Have you ever watched a dog eating and wondered if she was uncomfortable craning her neck to get every last bit of kibble? “Ah, but she’s just a dog,” you might say. “Surely, dogs can handle eating from the floor!” But when I stumbled across These Creatures‘ amazing Designer Hanging Feeders, I had to wonder if my dog deserved a new dining nook.

And yes, dogs are dogs, but some pet experts say that elevated bowls help canines reduce strain to their neck and back muscles and joints. Young nothing-can-stop-’em pups may not need to be pampered with a special ergonomic feeder. Older dogs that struggle with painful arthritis, or bigger dogs that really have to stretch their neck to reach the floor may have a stronger case for beggin’ for a fancy new bowl.

Either way, These Creatures get our vote for an ergonomic elevated feeder. These beautiful made-in-the-USA feeders aren’t propped up on posts or a platform. Instead they hang on the wall. This means that if you don’t mind hanging and re-hanging the bowl a couple of times, you can change the height depending on your dog’s growth, or to accommodate any new furry friends that may join your family in the future. No need to toss the bowl just because it’s not properly sized for your pooch anymore!

The contraptions are made from 12-gauge steel and come with removable stainless steel bowls. You can choose from five different color choices and 46 different breeds from a basenji to a Yorkie, including the French bulldog and pit bull designs shown above. If you don’t see your favorite breed or a doppelgänger for your mutt, stay tuned. These Creatures are currently working on a list of more than 10 additions to its collection.

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There’s something about Paul Frank that kids absolutely love. Now 26 Bars and a Band has teamed up with the license to bring dog and cat owners adorable, eco-friendly pet products featuring the funny monkey Julius. The pet beds and retractable leashes are designed and produced by an animal loving, eco-conscious couple who have brought four rescues into their family – three cats and a dog.

The Devil Julius Leash is just one of the many Avant Garde retractable leashes the company offers – we also love their non-Paul Frank options, too. On the leash you can let your dog run wild for up to 15 feet, but when he has been a bad dog, you can reel him right back in. The leash is made from ABS plastic that’s recyclable, and 26 Bars and a Band has a program set up so you can send back fully-used retractable leashes to be recycled. When you take back your leash, the company will donate $10 to the Center for Biological Diversity in your name.

The Paul Frank pet beds are made plush and cuddly thanks to a generous helping of recycled plastic bottle fill. The cover is removable so you can wash it – a super important factor if you’re using this bed for a puppy. The three styles come in both king and queen sizes.

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The dog days of summer can be tough times for canines. Dogs can get dehydrated quickly in hot weather, so it’s extremely important to give them water when exercising or playing outside. Since giving your dog water from your bottle, or finagling a way to give your pooch access to a drinking fountain can be tricky, here are two eco-friendly stainless steel water bottles made just for Fido.

Stopping for a doggy water break at the park is easy with these specially designed stainless steel water bottles. On the bottom it looks just like any old water bottle, but when you remove the top, it becomes an instant dog bowl – making it easy for your dog to drink up. You don’t have to worry about toxins because the bottle is made from non-leaching food grade stainless steel and the caribeaner clip allows you to attach it to your belt loop or leash when you head out. It’s also great for travel and will fit in standard size cup holders.

H2O4K9 Water Bottles, Muttropolis, $22

If your dog is happy enough to drink straight from the bottle, you can designate one special stainless steel water bottle just for the pup. While you might think this bottle is just like any regular bottle, this one has a rollerball that slowly releases water for your dog. The design is similar to water bottles used in rabbit or gerbil cages. It also comes with a carabiner clip and is available in two pooch-inspired styles.

Stainless Steel Pet Water Bottle, Plow and Hearth, $19.95

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Heck yeah are rain barrels a great way to save on your water bill and rescue your thirty plants during droughts when you can only water on certain days! Water from the barrel is also great for washing cars and dogs. The trouble is, rain barrels have traditionally looked like, well, barrels. Big ugly plastic barrels. Not something you want in your beautifully landscaped yard or gorgeous flower garden, right? Luckily, designers and garden shops have started creating rain barrels that defy the stereotypes. In a variety of colors and styles, all with easy to access spigots, here are our five favorite rain barrels.

