Green Daily

We all try to keep our environmental footprint light, and ideally our pets would benefit from that, too. But sometimes accidents happen, and that's when you need the products -- and occasionally a hazmat suit -- to clean them up.

Terracycle, the company that practically invented zero footprint, has partnered up with PETCO to create a new line of natural and nontoxic pet products. Even better, this is the world's first line of pet products packaged in repurposed plastic bottles.

Now you can have a fresh and clean home, a healthy and happy pet, and be environmentally responsible!

To help green one lucky "pet parent", we're giving away a "basket" of the Terracycle pet line, including:

• 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
  

Could you use these great -- and earth-friendly -- pet products? Then enter now!

Looking for some timely tips about greening your Easter celebration, taxes, or even taxidermy? Today's Eco-Beat has got the scoop on all sorts of awesome green news.

Welcome To Solar City, Florida Wanna live in the first completely solar-powered city in the US? With the world's largest solar farm, citywide WiFi, and electric car chargers, this place sounds like an eco-topia.

The Egg Crate Lamp So, you just bought a ton of eggs for Easter and now you've got a five-foot stack of egg crates in your kitchen. No worries, you can use them to build a sweet upcycled light fixture.

Going Green on the Job Hunt New phone apps make going paperless a cinch. No more late night trips to buy printer ink and goofy paper with watermarks -- just BeamME your resume.

Taxidermy is Trendy A new wave of taxidermists are recycling animals to make eclectic home furnishings. It may freak out some animal activists, but artists say they're preserving animals they didn't kill. Stuffed squirrel lamp anyone?

$6 Solar Cooker: The Next George Foreman Grill? The Kyoto Box costs about $6 to make, and it can help stop deforestation in places where wood fires are the primary means of cooking. This design won the $75,000 grand prize in the Climate Challenge? And, yes, it's just a box and some tin foil.

Green in a Flash:

• Oregon considers making cyclists pay road taxes. How?
  
• Extreme water shortages cause officials to shut off the tap for two million peeps in Mexico City -- for 36 hours.
• Upgrade your home's energy efficiency and you can save some green on your taxes.

Hey, Friday night, date night! Are some of you menfolk feeling like you could use some special loving from your loved one? Try getting her in the mood with a big, juicy steak!

Sorry if I just rattled a bunch of vegetarian cages, that wasn't my intention! I'm just passing along some new primate related research that shows male chimps who share meat get more sex action from the lady chimps. In fact, they double their mating chances when they pass the leg bone!

The old "boom boom" doesn't happen when other behaviors, like groomings, are exchanged. In fact, grooming usually just gets you more grooming. Yawn.

Naturally, since we're all descended from primates (except for those nice folks who were supernaturally deposited from spaceships over the past few thousand years -- welcome to our planet!) the next step is to investigate how this behavior plays out with humans.

In other words, more research needs to be done to see if humans also have "the dude you date" vs. "the guy who does your hair" categories. And if the dude you date gives you carne asada, do you reciprocate with caliente amore?

As interesting as that will be, I think most of us are familiar with the dinner = nookie paradigm. The really important question is, "Do vegetarians get more or less sex than meat eaters?" Let's find out!

Whether you're looking for a celebrity charity auction to plant trees, a way to reuse a toilet plunger, or updates on the Pet Shop Boys ... today's Eco-Beat has got the scoop on all sorts of awesome green news.

Should The Pet Shop Boys Change their Name? PETA Europe has asked The Pet Shop Boys to change their name to The Rescue Shelter Boys. This is the funniest idea PETA's had in a while! For obvious reasons, the legendary UK duo has declined (check out their response).

Toilet Plungers Make Cool Lamp Shades Who'd a thunk it? They actually look really very modern. I recommend a very strong -- yet eco-friendly -- disinfectant for this upcycling project.

Want to Plant Trees and Score a Celebrity Autographed Eco-Bag? Until April 22 (Earth Day), you can bid on a stylin' Sakroots weekender eco-friendly bag signed by Jessica Alba, Alec Baldwin, Rosie Perez and more. For each dollar donated, the Nature Conservancy plants a tree!

World's First Wind-Powered Movie Theater It's a drive-in, so they don't have to worry about heating or A/C. Still, how awesome is that? Will they show An Inconvenient Truth on repeat? Green tip: don't idle your car during the movie, it's rude.

Obama Administration May Tweak Earth's Thermostat The Obama administration is considering a backup climate change plan to shoot a cloud of reflective particles into the atmosphere to cool the planet. Let's hope it doesn't come to that ... it may affect our ability to tan poolside.

