Change The World Wednesday --Thank You's

Change the World Wednesday

This week I want to Thank all those that so diligently keep us informed with new (and old) ideas about Going Green and making this world a better place.

Last week (I have a habit for being behind) was cleaning recipes and everybody had great ideas. A lot of them I use myself and there were a few that I will be making up very soon. The oven cleaner below sounds great.

At the bottom of this post you will find some FYI on Swiffer Sweepers. They use to be my favorite cleaner for the floors. That was until I was diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis and started to take a hard look at what I was doing to my life.

But like I said there are some great recipes listed on the sites below and we can all make a difference, One step at a time.

*Small Footprints at http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/2009/08/change-world-wednesday_19.html

*Waylandcook at http://waylandcook.blogspot.com/2009/08/homemade-green-cleaners.html

All Purpose Cleaner

All-Purpose Cleaner
• 2 tablespoons borax•
¼ cup lemon juice•
2 cups hot water•
20 drops tea tree essential oil
1. Combine the borax and lemon juice with the water in a spray bottle. Cap and shake well to dissolve the mineral.2. Add the tea tree oil and shake again to disperse the oil.

*TC at http://livesmartbook.blogspot.com/2009/08/change-world-wednesdays.html

*Elizabeth Barrette at http://gaiatribe.geekuniversalis.com/2009/08/13/green-cleaners/

1 tablespoon of sea salt plus a pinch of asafoetida powder, thrown into the washing machine just before a wash cycle, will banish gremlins.

Diagnosing an infestation of gremlins...

*Sinclair at http://naturewithme.blogspot.com/2009/08/change-world-wednesday_12.html

*Connie Mishali at http://seewhykinsman.blogspot.com/2009/08/change-world_13.html

Oven Cleaner;
2 tsp. Dawn
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. vinegar
2 tsp. Borax
2 quarts warm water

*Eemilla at http://eemilla.wordpress.com/

*Kathryn Magendie at http://tendergraces.blogspot.com/

*Sober White Women at http://thoughtsofasoberwhitewomen.blogspot.com/2009/08/its-friday.html

*Kate at http://holdfastseeker.blogspot.com/2009/04/kate-reveals-her-all-natural-cleaning.html

*Kelly at http://kellysideas.blogspot.com/

*Ann at http://ann-mythoughtsandphotos.blogspot.com/2009/08/grow-your-own-food-mushrooms.html

*Rewinn at http://rewinn.blogspot.com/2009/08/afterlife-of-teabag.html

*Nicole S. at http://sotorrifictwins.blogspot.com/

FYI on Swiffer:
There are 4 ingredients listed: Water, Propylene Glycol n-Butyl Ether, and the mysterious “minor ingredients” and “preservatives”. Three out of four of these are automatically not up for further research. We all know what water is and the vagueness of the last 2 ingredients makes it impossible to figure out what’s going on there. Which leaves us with Propylene Glycol n-Butyl Ether. (MSDS is one issued by Proctor and Gamble)

Product Safety Assessment by DOW "Repeated inhalation exposure may cause adaptive liver and kidney effects..."

More info Here

At any rate I now stay away from Swiffers, in fact I can't even stand to go down the isles where they are sold d/t to overpowering SMELL of cleaners.

Thanks again everyone, and keep up the good work !!

Trimming Your Dog's Toenails

How to Trim Your Dog's Toenails (Thanks to Natural Wonder Pets)

Have you ever clipped your dog's nails only to have him yank his foot away and yelp out in pain? If so, rest assured you are not alone. Many pet owners have experienced similar situations with their dogs. It is often hard to know the correct way to trim your dog nails without causing pain. But with proper instruction and a little practice, you could soon be as good as a professional.

Dog Nail Anatomy 101
To get a good understanding of proper toenail trimming techniques, you must first understand basic dog toenail anatomy. Dogs have four toes, also called pads, each having a toenail. In many breeds there is also a fifth toe located on the inside of the leg. The toenail for the fifth toe is called the dew claw.
Dog nails are very similar to human fingernails and toenails. Once the nails have grown out, the ends are dead and are painless when trimmed. But trim too close and you will cut into the quick, which is the living tissue of the nail bed.