From HERO 365 designers Jenny Lemieux and Leo Corrales comes the Hero 365 RC-1 Rain Collector, a 45-gallon rain barrel available at Bobby Berk Home for $550.

A built in planter lid helps disguise this Chateau Rain Barrel in your yard. Available from Composters for $308.58, the 75-gallon barrel is made from super-durable polyethylene, but has a ceramic look from afar.

The 70-gallon Quad Rain Barrel, available on Composters for $399.60, is made from FSC certified Canadian spruce that has been treated without chemicals to withstand biological degradation.

With a look that’s more wine barrel than rain barrel, this Woodgrain Rain Barrel, available on Clean Air Gardening for $169.99, looks like an oak cask. In reality, it’s made out of heavy duty plastic, which gives it long-lasting durability.

Even though this barrel looks like a ceramic planter, it’s made from molded plastic that promises to withstand extreme temperatures. The 50-gallon Algreen Aqua Rain Barrel also comes with a garden hose for easy watering. The budget-friendly option is available at Sears for $139.99.

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I can’t believe it’s not toxic! You may not be giving yourself cancer as you scrub shower tile mold with your planet-friendly eco cleaning gel, but you are finding it frustratingly difficult to wipe away the problem – damn you chemicals that irritate my eyes and skin but actually work! Now we aren’t saying that there aren’t other green cleaning products that get the job done (because there are a variety to choose from), but we’ve all had those frustrating experiences too.

Now Scandinavian import Eco Clean makes green cleaning a satisfying experience.

Created by Danish scientist Jens Erik Hansen who is known for developing products with a low eco-toxicological profile, the line uses a natural amino acid derivative to do the dirty work. Eco Clean’s product range includes All Purpose Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner, Dish Wash Soap, Glass Cleaner, Kitchen Counter Top Cleaner and Hand Wash, all containing the special formula that helps improve cleaning power, while cutting down skin irritation.

Instead of harsh chemical surfactants, the Eco Clean line uses plant and sugar-based surfactants, specifically sugar beets. And instead of allergy-triggering synthetic fragrances, the products get the fabulous scents of orange, rosemary, spicy lavender and cool mint thanks to essential oils.

What’s more, the line is made in a SWAN certified factory, a Nordic eco label that only responsible manufacturers who prove ingredient integrity and purity get to boast. The PET bottles are also recyclable.

To try the line for yourself you can buy Eco Clean products at Duane Reade or Alice.com for the surprising low price of only $4.49 each.

The post Stop the Presses, A Green Cleaning Line That Actually Works! appeared first on EcoSalon.

Love animals and want to help one today? Here are nine ways you can save a cat, dog, or other domestic animal right now.

Sign the Stop Puppy Mills Pledge: By signing the Humane Society’s pledge, you’re promising: “I will do my part to help stop puppy mills. I pledge to help end this cycle of cruelty by: Choosing not to buy my next pet from a pet store or Internet site and refusing to buy supplies from any pet store or Internet site that sells puppies.” It might not feel like you’re saving a pet today, but your efforts can help. According to non-profit Make A Happen, four to five million puppies die globally every year, that’s roughly 11,000 every day, and roughly one dog dies in a puppy mill every eight seconds!

Adopt a Shelter Animal: Take the advice of my fellow Flora & Fido writer Maggie Marton. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, approximately five to seven million companion animals enter U.S. shelters each year. So follow her five tips to recycle a pet.

Adopt a Guinea Pig: Maggie also tells us that dogs and cats aren’t the only pets that need new homes – and they’re not the only animals bred in mills either. Guinea pigs are in need of help, too. One little guinea pig can’t be so hard to adopt, right?