Green in a Flash:

• Celebs are raving about Lavera's green tanning goo .
• Sears is offering Earth Day home energy audits for $99 (usually $550).
• Jay Leno got to drive a Volt test vehicle, and he liked it.

Mostly when I write about PETA it's with rolling eyes and a serious dose of sarcasm. Their methods can be pretty extreme and polarizing, which is usually a bad way to get supporters.

However, sometimes they have really good campaigns, like "No More Monkey Business."

Apes, like most animals in show business, are taken from their mothers when they are very young because it's the easiest way to train them. Their careers are brief, usually finished by the time they are eight because they are too hard to manage when they get older. Mature apes are strong!

Since they are domesticated when they are so young, these animals don't have the skills to be released back into wild. That means that they spend the rest of their lives -- many live to be as old as 60 -- in some kind of captivity.

The lucky ones go somewhere like the Save the Chimps sanctuary in Florida. The less lucky ones wind up in bad roadside zoos.

PETA, very intelligently, wants to eliminate the economic benefit of using apes. Their suggestions include things like walking out of a movie that has apes in it, and demanding a refund from the theater manager.

That's not really my style. Plus, who doesn't realize before you buy a ticket that Planet of the Apes is going to have some real primates in it? But I do agree with the goal of the "No More Monkey Business" campaign: people should stop using apes, including chimps, orangutans, or even those little spider monkeys, in television shows and movies.

So ... I sort of joined PETA and got the free activist kit for the campaign.

I know! That totally puts me over the eco-crazy edge. It's one thing to be someone who "always carries a reusable shopping bag" (eco-friendly) and totally another to be someone who "talks to strangers about endangered animals" (eco-intense).

In my defense, I mainly ordered the kit because it came with orange stickers that say "Gee whiz!"

If you're ready to tip-toe into this deep green area with me, the PETA site has some easy and not-that-radical things you can do to support the campaign, like sending emails to shows that use apes and asking them to stop. There is also list of companies and ad companies that have already agreed not to use apes anymore, so you know the campaign is working. And seriously, the stickers are pretty cool!

Wanna find out where to score a dress made of vegetables? Or where one of this year's biggest Earth Day parties is going to be? Today's Eco-Beat has got the scoop on all sorts of awesome green news.

Everybody Wants to Know: Who Made the Cabbage Dress? Cloris Leachman's incredible edible dress took 12 heads of cabbage to make, and it was all assembled on the day of the shoot -- for maximum freshness. Question: is all edible clothing eco-friendly?

A Bookshelf Made Out of Books It's not a riddle; it's actually an awesome DIY building concept using old books to create unique, recycled shelving. Trendy wordsmiths would refer to this as "upcycling."

Ben Harper Will Rock Roma on Earth Day Where's the happening place to be this Earth Day? Apparently, it's Rome. Ben Harper and National Geographic will be holding a free concert! All you've got to do is buy a plane ticket -- and some carbon offsets (because it's Earth Day, people).

Organic Pancake Batter in a Can Could a pressurized can of pancake batter possibly be organic? Jorge Garcia (Hurley on LOST) wondered the same thing on his blog. Since it's sold at Whole Foods, I'm inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt. But, even if it's organic, would you eat it?

Street Legal Electric Motorcycle Available in May Zero Motorcycles unveiled their emissions-free street bike yesterday and you could be riding this sweet hog around town as soon as early May. I'm going to dream about popping all-electric wheelies tonight.

Green in a Flash:

• It's National Cell Phone Recycling Week, and 100 million recycled phones saves enough energy to power 18,500 homes for an entire year.
• Oh crap, looks like our reusable grocery bags aren't all that green.
• On the topic of green shelving ... sustainable designer William Warren has built shelves that double as a coffin when you pass on.

Who loves the zoo? Oh, right! All of us! Supposedly today is Zoo Lovers Day, although from what I can figure out that's a pretty genius public relations invention to promote What's New at the Zoo? by Suzanne Slade and illustrated by Joan Waites.

I haven't read the book, but from what I can see online it looks pretty adorable. It's a picture book for kids, using the scenario of a visit to the zoo to teach some basic addition concepts. Cute, right?

Anything that encourages kids to read and love animals is a good idea, so I'm game -- let's celebrate Zoo Lovers Day!

To "observe" the holiday, plan a trip to a zoo in your area. Like I suggested on Monday, this is a great time of year to take the kids to see all of the adorable baby animals. If you'd prefer to avoid the vivid scents of a petting zoo, you can look for a slightly less hands on experience/more traditional zoo at the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.

