"Greening" your Pet

We are all striving to live more environmentally friendly. We reduce our waste, use natural products, and consider our actions and how they affect our environment. Many people forget that their pet is part of their family and also needs to live more environmentally friendly. Here are some tips to 'greening' your pet:

Many of the chemicals used in pet-care are harmful to your pet, you and the environment.

• Diatomaceous earth is safe and organic to use on your lawn to kill fleas and ticks; It can be purchased at most feed stores, be sure to wear gloves, a face mask, and don't ingest it!



• You don't have to bathe your pet with toxic shampoos, just use an herbal shampoo and leave it on your pet for 5-8 min. Leaving it on that long will kill the fleas and ticks



• Natural Flea Treatment:People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has a formula that works 100% of the time, is environmentally friendly, and does not expose you or your pets to harsh chemicals and carcinogens. Simply slice up two lemons and pour nearly boiling water over them, then soak overnight. The next day, strain the liquid and pour into a spray bottle. Spritz the dogs daily with this solution and rub it into the coat. It is also a good idea to spray their bedding. No more fleas! (from doityourself.com)



• Providing your canine friend with all natural pet food is important for their health—let’s take a bite out of a few of the benefits:
  There are less allergen causing products in all natural foods. Preservatives and wheat or corn meal found in regular dog foods can cause hair loss, itching, and other allergy symptoms in sensitive dogs.

Since natural dog food rarely uses meals, there is a smaller chance of harmful or diseased products being included in the food.

Hormone free chicken, beef, or fish used to manufacture your dog food impacts the environment less, since less hormone-injected animal waste is being placed into the aquifer. (taken from greenlivingideas.com)

• One last thing- Don't leave your pet in a locked car. The internal temperature of the car can reach ten to 20 degrees higher than the outside temperature. So a 100 degree day is like an oven in your car. If you want a hot-dog; go to a baseball game.

Have a great day SA,

SES

Environmental San Antonio- Summer is here!

Hello San Antonians!

It sure is hot out there, news reports say we will get to 101 this afternoon.
Here are some tips to keep cool during this hot day:

• Protect yourself from the sun- wear sunscreen, cover up with a long sleeve shirt, and hat.
• Check your local UV Index here: http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html#lookup
• Look at your car- Green Vehicle Guide Smog is at its highest levels during the summer. Tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks account for almost half of the air pollution in the United States. You may be surprised to know that you have cleaner more fuel-efficient choices in any vehicle size you need, even an SUV. Find out for yourself. Go to the Green Vehicle Guide to find the cleanest, most fuel efficient vehicle that meets your needs. (taken from epa.gov)
• When mowing your yard: Recycle grass. Don't pick up the grass clippings after you mow. Clippings will return nutrients and moisture to the soil. Consider buying a mulching lawn mower. This will cut the grass clippings finer and blow them into the lawn. (taken from epa.gov)

• Keep track of the drought restrictions- In this time of year it is especially important to watch your water usage. You want to make sure to follow all regulations; if not for the environment, then for the fines! First time fines can be up to $100, and repeating fines go up from there! Here is a link for more information: http://www.saws.org/latest_news/NewsDrill.cfm?news_id=600

If you need any environmental services visit our website for more information: http://www.synergisticenvironmental.com/

Have a great day SA!
SES