During the 2009 holidays I am offering my book pack for sale at a reduced price and giving $5 (five dollars) from the sale of the pack to my Cedar4Mayor campaign. That money goes to the local animal shelter in my own backyard. You see, our community is building new digs and I want to do my part for the animals. I urge all of you to help me. It is soooo easy, go to Cedar4Mayor and vote for me; $1 (one dollar) equals 1 vote (one vote); Vote Early and Vote Often. It’s a big deal.

I call shelters “recycled love zones.” Unlike our people, animals don’t have a way to state and defend our rights; therefore, it becomes the responsibility of the community of humans to care for us. There are thousands of homeless animals who are treated cruelly or who are abandoned in our own communities. They need us to rally round and lend a paw or a hand.

Now for a little bit about what my grassroots campaign. I know kids and neighbors, mayors and everyone love animals. I am setting up this Cedar4Mayor campaign to make it easy for everyone to vote and help with small gifts. Like a dollar or two or maybe even one hundred pennies; having all of the animals and humans in your house vote for me. You can vote more than once, vote early, maybe every month thru December 31, 2010. I call it being paw-litical for the animals.

I know my life is really good, I couldn’t ask for much more. If you’d talk to my little brother Ernie, who co-authored the children’s book, Doggone Clean and Green with me, he’d tell you he doesn’t get enough to eat, he wants more food. He gets enough; he just wants to “gorge.” I suppose I used to be that way too; in reality many animals have little or no food, water or shelter.

Sometimes our lives change too and we are sent back to a shelter or worst left behind; a pet parent passes away, or there isn’t enough money to care for us. Maybe our people lose their home. I came to my “forever home” from Chesapeake Bay Rescue; my early life was not good as I was abused and penned-up outdoors.

Today, as an author and environmental advocate ending homelessness for the animals is my top eco-agenda item. All of us, cats and dogs, need to be licensed wherever it’s required and wear identification tags or be chipped. Our humans must make sure we can’t escape through holes in or under a fence or nudging open a gate and keeping our feline brothers and sisters indoors.

My agenda includes pet overpopulation controls, spay and neuter. Imagine this, 70,000 kitties and puppies are born every day compared to 10,000 human babies.

Finally, why are so many pets given to shelters? In my books I list common excuses that people offer when cats and dogs are turned over to shelters. Some of them are so silly they make you wonder why people get us in the first place. I like to remind pet parents we are entirely dependent on our people for our well-being.

Check out Cedar4Mayor, Vote for me and help the animals.

My eco-work began in 2006, in my own backyard, so to speak. We began by cleaning-up my “own business.” We made sure we picked up the poop on our walks and in our yard; used more eco-friendly products and reduced our residential waste stream by three-quarters. Today, we compost and this year started our own garden. I taught my family to reduce, recycle, and reuse and then we set in motion a plan to let the neighbors know. You see, I want my neighborhood to be a place where pets and their people most want to live.

Along with the 3 R’s I’ve added a 4th, retool. What’s that you ask; it’s learning new habits, thinking about purchases before you make them, being a think eco-first kind of creature be it human or animal? It’s about up cycling and using imagination to make a difference.

Then it was time to broaden my eco-activism. I wanted to widen my circle. I wrote a couple of books, so pets and their people had a reference of what to do and how to get it done. My books are intended to encourage change, to end the way you’ve been doing all things non-eco. My mantra: Go Green, Live Healthier and Bark about it.

Now, I’m setting off on another milestone, it’s time to do more; to serve and empower others to do the same. Some days we need to break from the pack and go for it. If that’s sounds like you please join me becasue I’m Running for Mayor for everywhere and anywhere and, here’s why.

Remind candidates everywhere to focus on the environment

Reduce your pet’s impact on the earth

Raise money for the animals; homeless animals are a part of any pet-friendly eco-agenda

My campaign needs one and all, animals and humans alike. We can make a difference. Since I’m a dog, it is easier for me to keep it simple; bear in mind simple isn’t without effort. The subtitle of my second book ( a children’s book) says it all; Eco-Solutions for a Pet’s Daily Life. We’ve got big work to do to change the world, so let’s get started. There is not another moment to waste.

Sign up to join me on this crusade. Click here to support my latest project, its launch date is fast approaching. I’ll have a video up soon.