Look to the Latest Natural Disaster: After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of pets died and many were left behind. Rescue organizations and animal lovers stepped in to help. Right now, pets are being abandoned at an alarming rate in the Gulf Coast region as a result of the oil spill. You can help the forgotten Gulf oil spill victims by adopting one or donating to organizations helping the cause.

Find a Dog or Cat Who Needs You Now: New Beginnings Animal Rescue in Hinesville, Georgia is one non-profit focused on eliminating the euthanasia of cats and dogs. They send emails to their members listing dogs who are on death row with just a few days to live. It’s heartbreaking. But it’s also reality in states that don’t have no-kill shelter mandates. You can also see adoptable and desperate pets on their Facebook page. Another Georgia shelter, Walton County Animal Control, also displays their last-chance pets on their site. Adopt one, or foster a pet to save it now and then find a worthy forever home later.

Fall in Love on the Go: Petfinder.com’s iPhone app makes it easy to adopt a homeless pet whenever you feel inspired. Sitting at the bar with your friends and thinking about adopting a pet? Pull out your phone and make a group decision on the most deserving animal. While you’re at it, find one for every friend sitting at the bar with you. Cheers!

Visit Adopt A Pet: The site’s easy-to-search database has plenty of dogs, cats, rabbits, birds and more for you to fall in love with and rescue. If you’re not ready to add a new animal to your family today, “Twitter a Critter” to encourage your followers to adopt the pets that tug at your heartstrings. I tweeted about Skye as I wrote this post.

Help Baghdad Pups: Ready for another tear-jerker? The street dog population in Baghdad is estimated at 1.2 million. Recently Iraqi authorities shot or poisoned more than 50,000 to alleviate the problem. What’s more – many U.S soldiers cope with their life at war, in part, by befriending the local animals. You can donate to the SPCAI’s Operation Baghdad Pups program, which provides veterinary care and finds ways to get these beloved animals back to the U.S to join troops when they return home – another place where these pets can offer a lot of comfort.

Donate: Another great option for those of you who can’t take in an animal now is to donate. Find a local dog shelter or animal rescue organization that you feel strongly about helping. Or, donate to one of the big animal rescue organizations like the ASPCA or the Humane Society of the United States.

Image: heypatrick

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Having fresh flowers in your home or office can brighten up a room literally and improve your mood, too. If you’ve created a gorgeous garden of blooms, why not use your hard work in the garden as your source of flowers rather than forking out cash at the store or market? If you follow our tips for cutting fresh flowers, you’ll be able to enjoy them to their fullest. And you can read our guide to flower arranging to make sure your bouquet is one to impress.

When to Cut

You may be tempted to snip a few blooms when you’re outside midday, but this isn’t the best idea. If you cut flowers first thing in the morning, you’ll get ’em after the cooler temps at night have helped to restore their strength. If you cut them at night, they’ll be filled with food. Either option is a good way to maximize the longevity of cut flowers.

How to Cut

Picking flowers might sound like a fine idea when the feeling strikes, but you should never break or pull flower stems. Instead, bring a sharp pair of pruning shears, or scissors if you’re cutting thin stems, outside, so you’ll make clean cuts. You don’t want to damage delicate stems.

Keep Them Wet

When you go out to cut your flowers, take a bucket or cup of water with you. This way, as you cut each flower you can place it in water. If the stem is left to fly in the breeze, the air will start to seal up the flower so it will wilt before you get a chance to enjoy it.

Re-Cut the Stems

Once you get your cut flowers inside, you’ll want to re-cut the stems. Do this underwater for the best results. Also, this time, take care to cut the stems at a 45-degree angle. The angled cut will help ensure your flowers will absorb the maximum amount of water in the case, as it keeps them from sitting flat in the vase.

Blooms from Bulbs

Some flowers need special care when cutting. Blooms that grow from bulbs can struggle to drink water unless you snip of the white part at the bottom of the stem before you put them in water. Watch out for this with daffodils, crocuses and tulips.

