Archive for May, 2010

The Real Deal : Miami’s First True Green House

May 13th, 2010

Last weekend I spent an afternoon at Albert Harum-Alvarez’s home.  He’s running for County Commissioner in District 8 in Miami-Dade County.  His home is known as the Green House in these neck of the woods for it’s truly sustainable building practices.   It’s generated so much buzz that he now hosts weekly open houses for residents to see how anyone of us can make a home sustainable and economical it we just think a little bit more about our surroundings.

The home took one year to build and 7 YEARS TO PERMIT!  The fundamental idea was to ‘plant’ a house and integrate it with the natural surroundings.  However, when you try to do things slightly different, even if different means logical and responsible, it’s an uphill battle from the beginning.  I won’t go into the tragic details of that ordeal, suffice to say there is still a lot of work to be done with our building codes.    I will however highlight some of the more compelling aspects of this beautiful home and show you how everyone can have a sustainable domicile.

The house was build east to west length wise so the south side is pretty open & the east and west sides are shaded.  This way the house is full of light for the bulk of the day – rises southeast, sets southwest.  It’s also built out of concrete with reduced their windstorm insurance dramatically.  Where would we be without our Florida hurricanes???

The following photos are only a fraction of the work and planning that went into building this home.  All in all his energy bills are a fraction of the average condo, let alone house.

7 types of grass were planted on the premises. Yes, that’s right, SEVEN.  The logic was to let them fight it out until the strongest, or perhaps a few of the stronger ones survive in different areas depending on sunlight and moisture.  That way they won’t have to be nursed year round and drain water supplies or require fertilizer.

The pool!  Heated with solar panels and a manageable size that doesn’t require huge amounts of energy to heat.

This is a computer powered toilet.  Why you might ask…low flow water to start and it’s also the shoot to a compost under the house that collects the waste and makes it useful fertilizer!

The pump house where all the water comes from typically hold water around  80-86 degrees because to the heat that is removed from the house.  The well is roughly 85 ft below ground.

Stunning cypress tree (I believe) that towered over everyone and probably has equally as impressive roots.  Provides great shade and absorbs a lot of water through the trunk and branches.  There are maple lychee, and cherry trees in the back yard.

A gargoyle in the ‘basement’ is area under the house…..just because.

Following the ‘cracker’ style of building (really, that’s what it’s called), vents are placed at the top of the rooms to ventilate the hot air out.  Air stacks up at 3 different levels, so even the windows are tall to let the hot air our and cool air in.  Very popular design from Key West and other areas that didn’t have ac back in the day.

East side of the house with a lovely patio and a path into the garden and pool. Delightful!

Wonderful afternoon with some truly remarkable people.  If he is this consciousnesses  about his home imagine what he’d be like as a commissioner!

Please check out his website and help Albert fight the good fight against over development and wasteful building/living practices that drain our very, very limited natural resources.

http://facebook.com/electAlbert
http://electAlbert.com

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

No comments »

Posted in Activism, Building, Government, Living, Renewable Energy, Sustainability, energy

Tags:

Adopting A New Dog: A Homecoming

May 13th, 2010

Why buy a dog when you can bring home a new best friend from a local animal shelter well-nigh for free?  Purebred dogs come with health issues of over breeding and special grooming requirements – and these issues are often completely absent among dogs of mixed breed.

If you insist on a purebred – you should still go to your local shelter.  On a recent visit, I saw one Great Dane, 2 German Shepherds, 2 Dalmatians and 3 Labrador Retrievers that were most definitely purebreds.  They end up in a shelter because of owners who don’t know how to train them – or have no time for them.  Labs in particular are often dropped off at shelters for “chewing things up” – but that is the nature of that breed when young.  They are “mouthy” and will chew everything in sight until trained what is and isn’t permissible as a chew toy.  Many Lab owners  take drastic steps to control this chewing behaviour, buying special gates and pens or confining the dogs to special rooms when the owner is absent. When you need to pick up after then, remember to use your biodegradable dog poop bags!

Although it’s true that a few dogs may end up at the shelter due to barking or antisocial behavior, those problem animals are usually not considered adoptable by shelter personnel.  Most shelter dogs simply need a bit of obedience training to become valuable companions.

