at least 2% of their eggs from cage-free suppliers. Calling it "a modest but meaningful step in the right direction," HSUS also took the opportunity to call out McDonald's.

Scientists and agriculturalists and beekeepers continue to struggle to find an explanation -- and a solution -- for the worldwide disappearance of honey bees.

Maybe disappearance is the wrong word -- one in three bee colonies is actually dying. This phenomenon is known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), and has been linked to cell phones, climate change, parasites, and even UFOs. As in, aliens are coming to Earth, landing in fields, collecting our bees, and flying away.

In other words, we just don't know why it's happening!

One of the biggest benefits of having bees around is that farmers depend on them to pollinate crops, including one third of the produce grown in the U.S. So when you don't have any bees ... no pollination ... and no produce.

Last week was the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake on May 12, 2008, that destroyed the Wolong Panda sanctuary in the Sichuan province of China. The surviving pandas were sent to other sanctuaries around the country, and eight of the pandas had an extended stay at the Beijing zoo over the summer.

Most have now moved to their new luxurious sanctuary in Bi Feng Xia. Jennifer Keating from the San Diego zoo took a trip to China and reports that the dedicated keepers and adorable animals are all recovering nicely and adapting well to their new location.

While reading about the status, I stumbled across news of a movie that was being filmed at Wolong when the 8.0 earthquake struck. The Disney film is the story of an orphan boy who finds a lost panda cub, and helps the cub find his mother. The surprising thing is that they used real pandas -- not animated -- to tell the story.

(Photo by Getty Images)

World Oceans Day is less than a month away, and this year it's official, so you might even be able to get the day off from work! Hey, it's summer time, give it a shot.

Since 1992, on June 8th, a growing number of people around the globe have been celebrating oceans, one our planet's most influential natural resources. Oceans provide oxygen, regulate the climate, and are a vital source of food. Our survival is inexorably linked to the health of the water that cover the majority of the planet.

This year the United Nations finally recognized World Ocean Day as an international observance, and there are celebrations happening at aquariums, schools and zoos all over the world. Some of the goals for the day include:

• Reflection -- think about what the ocean means to you, and how you can help conserve it for the future
• Discovery -- oceans are literally vast and deep, and they contain some of the most exotic and fascinating creatures on the planet
• Conservation -- we can all take steps to help keep our oceans clean, healthy and filled with life

The theme for this first official year of celebrations is "one ocean, one climate, one future" and you can find local events -- and ones around the world -- by checking the events listing on The Ocean Project.

At the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California festivities will go on through the weekend and include book readings by Joel Harper, author of All the Way to the Ocean, on Saturday, and Brad Herzog, author of S is for Save the Planet on Sunday. The family-friendly festivities include crafts and face painting for kids.

In Florida there will be events at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, on June 6th, and on June 7th at the Mote Aquarium in Sarasota, where face painting will also play a prominent role in the festivities.

In Honolulu, Hawai`i, on June 8th, there will be a special event at the Hawai`i State Capitol auditorium featuring a lecture from Dr. Anthony Andrady, one of the world's leading researchers in the field of microplastics and the marine environment. The free event will be presented by the Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai`i.

In several locations, groups will screen A Sea of Change, a documentary about ocean acidification and the impact of this chemical change on the seafood chain. Screenings of the film are taking place in Australia, Europe, North America, and the Hawaiian Islands. Linking the screenings will be a live webcast panel emanating from the Beacon Institute in Beacon, NY.

Do you live far from an ocean? You can still find a way to celebrate World Oceans Day, even if it's putting on a pair of board shorts, grabbing a beer, and watching some big wave surfing videos on YouTube. The important thing is to starting thinking about our relationship with oceans, and the effect our actions have them.

As a matter of fact, surfers are actually great roles! It would be pretty radical if more people tried to emulate the dudes who are trying to Save our Seas!

(Photo by Getty Images)

The days are getting longer and school is almost out. That means it's time to make summer vacation plans!

After a few seasons of "staycations," many people are craving a break from their everyday life -- we want a little adventure! By the same token, the economy is still shaky, and the spirit of giving back is still a strong influence on all of our decisions.

How does a conservation-minded person reconcile all of these feelings and motivations?

One answer is to take advantage of the World Wildlife Fund vacation packages that promote conservation while taking travelers to remote sites in a sustainably-managed way. The programs offered include:

• a trip to the Arctic to see polar bears, who might be gone soon and need all the support they can get
• a voyage to Kenya's Masai Mara Reserve to help improve the water and ensure conservation of natural resources
• visit remote islands in New Zealand and help prevent the bycatch of dolphins
• a family vacation to Belize to help conserve the Mesoamerican reef, which you even get to visit on a snorkel excursion!

