Women's Health NOV 2010 > Renee Loux, GREEN your PET
Reduce Your Pet’s Carbon Pawprint
Care for your animals in earth-savvy style
By Renée Loux, Womens Health Mag Eco-Guru
1 A Natural Cover-Up
Keep Rover dry with West Paw Design Cloudburst Eco Rain Jacket, made from recycled fibers. It's machine washable in case your pup likes mud puddles. From $56, westpawdesign.com
2 Waste Not
Preloaded with biodegradable bags, the iPickUp2 dispenser, which is built from recycled kite sails, makes cleaning up after your pet easy. $9.30, 4u2reuse.com
3 Practice Restraint
Bamboo Wagging Green collars, leashes, and harnesses are not only completely biodegradable but also fast-drying and odor resistant. Collars from $11, leashes from $22, wagginggreen.com
4 Rest Assured
The Organic Bumper Bed from West Paw Design is bolstered with a soft filling made of recycled soda bottles, and the cotton covers come in nine colors. From $63, urbanleashandtreat.com or westpawdesign.com
5 Better Bedding
Line bird, bunny, and hamster cages with FiberCore Eco Bedding. Made from recycled paper, it's hypoallergenic and dust-free, keeping small animals and their owners happy and healthy. $6, fibercorellc.com
6 Seeds of Change
Harrison's Bird Food is certified organic, allowing feathered friends to enjoy a meal without harming Mother Nature's other creatures. $8.09 for a one-pound bag, harrisonsbirdfoods.com
3 More Ways to Green Your Pet
Buy Good Grub - Look for pet foods that contain whole ingredients, not chemical byproducts or those made using ecologically unsound practices.
Wash Well - Use only plant-based, chemical-free soaps to clean and condition your pet's coat.
Litter Less - Cat litter from Yesterday's News (yesterdaysnews.com) uses recycled newspaper so it's gentler on the earth.
Q & A
Eco Centric
Are grass-fed turkeys healthier to eat than grain-fed ones?
–Margaret G., Lawrenceville, IL
Absolutely. Grass-fed birds are leaner, more nutritious, and more flavorful than commercially raised, grain-fed poultry, which are typically confined en masses and more prone to disease. And in terms of nutritional value, nothing beats fresh pasture grass - birds fed on it are higher in health-boosting antioxidants including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and beta carotene. They're also especially high in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is believed to pack anticancer properties and reduce body fat. Look for grass-fed pultry in natural markets like Whole Foods or online at eatwild.com and grassorganic.com.
Ask the Expert
Eco-guru Renée Loux is the Author of Easy Green Living.
Visit her at reneeloux.com
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