Some shelter dogs may have been through various situations before landing at the shelter.  They may have been abused, abandoned by a roadway, become lost and wandered alone for some time.  They will not understand at first why they are being moved to another new location – they will not know that you are giving them a forever home. 

The best method of helping your new dog fit to your home and family is to establish a regular schedule for the dog and adhere to it for at least a few weeks.   Regular feeding times, regular walks and/or play time will help your new pet fit in good and quickly.  Dogs are quick to adapt to the schedules of their people and some canines seem to have their own inner clocks.   Many dogs have been documented going to the door where their owner will enter – and doing so while the owner is still miles away.

Dogs also can set their own schedules.  Your dog may want to play early in the morning and again in the late afternoon – and may insist on bringing you his toys and trying to get your attention at those times of the day.  For that reason, the schedule you have should be adjusted as you see what best fits your dog.

When disciplining a shelter dog, you should start with the barest minimum of correction – using your tone of voice to indicate approval and disapproval.  That is often all that is requisite as a disciplinary tool.  Remember that some dogs may have been mishandled or mistreated.   If you quickly raise an arm or make a sudden movement and notice your dog will cower or growl – you know there is some history there to overcome.   Kindness and patience will solve the problem but it will take time to gain the total trust of the animal.

From the first day you bring your adopted dog home, put your hands on him often.   Look at his ears, his paws; look closely through his fur or at the skin of his belly.  What are you looking for?   Nothing.  You are letting the dog know from the first meeting that you will be touching and looking at him closely.  Many dogs will become very nervous at this attention but it is important to establish your “right” to do this as ease of grooming, dog baths and veterinary visits depend on being able to handle the dog in this way.  When you walk then, take your dog poop bags with you.

You also start basic behavior training the moment you bring the dog home.  Spoil him with doggie cookies – but make him “sit” before getting each biscuit.  Take him for walks – but always go through a doorway first to establish yourself as his leader.  Let the dog know what is expected of him and through your voice let him know what is good and bad.   Knowing what is expected of him allows a dog to settle in and learn to trust his new owner. 

 Good luck with your new dog!

www.greendoggiebags.com

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

No comments »

Posted in Biodegradable Bags, training

Tags:

The Top 4 Things Everyone Should Know About Pet Adoptions

May 11th, 2010

The following post is part of our weekly guest blog post from our good friends at Adopt a Pet!



Link: http://blog.adoptapet.com/ – Read More About Pet Adoption
Bio: Adopt-a-Pet.com is a non-profit pet adoption charity that helps shelters, humane societies, SPCAs, pet rescue groups, and pet adoption agencies advertise their homeless pets to adopters for free. We’re all about getting homeless pets into homes.


A healthy mixed-breed with shiny coat and brig...

Image via Wikipedia

Q: Common Questions One:
Although there are literally millions of pets in shelters, pounds and other ‘temporary housing’, many pet-owners-to-be don’t think about pet adoption when they’re looking for their new four-legged friend. Why do you think this is, and what can be done to turn that around?
A:

Many people who want to get a pet just are not aware of how many pets are available at shelters. They might also have the misconception that pets are shelters might be there because there was a problem with the animal. In fact, most pets end up in shelters not because of any problem pet behavior, but because an owner died, moved, or simply didn’t have the time or money to care for the animal.  In some cases animals are lost and never found by their owners.  These animals are healthy and very eager to please.  Rescues pets are wonderful- just ask anyone who has one.

Some people are seeking purebred animals or puppies and think these are not available in shelters. In fact, nearly a quarter of all animals in shelters are purebred. Often someone buys an expensive purebred animal and then attempts to breed that animal to recoup their money. Often these puppies or kittens are not placed in homes, and end up in the shelter. Puppies and kittens often up in sheltrs as well, but it is important to note that your animals, especially puppies, require a lot of work and training and can be quite destructive (peeing on the carpet or chewing shoes). Puppies are great but often people are much happier getting a dog who is older, and whose size andtemperament is a known quantity.

With Adopt-a-Pet.com and without even leaving their home, people can search all their local pets and see pictures and descriptions of the animals.  This way, they can find the exact pet they want, call the animal shelter or rescue group, and get information

Animal Rescue

Image via Wikipedion how to adopt that specific animal.

Q:Common Questions Two:

What are the 5 most important things a potential adopter should consider when choosing their new pet?

