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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2016)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL April 20, 2016 11A Go green with your pet E nvironmentally conscious lifestyles are a way of life for many people. But while men and women may look to hybrid cars or energy-saving applianc- es to reduce their carbon foot- prints, few may know they can go green with their pets, too. Pet care is likely not the fi rst thing pet owners think of when they look to tweak their life- styles to make them more envi- ronmentally friendly. But there are many ways pet owners can take a more eco-friendly ap- proach to caring for their pets. • Buy environmentally friend- ly toys and supplies. Many businesses now produce prod- ucts with the environment in mind, and manufacturers of pet products are no exception. When buying toys and supplies for your furry friends, look for products made from recycled materials or natural fi bers. Such products may even be packaged in post-consumer materials like recycled paper. • Buy in bulk. Buying pet items in bulk can be both eco- friendly and convenient. Buying in bulk means less frequent trips to the store, which conserves fuel and saves you time. Buying in bulk also means less packag- ing, which conserves resources and leads to less plastic and cardboard fi nding its way into landfi lls. • Keep a watchful on your pets. Pets that are allowed to roam free can have an adverse impact on local wildlife. For ex- ample, cats that are allowed out to roam your yard and the yards of your neighbors may be on the prowl for birds, and killing birds can have a negative impact on local ecosystems. Each bird death caused by a cat is pre- ventable if pet owners simply keep their feline friends inside, which veterinarians note is good for the average cat’s life expec- tancy. In addition, keep your dog on a leash when taking Fido for a walk or to the park, as dogs also are prone to some question- able behavior when off the leash and out from under the watchful eyes of their owners. • Embrace organic foods. Many humans are turning to organic-only diets, and there is no reason why pet owners can’t let their four-legged friends in on the fun. Certifi ed organic pet foods are created without the use of any harmful pesticides, hormones and artifi cial ingre- dients, making them healthier for both the family dog and the planet on which he roams and chases his frisbee. • Clean up in an eco-friendly way. Cleaning up after your pet has done his business is perhaps the least enjoyable part of pet ownership. But dog owners can make picking up their pooches’ poop more eco-friendly by using biodegradable poop bags in lieu of plastic bags from the grocery store or elsewhere. Plastic bags will sit in landfi lls for years to come, while biodegradable bags will decompose over time. Cat owners can also make cleaning up after their pets more eco- friendly and healthy for their furry friends by using envi- Eight ways that kids can go green R aising eco-friendly children is less complicated than it once was. From very early ages, today’s kids are exposed to environmental topics and how they can do their part to maintain and protect the plan- et’s resources. Between activities at daycare and lessons at school to information they re- ceive from educational television program- ming, some kids are taking their own envi- ronmental initiatives — and involving their parents along the way. Inspiring children to be eco-friendly can be enjoyable and get those creative juices fl owing. The following are eight ways chil- dren and their families can work together to protect the environment. 1. Precycle. Kids can attempt to reduce waste by recognizing products that could be wasteful and then avoiding those items. Toys or everyday items with excessive packaging that we use without thinking are just some examples of items that can be precycled. 2. Repurpose. Look at items that nor- mally end up in the trash and fi nd new and fun ways to repurpose them. Children can make crafts out of junk mail, catalogs and old newspapers. Juice boxes or plastic con- tainers can be turned into boats or accesso- ries for dolls and action fi gures. Use natural materials found in the yard or on a nature walk to make a fairy garden or imaginative world for small toys. 3. Reuse. Toting lunch or snacks around can be more eco-friendly when reusable containers are part of the equation. Explore the many lunch bags, beverage cups, ther- moses, Bento boxes, and other packaging available. Many are made from recycled materials as well. 4. Walk. Encourage getting around with- out fi ring up the car. Walking, jogging, bik- ing, or scootering around the neighborhood is more eco-friendly than driving. Many ad- ventures can unfold when seeing the world from a pedestrian’s vantage point, but things are easily missed when riding inside cars or trucks. 5. Conserve water. Lessons learned in conservation are important. Water is one resource that is crucial to human life. Kids can explore ways to cut down on water con- sumption or use water more effi ciently. The environmental resource Green Lifestyle Changes says that a 10-minute shower with a standard shower head can use upward of 80 gallons of water and generate up to four pounds of CO2 emissions. Simply reduc- ing shower time can save energy and water. There are other ways to conserve as well. Make it a family project to collect rain water to use for washing cars or watering plants. 