Archives for April 2009

Earth Day: Every Day Living Tips

So today people are celebrating Earth Day but today more than ever it is increasingly important to not just celebrate and care for our planet on this day–but every day.

The annual Earth Day celebration began as a grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment in the spring of 1970 but efforts were actually in the works from about 1962.

Now, 39 years later, Earth Day is a national focus, people and communities across the nation conduct events geared toward teaching others how to help conserve and protect our planet.

Earth Day encourages people to be participants in conserving the environment and the animals in it.

But we need to make Earth Day and every day event through our actions.

We face bigger challenges today because people are disconnected from the natural world and their part in the web of life.

Helping people to reconnect in simple but effective ways can have a global impact.

I wrote a few tips about how pet owners can go green , going green with cat litter, and featured a guest post about eco-friendly pet beds with similar topics sharing other ideas planned for the future but what can you do now?

Try taking these steps on a weekly basis:

1. Carry a trash bag when you travel and take home your waste.
2. Pick up any litter you see around you on walks and in your neighborhood.
3. Clean up after your pet on walks and trips.
4. Take public transportation, commute with a coworker, or ride a bike once a week.
5. Recycle your waste so you reduce trash buildup.
6. Reduce your use of throw away products.
7. Use old fashioned and less toxic cleaning solutions.
8. Plant native plant species in your garden.
9. Use electronic technology options to cut down or eliminate paper billing statements.
10. Take action to reduce junk mail.

Check out the following resources for further information:

California Resident? Say No to Syrofoam!

Environmental Protection Agency

Earth Day for Kids

Live Green @YouTube

Discovery Green

What is your carbon footprint?

Earthday Network

Earth Day Website

Invasive Plant Information

California Invasive Plant Council

California Department of Food & Agriculture (Invasive Plants)

TNC Global Invasives Team

Do It Yourself: Stop Junk Mail

Privacy Rights: Reducing Junk Mail

Haleys Handy Cleaning Hints

Do you have any resources or tips to add? If so, please comment below.

Ark Lady’s Must Read Animal Blog List (1)

Unlike most bloggers, I don’t have a blogroll.

However that doesn’t mean I don’t read a ton of blogs–because I do.

Most of them I read via RSS. I comment on a few, lurk on most.

Because time is at a premium, I actually subscribe to blogs that I am interested in and view them without having to go out on the net.

Honestly, I am afraid to try and count how many I subscribe to…but only a few make the cut for every day reading.

But recently I was asked what my favorite must read blogs were and so I thought I would begin a resource list and also post a few of my new finds that you might find interesting and useful.

The problem with the Internet is that people looking for quality content don’t always know how to identify it. So this list should help.

Regular Reads

One of my favorites is Pet Connection. A team of bloggers share their voices and opinions on pet related topics and many are professional writers.

If you want to locate strong viewpoints on pet related issues–and get a glimpse into the lives of these talented professionals–make sure you stop by if you haven’t already.

I guess it is no accident that another favorite is the BFF of Pet Connection–Dolittler.

Dr Patty’s voice is unique and although she blogs a lot about veterinary medicine, she also ventures into issues that arise in the pet industry.

Now by default I am a mammal gal–even though I have worked with all types of animals.

So, I recently decided I needed to take up a new hobby that would interest me but not be too similar to work–my choice?

Birding!

So my favorite blogs to get me going on this new hobby are Bird Chick (who also is into bee keeping with a disapproving bunny watching over her) and 10,000 Birds.

Nature’s Best Photography is a feast for the eyes along with contest news and student postings.

Bug Girl is educational and entertaining for those interested in entomology…be sure to read how to make Bug Girl crazy. *snicker*

Women in Science is full of short summaries of interesting scientists who also happen to be women.

I bet you have a few favorites–let me know in the comments!