A:

We actually have a blog post on this highlighting the top 10 things we believe are important when adopting. Here are five, the rest can be located by visiting this page http://www.adoptapet.com/public/guides/permanentpets.html.
1. You need to make a real commitment to care for your pet for its entire life.
2. Verify in advance that you’re allowed to keep a pet where you live.
3. Never adopt a pet on a whim or because you feel it’s love-at-first-sight
4. Provide sufficient exercise and stimulation during the first few weeks, this will help the pet adjust.
5. Make any necessary modifications to your yard and fence to provide for your pet’s safety.

Gogo Wants a Pet

Image by The Mooncake Box via Flickr

Q: Common Questions One:
What are 5 positive aspects of pet adoption, and why it’s a good option?

A:

1. When you adopt an adult animal, you can see his/her size and temperament.  This helps ensure that the pet is right for you and your family. 2. It feels great to know you have saved an animals’ life and everyone you meet will give you kudos for that for years to come. 3. Adopted pets are very loyal and know they have been given a new home. 4.  Adopting a pet can be an important lesson to teach your children– both about the value of life, and also about civic responsibility and even recycling- in this case recycling a living and loving animal into a new home. 5.  Choosing a mixed breed animal can help avoid many of the genetic health problems that have developed in purebred animal due overbreeding and inbreeding. Q: Common Questions One: If someone reading this isn’t in a position to adopt a pet right at this time, but still wants to help homeless pets, what are 5 things they can do to get involved?

Q: Common Questions One:
If someone reading this isn’t in a position to adopt a pet right at this time, but still wants to help homeless pets, what are 5 things they can do to get involved?

A:

1. People can do Social PETworking!  They can run a search on Adopt-a-Pet.com, find a pet they want to help get exposure for, and use the share tools on our site to post the pet link on their Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or other social network page. Or, they can email the link of a pet in need form our site to their friends.
2. They can place a link/grpahic or even a search widget for Adopt-a-Pet.com on their personal website to encourage they users to see pets in need at local shelters.  (hyper link “link” to our links page where we have graphics to be used as links)(hyper link “search widget” to our search module page which itself is a link form our links page)
3. People can add their info to our volunteer database (link) so shelters who need volunteers can find them.
4. People can search Adopt-a-Pet.com to find a local shelter, and make a cash donation to that shelter to help them with the costs of housing, feeding and medical care of shelter animals.
5. People can encourage other pet owners to spay or neuter their pet (link to our spay neuter page) to help prevent unwanted births.

Adopt-a-Pet.com (formerly 1-800-Save-A-Pet) is a non-profit pet adoption charity that helps shelters, humane societies, SPCAs, pet rescue groups, and pet adoption agencies advertise their homeless pets to adopters for free.  There website hosts thousands of pet listing across the country.
Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

No comments »

Posted in Uncategorized

Tags:

Is Your Dog Is Having Too Many Accidents?

May 9th, 2010

If you are having trouble with housetraining your dog, the quickest way to get around the problem and make a diagnosis is to know your pet’s history. Knowing how your dog has been performing at home yields important information to the veterinarian and helps narrow the diagnosis. Here’s how you can help:

HADDINGTON, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 01: A vet ca...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

1) For urinary accidents, note if your dog is passing water more often; producing normal, littler or larger amounts of urine; dribbling while walking; leaking while relaxed or sleeping; or wetting when excited or scared.

2) For fecal accidents, take a sample to the veterinarian. If your dog defecates in front of you

, does she appear to be straining or pooping while he’s walking upright? (Hopefully you are carrying your biodegradable pet waste bags with you). Look at the stools: Are they loose, runny, firm, hard, blood or mucousy? Are st

ool volumes less or more often than normal? Is your dog defecating more often?

HADDINGTON, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 01: Vets prep...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

3) Report any changes you’ve noticed in your dog, such as increased drinking or vomiting; reduced or increased appetite; weight, skin or coat changes; lethargy; panting; anxiety; fear; lameness or difficulty getting up; or reluctance to play or exercise.

4) Think about any changes or new events in your dog’s life that preceded or coincided with his housetraining accidents. A

new member in the household? A change in diet, supplements or medications? A frightening event? Be sure to report anything new to your dog’s veterinarian.