Milky Stem Flowers

Sunflowers and zinnias are what green thumbs call milky stem varieties. To keep the flower from losing all of their nutrients, which are important for them to keep looking beautiful once you take them inside, you should dip each stem in boiling water for about 30 seconds before placing them in the vase.

Woody Stem Flowers

If you have a dogwood or lilacs, you’re in luck with great blooms, but you have to be sure to cut the stems properly to enjoy them in the house. Use a hammer to smash the thick stems at the bottom until they’re frayed.

Food for Longevity

Since you won’t get a packet of powder (which contains who knows what!) when you get a bouquet of flowers from your backyard, you can use DIY solutions to make the flowers last. Everyone has their own recommendation for what you should put in the water. Since bleach and aspirin don’t appeal to our eco side, try a copper penny and a cube of sugar; two tablespoons of both apple cider vinegar and sugar; or a few drops of vodka and a teaspoon of sugar – yes, vodka.

Images: eedrummer, per Ola Wiberg-Powl

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If your dog isn’t a city dweller and is lucky enough to have a backyard, he probably runs around on grass. Because, well, what else would you cover your backyard with, right? Luxury interior design Kari Whitman, owner of Kari Whitman Interiors LLC, has a different idea – ForeverLawn, an eco-friendly synthetic alternative.

So how is faux grass eco-friendly? And why is it better than the real stuff?

According to CafeMom, Whitman says instead of grass, she always uses ForeverLawn, which is made from recycled materials. Not only is it easier to maintain and keep green in comparison to real grass, it holds up to the extra wear and tear dogs bring to the backyard. ForeverLawn’s K9Grass is made specifically for dogs. The faux grass yarn is knitted, which allows for flow-through drainage and it has a antimicrobial agent to prevent stains, odors and bacteria. It’s also completely washable, all of which make it great ground cover for kennels and indoor dog parks.

Dog-lover Kristen Bell is one of Whitman’s celebrity clients that has a ForeverLawn covered backyard. Bell has plenty of eco-friendly habits – she’s a vegetarian, she has partnered with eco companies like TOMS shoes and earlier this month she dedicated her 30th birthday to Charity: Water. Plus, she lets all of her rescued pets run around on faux lawn: Lola and Mr. Shakes came from shelters, while Sadie was a post-hurricane Katrina rescue from New Orleans. That said, she also spoils her pups with an outdoor Moroccan tiled hot and cold water doggie bath.

I’m not exactly convinced that choosing a fake lawn is really a more eco-friendly choice – and my dog Leo (shown above) might argue that there’s nothing like a good roll in the real grass! Though the fact that the lawn requires little maintenance does have some green benefits. In effect it saves water, eliminates the need for fertilizers or pesticides, cuts out the gas and pollution associated with mowing and prevents erosion.

If you’re not ready to makeover your backyard you could try a patch of grass to see how your pooch likes it. Or they even make a K9Grass potty.

What do you think of K9Grass? Smart idea? A bit ridiculous? Or not green enough for your dog? Tell us in the comments below.

Images: gTarded, abfsra

The post Is Faux Grass a Green Idea for Fido? appeared first on EcoSalon.

I wish I would never lose another strand of hair again. Yes, I want my hair to be as thick and gorgeous as possible forever and ever, but more importantly, I can’t stand clogged shower drains! To me, a hair-clogged drain that fills the bathtub as I shower is one of the most frustrating household troubles – and not so easy to fix. You can only do so much with a snake tool or wire hanger, and as an eco savvy woman, I don’t use chemical un-cloggers. Luckily, there’s a DIY, green solution for unclogging drains that’s extremely easy.

While going into your drain with a wire hanger is far from fun, this alternate four-step DIY approach will make you feel more like you’re attacking your drain 6th grade science experiment style – and we promise it’ll be an easy “A”.

1. Baking Soda. Dump about 3/4 of a cup of baking soda down the drain.

2. Vinegar. Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar, which has proved to be an eco-friendly a household savior, down the drain following the baking soda. Bill Nye would be proud. Now the two ingredients will start to react creating a mini volcano. Sadly, you can’t watch the magic. Before it starts going out of control you want to plug the drain with a rag or plug so nothing can come out of the drain. You want the volcanic action to clean your pipes, not your tub.