The International Eco-Tourism Society offers even more choices of location, beneficiary and location, as well as tips and educational tools. The site even has a brand new eco-tourism job board, in case the thought of going home fills you with dread.

If your budget is still a bit tight for international any travel, there's always a day at your local zoo. It may not be as exotic as Kenya or Belize, but it can still be educational, entertaining, and in a way you're supporting conservation efforts. And if you're very clever about how you take pictures, you might even be able to convince the gang back at the office that you were in a truly wild place!

(Photo by Getty Images)

I know you're busy, and I don't want to add to anyone's daily burden of stuff to do, but if you're a pet owner, it's important to ask: Have you considered your pet's Carbon Paw Print?

Yes, I'm serious, but no, it doesn't have to be a difficult, expensive, or painful process to make your pet as green as you are! In fact, it might even make your life better.

No Need to Breed
There are a few simple things you can do from the start: always adopt, and remember to spay or neuter your pet. With so many more animals than homes, these two steps are the most sustainable and responsible things a pet owner can do.

Take to Your Kitchen
The next most practical and simple thing you can do is make your own pet food. There are some great dog food recipes here, and cat food recipes here. You may balk at the hassle-factor, but you must admit it makes sense. Just like with human food, you avoid unnecessary processing, you know exactly what's in it, and you can buy ingredients in bulk to save money in the long run.

Green the Poop
And then there is the poop factor.

For dogs, you need to deal with picking it up. A plastic bag takes forever to decompose. A plastic bag full of poop takes forever to compose, and smells that much worse. Use a biodegradeable or compostable bag, like the Mutt Mitt or the BioBags made from corn. Or you can use some of that cool TerraCycle All Natural Stool Destroyer!

I also learned lately that traditional clay cat litter is terrible on every level, so a green cat lover looks at alternatives there, too. You can use newspaper, or you can cut to the chase and get The World's Best Cat Litter, made of corn.

When a Toy Isn't a Game
The final thing to think about? Toys. Chew toys, chasing toys, that feather on the end of a string that drives Mr. Whiskers out of his mind. Before you buy, consider how and where they are made. Would you personally chew on a squeekie toy made in China? If not, maybe you should be buying your sweet puppy a nice hemp rope toy instead.

Of course, I firmly believe that Catnip is the greenest cat toy solution, and btw should be legalized asap. Hey man, it's a plant. It's natural. And I'm pretty sure Woody Harrelson's cat totally agrees with me.

Do you have a genius green pet owner tip? Drop it in the comments -- this is an equal opportunity poop problem solving community!

(Photo by Thames & Hudson)

For many of us, climate change means water shortage. Regions all over the world are experiencing drought, with corresponding restrictions on when and how you can use water. Gardeners feel these restrictions in a particularly sharp way. After all, the traditional, lush garden requires copious and regular irrigation, a practice that is becoming increasingly difficult -- even impossible -- to maintain.

The Dry Gardening Handbook - Plants and Practices for a Changing Climate is a new book by Oliver Filippi that offers an alternative perspective on the role of water in a planned garden. It provides options and techniques for a "dry garden" that leverages the natural traits of plants that thrive in "mediterrean" environments, like those found in Chile, California, South Africa, Australia and the Mediterrean region.

Although it's a relatively technical book -- there's lots of talk about dormancy and root development -- there are also hundreds of beautiful photos by the author who, with his wife, has dedicated 20 years to the study and cultivation of plants that thrive in dry conditions. You will gain a whole new appreciation for what defines a "beautiful garden."

The thing that makes this book a must have for gardeners who live in dry (or drying) climates is the A-Z index of plants that thrive without much water. The detailed entries -- over 400 of them, with illustrations -- make this intriguing book a valuable handbook and resource.

Even if you're a novice gardener, or don't have any green fingers at all, it's an educational read, as well as a fun one that communicates the Filippis' love of plants, and passion for this approach. Plus it's refreshing to read something that treats climate change as a condition we can react to, deal with and even learn from!

The big environmental news over the weekend was an announcement that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar would not overturn an 11th hour Bush rule that limits Endangered Species Act protection for polar bears.

Environmentalists, activists and scientists have been lobbying to get the rule reversed since it went into effect in December. And it was a shock to most Democrats that Salazar didn't use his special authority to undo the Bush damage.

