Posts Tagged ‘Recycling’

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

: 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.

All The Things You Should Know About Your Dog – But Don’t Want To Talk About! (animaltopics.com)
Dog Health Answers: Shaking Dog and Dog with a Runny Nose (animaltopics.com)
Your Vet: The Perfect Resource to Educate You About Your Dog’s Diet (animaltopics.com)

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

Tags: Biodegradable Bags dog poop Pets Recycling Urinary system

USA needs to catch-up with Mexico in Biodegradable

February 26th, 2010

In August 2009, non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags were banned in Mexico City. Any yet we in the US are so behind the times, most people have to idea what what is going on with using biodegradable plastic products. San Francisco is ahead of the curve, but not too many other places. On company trying to make a difference is Wal-Mart. They set targets of reducing plastic bags in Mexican stores by 50 percent by 2013. Wal-Mart translates this into 237 million less bags per year. This would be 33 percent less bags by 2013. Some other notable advancements outside the US include Montenegro imposing a tax on 1st January 2010 of 100 Euros per tonne on products made from ordinary plastic, but only 1 Euro per tonne on products made from biodegradable plastic tested according to ASTM D6954-04 or ASTM D6400-04 or EN 13432. Other countries having similar changes in their environmental laws include Argentina, Brazil, Mauritius, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Barbados and the United Arab Emirates.

So what is the real cost of using a biodegradable shopping bag? It may be more expensive that a normal plastic bag. But is the cost for an environmentally friendly bag not work a few extra cents? That’s all we are really talking, pennies.

There are some obvious facts that should help make the decision
* Biodegradable plastic bags are better for the environment
* Plastic will be in a landfill 300 years from now
* Plastics are clogging up our sewers and drains

What are the top reasons for using biodegradable bags?
1. Biodegradable bags return to the environment
As the bag breakdown, they turn into a mulch that can be asorbed back into a landfill. This is obviously better than sitting around for a couple hundred years. By breaking down, the bags will not enter the oceans and affect fish.

2. Biodegradable bags Break Down Faster
It will take only 1-3 years approximately for the bags to breakdown. If a plastic bags is not recycled, it will be here when your great great great great great great great grandchildren are build condos on top of landfills.

3. Biodegradable bags Are More Environmentally Friendly
The will be methane and mulch release back into the environment that can be used if properly handled in landfills.

4. Biodegradable bags are also Recyclable
This means that they can be reused if not turned over to a landfill.

5. Biodegradable bags will help third world countries clean up
many third world countries do not have the landfill and compost capabilities of developed countries. If the plastic bags are degradable, they not cause as much damage to the environment outside of landfills.

Ban Plastic Bags In Hawaii (socialactions.net)
Plastic bags in US _ to pay or not to pay? (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
SF Green Festival 09 – Flushable, Dissolvable Doggie Doo Bags (treehugger.com)

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Posted in Biodegradable Bags, Government

Tags: Biodegradable Bags Biodegradation environment Mexico City Plastic shopping bag Recycle Recycling Wal-Mart

Am I Green or a Hoarder?

February 16th, 2010

I’ve asked myself that question many times recently and found that it’s really difficult to give myself a straight answer. I have certainly made a few small changes in my life that some would say make me “eco-aware” or “eco-conscious”. I’m recycling at home and in the office, I’ve ceased taking baths and only take showers, I reuse plastic bags I receive at the grocery store and printed paper as scrap paper. I’m definitely more aware of the footprint I leave behind and even try to drive my car at a more consistent speed to minimize my use of fuel. I feel as if I am leaving a smaller footprint than I was 5 years and 10 years ago but how much am I really helping my environment? I know I am no Ed Begley Jr. but I’m also not driving a Hummer, idling in traffic or wasting water and paper.

I feel like my possessions have increased as a direct result of my being green. I hold onto anything that could be possibly re-used. Printed manuals and materials I always think can be repurposed, boxes are piling-up in my storage unit and home and my desk at work has small piles of papers I’m waiting to jot notes on memo phone calls. Bigger items have been much easier to find homes. Working electronics can always be recycled at local-run recycling drives or given away or sold. If you buy a new mattress or a new computer, most retailers will remove the old one regardless of whether or not it still works. However, there are dozens of items that definitely fall into the category “I should reuse but I have too much of this crap”.

I used to reuse my supermarket shopping bags as pet waste bags but quickly realized I am helping no one that way. So what do I do with the bags I have already put aside? How about that stacks of paper that I can definitely use for scrap? Who writes anymore? I send everything electronically because it means I have a record of it somewhere. I can only take so many phone messages and write them down on paper. What else can I do with it?

Now that I have been so very honest, please do not start sending me links and articles for the wealth of info out there. The truth is, I am already aware but there truly is a wealth of info to go through. My favorite thus far is guide National Geographic produces called the Green Guide. (http://www.thegreenguide.com/) There’s also an app on Facebook called “I am Green” (http://www.facebook.com/iamgreen) that puts you in touch with other FB users that are also attempting to green-up their lives.

All in all, I do my best everyday to be greened than I was the day before. I don’t know if I am officially green yet but I am trying to get there.