Debass Blog

Cows create almost 20% of the world’s greenhouse gases.  That’s more than trains, planes and automobiles combined!  Other livestock contribute as well, but when you measure gas emissions, cow flatulence heats up the earth like nothing else.  In fact, the methane that cows discharge has 23 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide.

Consider that one cow releases about 10 lbs of methane per month and there are 100 million cows just in the US.  That’s 12 billion pounds of methane emitted into the atmosphere every year.

SOLUTION:

1.  Well, if you’re a rancher - change what your cows eat.  Feeding them garlic neutralizes the bacteria in their stomachs and cuts their emissions in half.

2. As an individual, reduce your intake of red meat.  A University of Chicago study found that each beef eating America contributes to pumping an extra 1.5 tons of CO2 into the air every year.  Almost all of that emission is created by raising cattle and processing beef.  It’s equivalent to driving an extra 5,000 miles every year.

Tropical fish make great pets because of their beautiful colors and exotic looks, but did you know that some tropical fish are caught using methods that are bad for the environment?

The two most aggregious methods are “poison fishing” and “blast fishing”.  Poison fishing is most popular in Bali and the Philippines.  In poison fishing, divers squirt cyanide into a coral reef to disorient the fish and then saw into the coral and grab them - leaving the coral and the other fish to die.  In blast fishing, divers throw a stick of dynamite into the reef to stun the fish.  The diver captures the disoriented fish and leaves behind a dying coral reef, disrupted swimming patterns, destroyed eco-systems and multiple dead fish.  Unlike poison fishing, blast fishing is illegal - this however doesn’t stop people from doing it.

As a result of detrimental tropical fish harvesting like the aforementioned methods and a host of other poor environmental practices, 25% of the world’s coral reefs are dead or dying and an additional 30% are in immediate danger of the same fate. The death of coral reefs affects the many countries who depend on the reefs for food, livelihood and medicine.  In fact, many of today’s AIDS and cancer medicines are made from coral reefs.  Additionally, coral reefs serve as the backbone of the ocean - protecting the coast from sunamis and flooding.

SOLUTION:

Considering purchasing fish from businesses that are MAC (Marine Aquarium Council) certified.  Businesses that are a part of this organization are aligned to collecting tropical fish under the most sustainable methods possible.

To date there are 17 million pet birds in America and ownership of pet birds is growing at a rate of 5% per year.  Unfortunately, the most popular bird to own is a parrot.  Because parrots are in high demand and hard to capture (approximately 70% die in captivity in an effort to export them to the US for pet ownership) they are being pushed to the edge of extinction.

SOLUTION:  Help limit the trade of illegal parrots and adopt from a shelter.

Also known scientifically as caulerpa taxifolia is the most resilient species of seaweed. This plant used to be highly popular as an aquarium plant because of its ability to thrive in almost any aquatic environment.  Unfortunately, this plant competes with its cousin seaweed species - generating a toxic chemical that keeps other fish from eating it.  As a result, it creates large swamp areas of the sea that can’t support fish.

A few years ago, Killer Algae appeared off the coasts of Australia and California and in the Meditteranean.  The spread was allegedly sparked by an aquarium owner who disposed of it in a storm drain.

SOLUTION:  Dispose of algae and other aquarium items in dry trash - keeping the two eco-systems separate.

Traditional dry cleaners use toxic solvents to clean your clothes.  When disposed of, these solvents are toxic and damaging to the environment.  Consider using an eco-friendly dry cleaners.  These cleaners use liquid carbon dioxide to clean your clothes without damaging the earth.

With 4 out of every 10 households in the US owning a dog, that equates to over 68 million dogs in the US.  And while dogs are cool pets to have, their poop has a powerful environmental impact.

Consider this:  Half of the 68 million dogs in the US are large dogs and 40% of pet owners don’t clean up after their dogs.  This adds up to tons of pollutants in our soil that makes its way to our water supply, lakes and streams.  Pollutants like e.coli and salmonella.  In fact, studies show that 30% of the pollutants in our water sources come from dog poo.

SOLUTION:

1.  Clean Up After Your Dog

Be kind to the environment and a good neighbor and clean up after your pooch so the bacteria in his/her poo doesn’t make its way to our water supply.

2.  Use Biodegradable Bags for Poo

The average dog will use over 12,000 plastic bags over their lifetime.  Unfortunately plastic bags take over a century to degrade.  Instead, consider using biodegradable bags for your pooches poo.  These bags degrade in about a month.  Check out websites like www.ecoproducts.com for a solution that meets the needs of your special pooch.

Invented in 1947, cat litter has evolved over the years and today, consists primarily of sodium bentonite.  Sodium Bentonite is great for cat litter as it can soak up to 10 times its weight in water.  For cat owners - this means you can scoop it and forget it.  The problem with sodium bentonite however, is that it doesn’t biodegrade and each year, more than 2 million tons of it ends up in landfills.

SOLUTION:

1.  Go Natural

Consider using natural litters made out of wheat or recycled newspaper.

2.  Toilet train your kitty.

It’s believed, and proven, that a cat can be trained to use the toilet in just a few weeks.  This will not only save the planet, but save your pocket too.  Check out this free video on YouTube for how to train your kitty to use the potty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p943wK0tSWQ

Flea collars are made by mixing insecticides with plastic resins and molding them into a thin strip.  These insecticides however, can be harmful to you and your pet.  Instead, consider one of these three natural solutions.

SOLUTION:

1.  Make a solution of lemon peel and hot water.  Allow to cool and dab on your pet’s fur.

2.  Purchase diatomaceous earth and dab onto your pet’s fur.

3.  Feed your pet one garlic clove a day.

Cashmere comes from the wool of thousands of goats raised in NE China in Mongolia on the edge of the Gobi.  It’s 100% natural and cruelty free but the demand for cashmere has increased and as a result so have the number of goats to keep up with the demand.  But these goats are big eaters and they are so ravenous that they’ve turned a lot of the large chinese grasslands in Mongolia into deserts and as a result have unleashed some of the worst dust storms on record – choking the residents of Beijing and blocking out the sun.

SOLUTION:

You can help by reducing the demand for wool by buying alternate materials or by buying wool from Alpaca goats.

The average American owns 7 pairs of denim jeans.  In fact, studies estimate there are 35 billion pairs of jeans on earth and unfortunately, most of them will end up in landfills.  However, there is a solution - insulation.  A company called Bonded Logic  takes used blue jeans, chops them, treats them and turns them into insulation.  While that is good news, the better news is that its proven to be 50 - 75% more effective than traditional fiberglass insulation.

Want to donate your old jeans to the cause?  Visit http://www.CottonFromBlueToGreen.org/ for more information.