Salazar's explanation was that the Endangered Species Act is the wrong way to pursue corporate green house gas emitters, and he left open the possibility that he would enact other laws to strengthen environmental protection for polar bears and other animals whose habitat is threatened by climate change.

This actually sound sort of logical to me, and hints that the Obama administration might even have some other, bigger environmental changes in the works. But it was not good enough at all for environmental activists like Greenpeace. They're foaming at the mouth!

As soon as they heard the news, Greenpeace did a "direct communication" action outside of Salazar's office: Two activists ("solemnly") walked into the pond in front of the Department of the Interior building and dropped off a symbolic drowned polar bear.

Yeah, they sacrificed a big, white stuffed animal in a corporate water feature. How very PETA of them.

Actually, let me take that back. If PETA had been running that protest, the activists would have been topless, pregnant women, wearing polar bear masks. With duct tape over the mouths. In cages.

Maybe next time!

We have a winner of the Terracycle natural and nontoxic pet products kit. Winner Matt will have a fresh and clean home, a healthy and happy pet, and be environmentally responsible with this great basket of cleaning products:

• Yard Odor Remover
• Stain & Odor Remover
• Trash Can Protector Spray
• Skunk Odor Remover -- the pet equivalent of a fire extinguisher – hopefully you never have to use it!
• Bird Feeder
  

Matt shared this funniest pet clean up incident:

The worst has to be when you forget to bring a bag (we're city dwellers in a land of militant poop police!) and struggle to find ANYTHING to collect and cart away the "business"... leaves are ideal and even a luxury! Too often you're in a distinctly public place where you'll be scorned or ticketed for moving more than 5 feet - even if you're trying to find something to fashion into a waste collector! I once had to wad together about 20 register receipts from my wallet to pick up some nasty stuff! Walking it to the nearest trash can was even worse (add to it a dog who had seen a cat at this point and was pulling the leash all over the place!) - but for my best friend it was worth it!

It sounds like Matt's dog is lucky to have such a great buddy looking out for him!

(Photo by Hearthsong.com)

It's high spring and green is sprouting all around. This is the time of year that so many of us city-dwellers envy our country -- or even suburban -- cousins who have a personal patch of green where they can cultivate flowers, tomatoes, and rabbit-bait like carrots and lettuce.

One of the gifts of the green movement has been an increase in Community Gardens. While not limited to urban settings, they can be a great resource for people who don't have any other way to get their hands dirty. You can visit the American Community Gardening Association website to find a community garden near you.

Volunteering at a local park is another way to get a gardening fix. With budget cuts at the state and local levels, parks that depend on government funding will need volunteers more than ever. VolunteerMatch.org can help you find a flower bed that needs mulching in Chicago, IL, or a monument that needs tending in Austin, TX.

If your green thumb is desperate for ownership despite a lack of land, how about a windowsill herb garden? If you have a sunny spot and enough space for a few pretty pots, you can get a kit that lets you grow herbs or flowers in a confined space. Or you can make your own, using anything from empty jars to yogurt containers, a bag of seeds and some potting soil.

(Photo by Getty Images)

If your home is your castle, then it stands to reason that you have the ability to designate your backyard as a special safe zone for wildlife. And the National Wildlife Federation will even help you make it "official"!

For a mere $15 application fee, you can get a certificate that confirms your garden is a "NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat™"

Okay, it's a little more involved than just paying a fee, but not much. And if you already have wildlife visitors -- deer, bunnies, foxes, squirrels or birds -- your yard probably already boasts many of the elements required for certification:

• Food Sources: native plants that bear fruits, berries or seeds
• Water Sources: like a birdbath or pond
• Places for Cover: this can be a man-made birdhouse or particularly dense shrubbery
• Places to Raise Young: more shrubbery, or a pond
• Sustainable Gardening: yes, your compost pile counts!
  

In addition to the official looking certificate -- which is personalized, so it's perfect for framing -- you also become a member of the National Wildlife Federation, with a one-year subscription to the magazine and the quarterly e-newsletter. Plus your name gets listed in the National Wildlife Federation's registry of certified habitats. That's public acclaim!

You can even order a sign to post in your yard once it's been certified. Maybe squirrels can't read, but your neighbors can. They will be impressed, and maybe even motivated to certify their yards. You could trigger a bonanza of wildlife havens!

If you're ready to take your love of wildlife to the next level, visit the online application on the National Wildlife Federation website and get started!