Do Not Withhold Water

“I know you hate bath time, but if you didn’t ...
Image by colorblindPICASO via Flickr

What goes in must come out, so some dog owners might find it tempting to simply reduce the amount of water their dog drinks or withhold water completely at night or while they’re absent.

This could be a very dangerous thing to do. There are medical issues such as kidney problems or urinary tract infections where the dog actually needs to drink more water. Withholding water from a dog with low-grade kidney problems might lead to grave kidney failure.

Depriving a healthy or ill dog of water could also lead to new or worse pre-existing problems. That said, there are some young dogs that just love to drink water, so they wet far more often. In those cases, restricting water to some extent is the only way that the dog can be a happy, functional member of the family. Unfortunately, many dogs do not outgrow this.

If you suspect that your dog is lapping up water because it makes him happy to do so, discuss your suspicions with your veterinarian and get a vet exam to rule out any conditions that could cause increased thirst.

For more information, just click here

Always take your dog poop bags when you walk your dog.

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

No comments »

Posted in Animal Protection, Biodegradable Bags, Pet Health, Pet Waste Bags, Waste

Tags:

How To Choose The Perfect Dog To Adopt

May 4th, 2010
Photo of a dog behind a chain-link fence at th...
Image via Wikipedia

When adopting a dog, it’s best to confirm that you and the dog are an excellent match. No amount of preparation ensures your dog has the characteristics, temperament, and behavior that are ideal for you. Nevertheless, many tiny preparations can minimize the odds that you’re adopting the wrong dog for you or your family. Adopt the proper dog using the following criteria:

The Dog Breed

The dog’s breed is crucial in choosing a dog that will meet the characteristics you are trying for. Certainly, the breed’s temperament and characteristics are just approximations of how the dog would act when it’s full grown, as individual dogs have individual personalities. Still, the dog’s breed will still give you an idea of what to expect.

The Dog’s Function

Not all folks who adopt a dog do thus solely to have a pet. There are homeowners who look to put their dogs to use consistent with the dog’s activity or training. Some are made into therapy dogs, others as guide dogs etc. If you are considering a dog for specific purposes, you should select ones that have undergone special training or, generally, have the traits appropriate for the function.

The Dog’s Source

There are plenty of places you can visit when looking for a dog ready for adoption. There are the rescue teams, the animal shelters, and local humane societies for dogs. These have individual preferences about the dogs they take in, which should provide you an idea of what to expect in the dogs they shelter.

An animal shelter is the place to go to save a dog’s life. Animal shelters don’t necessarily keep track of the dog’s history thus you can expect surprises as the dog grows old with you. Additionally, they often accept mixed breed dogs or mutts who possess surprising characteristics. If you are not a big fan of surprises, you’ll verify the choice of dogs rescue teams have for you.

Rescue groups are, generally, the most effective sources for dogs that are sensible for adoption. These keep tabs of their dogs’ history and also the dogs’ previous owners. If you’re inquisitive about knowing the conditions from where the dog you are getting came from, a rescue team is the most effective place for you to start your search. Rescue teams are very specific concerning the breeds they accept. They conjointly shelter their dogs in actual homes, not in kennels.

Your Home

Where the dog is going to is also a crucial issue when adopting a dog. Some dog breeds don’t seem to be suitable for families with children, others are not comfy in confined places.

If you have kids in the family, the size and activities of the dog you are planning to adopt ought to be considered. Tiny dogs are likely to be abused when kids are around, children treat their dogs like they might their toys. Terribly huge dogs, on the opposite hand, are a big no-no for little kids. Youngsters could be hurt around powerful, muscular, and over sized dogs.

Also check into the policies of the neighborhood you’re living in. If you are living in an apartment, check with your apartment owner for their pet regulations. You don’t wish to adopt the right dog only to take it back to the shelter as a result of of your living area’s no-pet clause policy.

Whatever dog you choose to adopt you need to make sure he or she is flea and tick free.  Frontline for dogs is one of the best ways for you to do this. Buy Frontline for dogs at a discount price by shopping around.

And when you get that dog, make sure you use biodegradable dog poop bags from Greendoggiebags.com

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

No comments »

Posted in Animal Protection

Tags:

Get Adobe Flash playerPlugin by wpburn.com wordpress themes