Some dogs have white toenails while others have dark brown or black toenails. The quick of the toenail is easy to see in dogs having white nails, appearing as a dark line. However, it is nearly impossible to see the quick in darker colored nails. Dogs, like humans, experience pain if their nails are cut into the quick. This causes a burning sensation, throbbing pain and bleeding, which will leave the nail and quick sore and sensitive for days.

Dog paws are all fundamentally the same except for variations in shape and size. Their toenails, however, will grow at different rates depending upon activity levels and the type of surfaces they inhabit. Dogs who spend a lot of time roaming outdoors or on concrete, asphalt, or other abrasive surfaces will have some natural wearing and trimming of the nails. They may not require manual trimming as often. However, these circumstances may also contribute to nail sharpening. Even if there is no need for a trim, filing or buffing may be required to take away the sharp edges.

Why is Dog Nail Care Important?

There are many reasons why it is important to regularly trim and care for your dog's nails. Not only does improper care cause health problems for the dog, it also causes problems for you and your belongings. Proper dog nail care helps to prevent a number of potential problems, which include:

· Ingrown toenails - causing redness, swelling, and discharge having a potent odor

· Sore feet and legs

· Joint pain

· Discomfort when walking

· Scratches to you, your furniture, and floors

· Punctures to soft floor coverings such as linoleum and vinyl

· Picking and tearing of furniture fabric, carpet, and rugs

What to Use When Trimming Your Dog's Nails
There are several types of manual trimmers as well as a motorized rotary tool available. When selecting a trimmer, you should choose the one that best suits your dog's size and one that you feel comfortable using. Most of all, you should remember never to use regular fingernail clippers to trim your dog's nails.
Although your dog's toenails grow much like your fingernails and toenails, dog nails grow rounded versus flat and they are much thicker. Using regular fingernail clippers to trim your dog's toenails will result in pinching of the toenail, which may then cause it to break, crack, and split into the quick. This is followed by pain, bleeding, and jagged nails.

Tools Needed

When preparing to trim your dog's toenails, you should have the following items ready for use:

· Manual or rotary clippers

· A product to stop bleeding - a coagulant such as styptic powder or pads

· Nail file

· An enamel nail polish - made for dogs

Pain Free Toenail Trimming

Dog nails typically require trimming every three or four weeks. When executed properly using the correct tools and technique it can be a pain free experience for both you and your pet. The basic trimming technique is:

1. Hold your dog in your lap or to the side if the dog is large. Pet and reassure him as you wrap your arm around the middle of his body. (If you are right-handed, use your left arm and if you are left-handed, use your right arm.)

2. After wrapping your arm around the dog, hold his foot in your hand with your thumb on top of the toe of the toenail you are preparing to clip. Continue to talk softly to your dog, reassuring him.

3. Follow the placement directions of your clipper of choice and, with a steady hand, clip a small piece of the nail off at a 45 degree angle.

4. Look at the nail. If you see a dark spot in the center of the nail this is the quick and you should avoid cutting into the quick. If you do not see the quick, trim another small piece of nail and recheck for the quick. (If you accidently cut into the quick, immediately apply a blood coagulant to stop the bleeding.)

5. Repeat the same procedure for each toenail including the dew claw. Depending on the anxiousness of your dog, breaks may be required to calm him down and further reassure him. (Release his foot but keep him in your lap and pet him, beginning again once he is calm)

6. File any rough edges and apply a coat of enamel nail polish to each toenail. Then move on to the next paw.

7. Repeat entire process, trimming the toenails of all four feet.

8. Praise the dog and reward with a treat.

Although trimming dog nails can be a daunting task, filled of apprehension and uncertainty, you can master the process by using proper tools, staying calm, and practicing proper technique. Once you gain your dog's trust and develop a regular routine for trimming his nails, the entire process will become more relaxed and comfortable for both of you.

http://www.natural-wonder-pets.com/symptoms-of-dog-worms.htmlToday's featured product is FourGuard Herbal Parasite Formula for Dogs & Cats. For a limited time, buy one jar at the regular price of only $39.95 and get a second jar free!

All Natural Dog Care

Laboratory studies of ingredients in seven popular flea and tick control products reveal adverse health effects in all animals tested. The effects of these well known and aggressively marketed products range from convulsions, body tremors and labored breathing to thyroid cancer, brain lesions, and liver and lung tumors. Yet TV commercials with trusty looking veterinarians pitch only the happy side of these products.