First off, some news from Doggone Green headquarters. My moms got me that puppy I said I wanted after I finished my book. Ernie is his name. He is the cutest little guy. Don’t tell him, but he is good for me; keeping me young and in top form.

Here’s the thing, I watched him the other day and his puppy steps remind me of the Doggone Green Actions I bark about in my book. Ernie’s paws are huge. After all, he is a chessie like me. He’s a little awkward as his 4-paws get in his way. He doesn’t mind, he just plods along.

Sustainability is a lot like Ernie taking one puppy step-at-a-time. It’s a huge job but it is not rocket-science. Andrea Robinson, the top dog of “green” for the ‘big party” here Aug. 25-Aug. 28, (that would be the Democratic National Convention) puts it this way, “Sustainability isn’t that hard to do. It’s taking maybe one more millisecond of thought about where you put something or what you use.”

Well, there you go—thought and action, something we’d like the two-leggeds to value so together we can help save the earth.

I particiapted in the Colorado EarthWorks Expo in June. It was a zero waste event with 3,000 people attending; the Democratic National Convention expects 50,000 guests, the Republican National Convention plan on 45,000 attendees. Both claim their conventions will be the greenest ever. When Mom read that I barked out, “that wouldn’t be hard.” I am smart enough to know if they are making a big deal about it in 2008; they haven’t done much before now. This is a good place to give tail wags to Xcel Energy for anteing up the “green” to power both events with wind.

I put my paws together and bark out loud for Andrea Robinson. Her goal for the 5-day event is to recycle, reuse or compost at least 85 percent of all trash generated during the democrat’s bash. That means only 15% is sent to the landfill. Now that makes my tail wag.

How does she plan to do that you ask? Robinson gathered 900 green volunteers; I call them the “green pack” sorting trash for the event. I would volunteer but doubt they would want me. Mom calls me garbage mouth when I get into things I am not supposed to. Some claim the DNC’s Robinson is way over the edge. Not me, this woman is on a mission and is a Doggone Green Crusader. I want her on my team any day.

The Republicans meet in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Sept. 1-Sept. 4. Mom tells me the green efforts of each gathering are light years apart. You can make up your own mind.

For me, sustainable is about wellness and a better quality life for our people, the animals and the earth. The big point is that we don’t use up all of the earth’s natural resources in the process. When we reduce our use of toxic chemicals, reduce pollution and at the same time care for and save natural resources we make the earth a safer place now and for future generations.

I talk in Doggone Green that before buying anything consider the product’s lifecycle and determine how long it will last. Can you dispose of it without throwing it in the trash? Is their a more friendly alternative you can choose instead? If we do use it, will it distress the earth?

So what is Zero-Waste. The end of all garbage, as we know it and our humans focused on redesigning products for reuse. Reused items go back into nature or the marketplace. Now, that’s sustainable.

One last thing, I wonder if anyone attending either of these events will be bringing their dog. If so, please commit to memory—dog poop is an eco-concern. You walk your dog, pick up the poop using a biodegradable or compostable doo-bag, then flush the poop, minus the bag. Believe me; you have the EPA’s blessing! Let’s see, what do we do with the bag? Look for the nearnest recycle bin.

Tail Wagggin’ Love,

Cedar Dog

Look for me on August 24th in Denver’s Green Frontier Festival.

www.cedar@petsgonegreen.com

We are challenged to understand the reasons why people don’t license their dogs. Is it the cost, you just haven’t gotten around to it, you don’t think it is necessary or you didn’t know it was the law?

Do you live in a city or rural? Would you tell us where?

Please send Cedar an email with your input. You’ll hear more about this in the future on this blog and at examiner.com. It is a growing concern and a major Doggone Green Agenda issue.

Join her as a Doggone Green Crusader

Cedar Dog

I’ve had a seatbelt for several years. It provides protection in a standard vehicle including the back of a SUV and uses the vehicle’s existing seat belt system. My belt has its own carrying case so it goes with me and features a metal latch vs. the breakable plastic models. See the video crash tests with a 35lb. dummy dog in a vehicle traveling 30mph. When the vehicle impacted, the dog generated 1,135lbs. of force. That’s a smasher!