After your trip, swing by the library and check out a book or two about your favorite animal -- I'm guessing it will be a chimp or a panda, but maybe that's just me. Then, using your new knowledge, write a thank you note to the zoo, perhaps illustrating it with bright crayon drawings.

Uh, sure, my suggestions are theoretically meant for kids, but I know one or two grown ups who might enjoy this process, too!

Wanna live in a greener city, build a sustainable house, or pick your next set of green wheels? You can pretty much give your lifestyle a green makeover with some of today's eco news.

Are You Living in a Green Mecca? Living in a city that's obsessed with the environment sure makes it easier to live green. Where I live, houses on the real estate market are about to get a sustainability rating. Awesome! Did your city make the list?

Segway is Going to Make an Eco-Car, er, Buggy Thing We've all seen the hilarious pictures of George W. Bush wrecking out on a Segway. Since not everyone is as agile as the 43rd President, Segway designed a safer green machine. It's got a seat belt and a roll cage people! Sign me up for a joyride.

Wheel of Fortune Spins Greener Last week was 'green week' on Wheel of Fortune -- my favorite TV game show. Last I checked, Pat Sajak was a climate change denier. Was it all an elaborate April Fools prank? If so, Vanna wasn't in on it.

KB Home Now Offering Green Micro Houses Obsessed with efficiency and space-saving organizers? KB Home is now offering an 881 sq-ft Energy Star qualified floor plan in Houston (of all places). It could save you money, energy, resources ... and it's crazy affordable.

Tesla CEO Talks Trash About the Volt OK, so you've got two wicked green futuristic cars: one gets 100+mpg (but has the ability to run on gas), the other uses no gas at all (but has to plug in). Which one do you want to drive? My answer: I'll take one of each.

Green in a Flash:

• The Secretary of the Interior says that we can replace 3,000 coal plants with offshore wind (if money is no object).
• The Smashing Pumpkins join PETA's campaign against KFC.
• If you've got some serious time on your hands, you could make a sweet coffee table out of your outdated phone books.

On Sunday I was reading the paper about a couple who did an amazing green remodel to their home. It was their third renovation, so they have loads of experience. I envy the whole project, but one choice in particular jumped out at me -- they're using insulation made from old blue jeans.

This reminded me of a story a good friend told me, that the new California Academy of Sciences building in Golden Gate Park is also insulated with blue jeans, using material donated from San Francisco-based, legendary jeans company Levi Strauss.

What a cool idea! You can replace a toxic material (fiberglass) in your home and upcycle another material (the jeans) that is safe enough for your kids to be near. And get great results. Plus, the eco-cool factor is high!

UltraTouch from Bonded Logic seems to be the insulation of choice. If you're planning a renovation, or just thinking about planning a renovation someday, you can learn more about it at Building Green.

Celebs eating monkey brains, green skyscrapers, and a natural alternative to deodorant that involves scraping your armpit with a rock ... all sorts of weird/awesome green news and tips are filling the headlines today.

Jesse McCartney's in Hot Water with PETA Jesse thought he was being open-minded when he agreed to dine on some monkey brains during a recent trip to Asia. PETA says Jesse's the one who needs to evolve.

Ditch the Deodorant for a Rock and Some Clay? Can a volcanic rock and a bowl of clay really repel my post-workout stink? Or does the idea itself reek? I'm pretty skeptical.

New Homes in Your State Might Come With Solar Panels I'll take the 3/2 floor plan with sustainable bamboo floors, granite counter tops, and the optional solar package. How awesome would that be?

Empire State Building Gets Greenovated My favorite super-tall, Art Deco skyscraper is getting a green makeover. A wind turbine will stand on each corner of the rooftop, dwarfing the spire -- err, something like that.

Holy Collapsing Ice Bridge, Batman Not to be downer, but an ice shelf the size of Jamaica collapsed into the ocean in Antarctica. The way I see it, the only thing left to do is break it into cubes and serve them in high-end cocktails. There's your free get rich quick scheme of the day.

Green in a Flash:

• The Obama administration is being sued for having weak MPG standards.
• Construction has begun on a seven-mile wall to keep Rio de Janeiro's slums from expanding into the rainforests.
• The world's first wooden "heavy traffic road bridge" has been completed in the Netherlands, made of eco-friendly wood.

You came, you saw the fabulous Matt & Nat vegan bag, and you commented! This was one of our biggest contests ever.