6. Rent rather than buy. From toys to video games to movies, people have more entertainment options than ever before. And nowadays it’s easy to access a fresh supply of entertainment without making purchases that require the manufacturing of new items. Streaming rented content rather than buying packaged versions can reduce waste in a number of ways. ronmentally friendly cat litters that don’t contain strip-mined clay or clay sediment that can contribute to feline respiratory problems. There are many ways eco- conscious pet owners can reduce their carbon footprints without expending much effort at all. Science Pub to feature dragonfl ies, damselfl ies 7. Turn off/turn down. Turn off lights, ap- pliances, electronics, and much more when they’re not in use. Also, encourage children (of an appropriate age) to unplug certain electronics so appliances aren’t consuming electricity while in standby mode, which is called vampire power. 8. Change body care products. Introduce kids to earth-friendly soaps, shampoos, toi- letries, and cleaning supplies. On Tuesday, April 26, the Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council welcomes Cary Kerst, naturalist and co-author of the beautiful "Dragonfl ies and Damselfl ies of Oregon: A Field Guide," to Cottage Grove for our April 2016 Science Pub presentation. His talk entitled Dragonfl ies and Damselfl ies of Oregon will inform on these unique insects in whose ances- tors were here before the dinosaurs, can live for fi ve years, fl y 35 miles per hour, and truly eat “on the fl y.” Learn from an expert about the life history, habitats, and behavior of these fascinating insects along with a photographic introduction to the Oregon species. Dragonfl ies and Damselfl ies comprise the insect order Odonata, and are some of the most beautiful of insects, rival- ing butterfl ies and moths for their amazing colors and behav- iors. Dragonfl ies fl ying abilities rival anything in nature and continue to be studied by scientists and aeronautical engineers to learn how they accomplish their incredible feats of fl ight. Come and discover more about Dragonfl ies and Damselfl ies in Oregon! The Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council hosts a free monthly public meeting series called the Coast Fork Sci- ence Pub on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 5-7pm at the Axe & Fiddle, 657 E. Main Street in Cottage Grove. The event begins with informal socializing, trivia, prizes and updates about the watershed and watershed council during the fi rst hour. Then our formal science pub presentation begins at 6 p.m. T EACHING Continued from page 10A R ECYCLE ! R EUSE ! E R O T S R E h e Habitat Donation Trailer will be at the COTTAGE GROVE EARTH DAY CELEBRATION Saturday, April 23, 10am-4pm. Bring your items to donate! And visit the ReStore to shop ... T HURSDAY , F RIDAY & S ATURDAY 10 AM -4 PM For Drop-off appointments, after hours, call the offi ce Preserve our earth. Keep items out of the landfi lls. Donate to the ReStore. Habitat Offi ce and Warehouse 2155 Getty Circle ~ Unit #1 in the Cottage Grove Industrial Park South on Hwy 99 past the High h School Call 541.767.0358 for more information Email info@habitatcg.org stead of keeping the faucet run- ning while brushing your teeth, turn the faucet off and encour- age kids to do the same. When they ask why, explain that this helps conserve water, and show them how it's just as easy and effective to clean teeth without the water running as it is when the faucet is on. This teaches kids that conservation is simple and often just requires minimal effort to make a big difference. There are additional lessons about conservation that parents can impart. For instance, when grocery shopping, always make a list before leaving the house and explain to kids that you do this so you don't have to make two trips to the store and waste the gas that the second trip would require. In addition, en- courage kids to turn the lights off when they leave a room to better conserve energy. Purchase Recycled Products Recycling is a practice that many of today's kids grew up with, and as a result, many of them might take it for grant- ed, failing to fully realize the positive impact they're making whenever they recycle. If re- cycling is as natural to kids as breathing, then it's no surprise they might not recognize its im- pact. One way parents can address this issue is to purchase products made from recycled materials. A host of products are made from recycled materials, from the pa- per you put in the printer to the toys under the tree on Christmas morning. Explain to kids why you're choosing these products, and let them know such prod- ucts wouldn't be possible with- out their own recycling efforts. Another way to help kids re- alize the value of recycling is to make crafts from recycled prod- ucts. For instance, make a papier mache globe to celebrate Earth Day by using old newspapers as your primary material. Such lessons show kids their efforts make an impact and increase the likelihood they'll continue this eco-friendly lifestyle well into adulthood. Earth Day Celebration Saturday, April 23 • Coiner Park • 10:00-4:00 Free fun for the whole family! Live Music all day - Demonstrations Local Vendors - Food Kids Activities-Free Prizes Contact 541-942-1185 or 541-767-9793 for information Urban Forestry Committee First Presbyterian Church Earth & Social Justice Committee