3. Wait. Let the mixture go wild for about 20 minutes.

4. Hot water. Put a tea kettle on to boil, still leaving the drain untouched. Once the tea kettle is ready, remove the plug and pour the boiling water down the drain. Now your drain should be fixed, however some tough clogs may require a second round.

Fun and not as stinky as pulling the hair out, right?

Image: skyro

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Earlier this year, I started my first container vegetable garden. I have peppers and spinach coming along and some bright red grape tomatoes that I think are ready to pick – or are they? Even though they are red, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to pick them and add them to a salad just yet. Since I’m a novice gardener, I need to learn (and want to share) tricks for harvesting your vegetable garden at the perfect time. Gardening can be easy, we promise.

Cucumber: If you’re growing fresh slicing cucumbers, wait until they reach about seven to nine inches long and are a bright dark green color. They should be firm and smooth. When you harvest, be sure to leave a short stem on each one. You’ll need to check and pick cucumbers daily when they’re ready.

Leaf Lettuce: Once your plant has grown to about 4 inches in height, harvest the outer leaves, while allowing the inner leaves to grow. You can keep reaping the benefits of your lettuce plants all summer long.

Spinach: When leaves are four to six inches long, cut them off at the base. You want to do this before you see a flower stalk start to shoot up amongst your leaves. After you harvest, new leaves will grow in their place so you’ll have more spinach later.

Eggplant: Eggplant is one fruit that should be harvested when it’s slightly immature – experts say this leads to better flavor. Look for firm, shiny eggplants that are bright purple to black in color. Don’t pull your eggplants off the plant — cut them instead.

Summer Squash: This is one veggie that you want to pick young. Keep a close eye on summer squash, checking it daily even. Test the skin to see if it’s tender enough to poke your fingernail through – that’s a good indication that it’s time to pick. If you’re growing zucchini, ripe ones are typically between four and eight inches long and about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Beets: Once you see beet shoulders popping out of the soil line, you can harvest them whenever they look like the size you like to eat.

Tomatoes: Should you pick them when red? Yes, but make sure they’re fully colored and slightly soft. Some green thumbs suggest waiting five to eight days after the tomatoes turn red. If you’re new to gardening, be sure to check their firmness daily. They can become soft quickly if overripe. The best way to pick? Twist and pull from the vine.

Onions: You might think onions are a bigger challenge because they’re hiding beneath the soil. However, they’re relatively easy to harvest. Watch for the top to ripen and fall over. Then, dig them out and allow them to dry in the sun. Be sure to harvest before the frost.

Carrots: These veggies can be tricky since it’s hard to know how long they are when they’re in the ground. Watch for orange tops of the carrots to appear at the soil line. When the diameter looks appropriate for the variety you’re growing, don’t stress about how long it might be, just pull one out of the ground to see if the length is good. If so, go ahead and harvest. But there’s no harm in pulling your carrots out later in the season long after they’re ripe – some experts swear a light frost gives the veggies a sweeter flavor.

Sweet Peppers: Pick your green peppers when they reach full size and feel firm. Red, orange or yellow peppers take an extra two or three weeks. They should remain on the plant until they turn the appropriate color.

Radishes: You don’t want radishes to get over ripe because they’ll get tough and woody – and they mature quickly so watch out! Once you see the tops of the bulbs showing at the soil line, pull them.

Peas: Don’t wait for your peas to develop seeds fully. Pick them when the pods look and feel full? They’ll be sweeter if you harvest them before they plump all the way. Too hard to tell? The best way to determine if you should pick your peas is by tasting one for sweetness.

Are you an expert in picking veggies at the right time? Have you grown sweet and flavorful harvests worth bragging about? Tell us in the comments below.

Images: Kelly1878, me’nthedogs, Arlington County, Gare and Kitty, Lizard10979

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