Now, let’s get back to Honda’s “Pet-hauling Champ.” It features a cushiony pet bed which should be eco-friendly. The bed is in the cargo area on an “elevated platform.” Hum, I wonder if there is a sunroof above the pet bed. What’s more, they’ve added an extendable cargo area load-in ramp which can be useful for a senior dog. The seat covers in the second-row show off a dog pattern design which matches the pet bed fabric. The floor mats have a toy bone pattern, are all-season rubber and washable. The “dog friendly” exterior emblem broadcasts; special cargo onboard.

Other features include a spill-resistant water bowl. This is an opportunity for a green and healthy add-on; I recommend a stainless steel bowl. Their 12V DC rear ventilation fan is attention-grabbing especially if a dog is sitting in the cargo area or second-row seat and their pet parents smoke. Second-hand smoke is super toxic. I am adamant and won’t take no for an answer Honda; pets in a confined area need better than the flow of fresh air. We must have a quality air machine.

With all of the challenges car makers face these days, Honda may want to reassess. With my healthier, eco-friendly plan, pets and their people could benefit. Even if it’s in just one category; air filtration would help everyone breathe easier.

Two last things; despite their claim that this is a “Pet-hauling Champ,” my feline family is left-out. There is no mention of crate restraints. My idea; advertise the new Honda Element as a Dog-hauling Champ. Oh, one more thing. Where are the door and window locks? Dogs can easily roll down a window or unlock a door for a fast escape?

I’m a penny-wise Doggone Green Crusader. I’ll bring my own add-ons and continue to Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.

Click here for more information on seatbelt restraints.

I am still excited about the zoo’s Poop-to-Power research. Their Asian elephants, Mimi and Dolly who weigh 10,100 and 7,600 pounds, respectively and who each produce 75-100 pounds of waste every day may be able to help the zoo trim energy bills and trips to the landfill. At present, Mimi and Dolly’s poop and the other zoo animal waste are being sent to the landfill. The way I look at it; when you add up the zoo’s creature waste and Denver’s entire cat and dog population’s poop–all trucked to the landfills–you can imagine the zoo’s gasification power plant would be poop-ular. I congratulate the zoo for its planning.

They might want to look into a contraption made in Texas that works deep in the bowels of a landfill; a super powerful garbage-eating machine called the the PowerMaster ReCycloneTM. It works like the wind inside a tornado, grinding garbage into tiny pieces. Technology like this has the potential to close down city landfills. That’s a good thing as landfill costs are rising and space is disappearing. The grinder turns waste into compost or energy.

In San Francisco, where 4% of residential waste is dog poop, the city decided to put the stinky stuff to work. Turning our poop into electricity is a groovy thing. Imagine reducing our paw-print by pumping out stinkers? Of course by bovine friends have been running farm machinery off of their manure for years. These days bigger and bigger projects are being built around the country to power homes. The government is catching on too with a plan to offer pocketbook credits. Imagine; a cleaner environment and more jobs all compliments of animal poop.

Lots of ground-breaking stuff is happening in the recycling world. I always say find places to recycle trash into cash for a cause. Find a local group and take your recycles there—paper, aluminum, glass, plastic and steel. This is also a good time to remind pet’s ‘n their people that composting organic kitchen waste is not hard. Use worms or start a compost pile when the weather gets warmer.

Stay in Touch,

Cedar

cedar@petsgonegreen.com

Buy my book

Wildlife workers have a coyote vocabulary. When we take walks in the neighborhood we often see coyotes. Mom said those are encounters, where one just pops up and might follow us. An incident is an unsafe situation where they do violence to a dog. The last is called an attack when a human is injured or killed by a coyote. Then she told me that a negative coyote/human interaction in suburban neighborhoods is preventable. Bamboozling, I thought!

I asked her to describe a coyote; brownish-gray, pointed ears, a slender muzzle like mine and a bushy tail. Males generally weigh 25- 45 lbs, females 22-35 lbs. This is the scary part, a coyote she says does not know the difference between a domestic animal and a wild one—they see both as a meal, or maybe a threat to their young or a possible mate. OK, I said, this is getting a little too personal to me. She had my attention. I am determined to not be a part of their prey-base. I weigh-in at 76 lbs so I may be excluded unless we encounter a pretty bold or hungry coyote.

They breed in February & March and are usually born in April and May with a litter size of 5-7 pups. They live in dens; culverts, steep banks, rock crevices, underbrush etc. and typically less than a mile from water. There job is to find food sources for their young. It seems in the U.S. coyotes are meeting their needs in our neighborhoods. There have been more and more attacks on humans and pets. Here on Colorado’s Front Range pet attacks are the #1 conflict. In general they prey on rabbits, mice and birds as well as young deer and sheep. They are fond of trash, fruits, bird feed and insects.