Which flea and tick pesticide are you using on your dog and/or cat? If your favorite treatment contains the active ingredient Fipronil, Imidacloprid, Methoprene, Permethrin, Pyriproxyfen or the inert ingredient Butyldydroxytoluene, Butylhydroxanisole, Carbitol, Ethanol, or Polyvinlpyrrplidone, you need to know about the not-so-happy side of these products as well.

If you think your veterinarian or local pet store would never sell you such a sinister poison, think again.

Advantage (Bayer Corporation), Adams Spot-On Flea & Tick Control (Farnam Pet Products), BioSpot Flea & Tick Control (Farnam Pet Products), Defend EXspot Treatment (Schering-Plough Animal Health), Frontline Top Spot (Merial Limited), Frontline Plus (Merial Limited), and Zodiac FleaTrol Spot On (Wellmark International) - all contain one or more of the aforementioned active or inert ingredients.

Toxicology and morbidity findings from these pesticide products were gathered over a decade of laboratory testing by the United States Environmental Protection Agency; Occupational Safety & Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; Extension Toxicology Network; Journal of Pesticide Reform; Pesticide Action Network North America and other sources, with additional information supplied by Material Safety Data Sheets.

Most testing was performed for the benefit of new product manufacturers in order to qualify for EPA registration. Scientists overdose laboratory animals to determine how much of the product will kill 50% of the test population. Information is then extrapolated and assumptions made that may apply to domestic animals and human beings.

According to laboratory tests, Fipronil (Frontline Top Spot and Frontline Plus) is a neurotoxin and suspected human cancer agent. Fipronil can cause liver toxicity, thyroid cancer, kidney damage, raised cholesterol, lack of coordination, labored breathing, miscarriages and stunted offspring.

Laboratory testing of Imidacloprid (Advantage) on mice, dogs and rats shows this insecticide to be neurotoxic to laboratory animals, also causing a breakdown of coordination, labored breathing, lesions of the thyroid, reduced birth weight, and increased birth defects.

The synthetic broad spectrum pyrethroid insecticide Permethrin (Adams Spot-on Flea & Tick Control; BioSpot Flea & Tick Control; and Defend EXspot Treatment) shows indications of being an endocrine disrupter and the cause of lung cancer and liver tumors in laboratory animals.

Methoprene and Pyriproxyfen (Zodiac FleaTrol Spot On; and BioSpot Flea & Tick Control) are known as insect growth regulators (IGR), both of which restrict the growth of fleas to the juvenile stage where reproduction is not possible. Laboratory testing reveals that Methoprene causes enlarged livers and degeneration of the kidneys.

Unfortunately, few people actually read EPA test results. Fewer still want to hear about the many laboratory test subjects (unwanted dogs and cats) killed during and after the studies in order to determine damage to specific systems and organs. But it only takes a few people with straightforward thinking to bring about change. Are you ready to stop this insanity? There are effective alternatives, as you know.

Today there are totally natural flea and tick remedies - completely harmless to kids, pets and the environment - made from pure botanical essential oils. Some natural products work fairly well, some don't, and some work much better than the toxic stuff!

The mode of action - the way these natural remedies kill fleas and ticks - is to disrupt the insect's ability to function by blocking a substance called octopamine. In nature, certain plants have developed a natural defense against bugs. These "octopamine blockers" in plants are extracted as oils and used as active ingredients. Octopamine is to an insect what adrenalin is to a human. When blocked from the system, the insect quickly dies. No muss, no fuss. Nobody gets hurt but the bug.

Please begin today to stop supporting the heartless laboratory testing of innocent animals, the insidious cover-up and rush to market of big business, and the unwitting harm we may be doing to our children, our pets, and our planet.

Please check out the natural flea and tick remedy I recommend most highly, TripleSure, by clicking on the link below.

All Natural - Gary Le Mon's day job is in the insured financial services industry, but his evenings and weekends are spent crusading for animal rights, contributing to dog and cat rescue efforts, and making the Earth a greener, friendlier place to live. Learn more

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Le_Mon

Locally Grown (and produced) vs. Organic

As I thought about this weeks challenge from;
Reduce Footprints: Change The World Wednesdays I began to think about what I eat and where it comes from, is it locally grown and is it organic. I always do this when shopping, but in yesterdays post; All Natural Help for Gastritis I encouraged my friend to eat organic.