We picked a winner at random, and now Veronica is the lucky reader who gets to go out on town, looking hot with the grey Hamburg bag.

Veronica told us about her favorite vegetarian snack:

I love all kinds of veggies. Edamame are my total fave, just with sea salt in a bowl. Yum!

She will look stylish and social responsible at the farmer's market when she's picking up some vegetable snacks and stashing them in her vegan handbag!

"Going green" has become as mainstream as baseball and apple pie, and Earth Day has morphed from an also-ran government holiday to a full-fledged international celebration of all things eco-friendly. Are you on the green bandwagon, or still wondering how to take part? Who do you think is making a difference, and who's lifestyle makes you cringe? Take the poll from GreenDaily and Bebo and let us know how you fit into the green movement, then check back on Earth Day, April 22 to see the results!

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(Photo by Getty Images)

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For some reason, every year at Easter otherwise logical people go to pieces over little baby ducks and little baby bunnies. If it stopped at oohing, aahing and cooing, that would be fine. But some softies actually buy these tiny creatures for their kids.

This is the rare occasion when marshmallow Peeps are the healthier decision, for the kids and the ducks and bunnies.

For one thing, those chicks can carry salmonella, which can cause some seriously nasty sickness in a little kid. For another thing, bunnies and chicks require a lot of care, probably more than you realize when your brain is caught up in a cuteness coma.

Respect for animals definitely grows when you have firsthand experience with them, but having a hutch or a coop in the backyard is more commitment than most of us want or need!

To give your kids a taste of the miracle of barnyard life, check out Petting Zoo, a national listing of petting zoos and plan a springtime trip when all the babies are being born. It will be a memorable experience for the whole family, and best of all, won't lead to a situation where you're looking for homes for Easter the Bunny's fifteen offspring!

By the way -- birds should never be dyed any colors of the rainbow, but I'm going to assume that if you're reading this, you are already aware of this basic concept of animal care.

Three things I like to see: green celebrities are fighting the good fight, awesome electric cars, and Americans rallying for clean energy. All three are in the headlines today.

Corey Feldman Rocks Green Charity Benefit Remember "Mouth" from The Goonies? He was my favorite character too. Well, he's an eco-rocker now, and his band, Truth Movement, is gearing up to bring the rock at a benefit show for Global Green in LA this month.

Everybody Loves the Tesla Model S If I had $5K-$40K sitting around, I'd put down a deposit on one of these super-sexy green machines today. Who wouldn't? I might have to go for one of the low-end models though.

The McCartney Family Dominates at NRDC Event Stella McCartney knows that "doing well and doing good in the world are not mutually exclusive." Her proud papa and his new lady-friend showed up to honor Stella for doing both "well" and "good." Well, I think it would be good to be a part of that eco-friendly family!

Boone Pickens Storms the Capital, Virtually Pickens and 4.5 million other clean energy enthusiasts have organized a "virtual march" on Washington DC this week. I'm virtually holding a controversial placard in the virtual crowd.

Your Shampoo May Spawn Superbugs Looks like the fresh-smelling, rejuvenating shampoos we've come to know and love are bad for the planet, maybe even dangerous. Doh!

Green in a Flash:

• Is boxed water is truly better than bottled? The debate may never end.
• The "Community Cooker" oven in Kenya burns trash to cook food, it's green but still kinda gross.

Proud San Francisco Zoo giraffe parents, Kristin and Floyd, are pleased to announce the birth of a new giraffe calf!

The baby giraffe was born this week, and is the second calf born to the herd this year. In January, Bititi received a bundle of leggy joy named Camilla.

The zoo vets are keeping an eye on this new calf, who seems to be healthy. They don't know if it's a boy or a girl -- they haven't done a physical exam yet, and apparently these things aren't super-obvious, even to the trained eye.

Here's another little pearl of wisdom you might not know -- the gestation period for a giraffe is 14 to 15 months! Also, giraffes give birth standing up, and baby giraffes are up to six feet tall when born.

Admit it -- right this minute you're glad you're not a pregnant giraffe.

The San Francisco Zoo is seeing a bit of a baby boom lately. In addition to the two giraffe calves, there's also the irresistible baby gorilla Hasani and a baby howler monkey. They're celebrating with a four month long Baby Bonanza in May, June, July and August, inviting visitors to bring their babies to see the babies at the Zoo.

A word of advice if you decide to come visit San Francisco and see the Baby Bonanza at the Zoo this summer: please remember to pack a winter jacket! Those jokes about cold summers and fog? All too true!