So living in the middle of the desert I know we can't always eat locally grown foods. In fact, when I think of the price difference between organic and non-organic I know a lot of people have trouble with this too.

So I encourage locally grown food. For me it includes about a 200 mile radius. My all natural Bison comes from northern Arizona. There are also local food markets that sell; Locally Grown, Organic & All Natural produce.

We have a bread company (Alpine Valley Breads) that makes all natural bread with organic ingredients. They are here in Mesa, Arizona and service the surrounding states. But even though it's made within 10 mile of my home, where does the wheat come from. We do grow some wheat here but is that where it come from. I doubt it and I didn't call to find out.

We also have a beer brewery (Four Peaks Brewing Co.)close by, within five miles. But again, where do the Hops come from. Are they locally grown, I doubt it.

I could go on about locally grown produce and products but, I think you get my point. If I are looking for a locally raised, all natural & organic chicken or bison it may be easy. If I have a choice between an organic orange grown in Arizona and one grown in Texas, I'll pick from Arizona. But, if I have to chose between a non-organic orange from AZ and a organic one grown in TX, I'll take the organic one from TX.

So, with that being said; I still encourage organic over locally grown. Locally grown may leave us with a toxic overload and lacking variety. There are foods to think about though, ones that should always be eaten organic and ones that contain a lessor toxic burden.

Below the Environmental Working Group (EWG) lists a shopping guide. And if you are trying to save money, hit the local farmers markets and buy organic when needed according to the list below.

Buy these Organic
Peach
Apple
Bell Pepper
Celery
Nectarine
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Grapes (Imported)
Carrot
Pear

Lowest in Pesticides (non-organic may be used)
Onion
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Papaya
Watermelon
Broccoli
Tomato
Sweet Potato

One last thought (from the Mayo Clinic);

If a food bears a USDA Organic label, it means it's produced and processed according to the USDA standards and that at least 95 percent of the food's ingredients are organically produced. The seal is voluntary, but many organic producers use it.


Products certified 95 percent or more organic display this USDA seal.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Products that are completely organic — such as fruits, vegetables, eggs or other single-ingredient foods — are labeled 100 percent organic and can carry a small USDA seal. Foods that have more than one ingredient, such as breakfast cereal, can use the USDA organic seal or the following wording on their package labels, depending on the number of organic ingredients:

■100 percent organic. Products that are completely organic or made of all organic ingredients.
■Organic. Products that are at least 95 percent organic.
■Made with organic ingredients. These are products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. The organic seal can't be used on these packages.
Foods containing less than 70 percent organic ingredients can't use the organic seal or the word "organic" on their product label. They can include the organic items in their ingredient list, however.

FDA Issues Threats To Seize All Natural Products

The FDA never ceases to get under my skin.

(NaturalNews) In an effort to censor any online text that might inform consumers of the ability of natural products to protect consumers from H1N1 influenza A, the FDA is now sending out a round of warning letters, threatening to "take enforcement action... such as seizure or injunction for violations of the FFDC Act without further notice."

"Firms that fail to take correction action," the FDA warns, "may also be referred to the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations for possible criminal prosecution for violations of the FFDC Act and other federal laws."

The message is crystal clear: No product may be described as protecting against or preventing H1N1 infections unless it is approved by the FDA. And which products has the FDA approved? Tamiflu (the anti-viral drug that most people will never have access to), and soon the new H1N1 vaccine that's being manufactured at a cost of one billion dollars (paid to Big Pharma by the taxpayers). This vaccine, of course, will be utterly useless because H1N1 will undoubtedly mutate between now and the time the vaccine is ready, rendering the vaccine useless.

OK, so the FDA approved and has pulled the following drugs.
Fenfluramine
Pemoline
Ticrinafen
Zomepirac
Benoxaprofen
Nomifensine
Suprofen
Seldane (terfenadine)
Etretinate
Encainide
Hismanal (astemizole)
Permax (pergolide)
cont. at;FDA Drug Recall Timeline

They have approved things like aspartame, fluoride, Gardasil, (and the list goes on) which have been shown to cause health problems and death.

Yet they want me to believe they have my best interest at heart when they are going to punish someone who has information, ideas or all natural treatments for the flu (of any kind).

What has happened to Free Speech & the ability to "Think Outside The Box". Oh that's right it interferes with "Big Pharma" making money.