Now for the scoop for pets ‘n their people; when walking keep dogs (especially small dogs) on a short leash, keep cats indoors, clear or trim cover in yards so they can’t hide and don’t leave your dogs outdoors for extended periods of time. The really big thing, don’t feed wildlife. That means don’t leave pet food or water outdoors or bird food. Makes sense to me; Mom said, “once fed they become even more challenging and insistent.”

What else, I asked? We need to learn to coexist, she explained. We all live here, but they don’t fear us like they once did. In other words they have adapted to our city surroundings; we need to instill fear in them again. She said low intensity hazing can scare them away; making loud noise like yelling, clapping, banging pots/pans, throwing rocks vs. high-powered hazing done by wildlife workers using paintballs and pepper balls. Lethal control is a last resort she said, where cities have hired guns to take out coyotes. Sounds dangerous, I said, “Is that really necessary?” A suburb of Denver, Greenwood Village, recently put a plan in place to do just that, she explained. It has created quite a raucous. The Division of Wildlife uses lethal control when human safety is an issue.

Upshot; urban coyotes are here to stay; the Division of Wildlife can help. Keep your local police department updated on sightings. Take home-message; learn to co-exist with coyotes. That requires an understanding of how coyotes survive and how humans can shape coyote behavior. Don’t feed wildlife.

Stay in touch with me,

Cedar

cedar@petsgonegreen.com

Here’s the doo! You don‘t have to chuck your ole analog TV. Get a converter box. If you get a new “squawk box” (go energy efficient with an Energy Star product) and make sure you keep the old TV out of the landfill. There it leaks 4-8 pounds of lead into groundwater. Seventy percent of the heavy metals found in landfills include lead, mercury and other dangerous chemicals that come from electronic cast offs.

Mom and I had to get a computer fix recently; we took the opportunity to de-clutter. You know getting rid of old computers and monitors that were gathering dust. We took them to the local computer guy who fixes them up and gives them to a needy family or a school. Now how cool is that? Remind your pet parents, the landfill or even worse the sidewalk is not a solution. Oh, make sure the folks who say they are recycling are not dumping them overseas. That is not at all neighborly.

While my real life is anything but boring, Mom and I don’t watch anywhere close to the typical 4-5 hours most people spend in front of TV every day. In case you wonder, as a dog I watch animal and planet earth programs.

As always stay in touch,

Cedar

cedar@petsgonegreen.com

Keep your eyes on the girls, Malia and Sasha Obama. According to dad, they are ready to bring home a puppy this Spring. That news makes my tail wag. Don’t tell them but I plan to send a copy of Doggone Green, organic treats and a couple of Tuff™ balls.
Many presidential families have brought their dogs, and in some cases cats, along with them to the White House. Teddy Roosevelt had Sailor Boy, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever like me. Lincoln had a pig in the White House, a dog named Fido, rabbits, goats, turkeys and cats. Look over the other pets that have lived in the White House from George Washington to George Bush.

There are several books in the library you may want to check out. I especially liked First Dogs: American Presidents & their Best Friends by Roy Rowan and Brooke Janis.

Stay in touch,

Cedar

cedar@petsgonegreen.com

The U.S. Humane Society’s (HSUS) has one and only one criteria—where does a candidate for congress or president stand on animal protection policy. In other words this is an organization that cares about us, the animals. They based their information not on partisan politics and other social issues, but on treatment of the animals.

As a Doggone Green Crusader, I am exercised about this. You see if you, Governor Palin actually became second in command or president that would be a tragedy for animal issues and anything but a step forward. When our people vote they need to know your positions on animal welfare and conservation in Alaska.

As you might imagine the facts on Governor Palin have drawn huge reaction. Speaking as a pampered pooch, I think that is good, after all this is 2008 and it is way past time for things to change for us. These days it is about celebrating animals and meeting cruelty head-on. Neglect and abuse strikes not only cats, dogs and other companion animals, but also farm animals, horses, furbearers, animals in entertainment or research and wildlife.

Be aware Californians are voting on Proposition 2. This is about the treatment of animals raised for food. Prop 2 gives California voters (and others of us) an opportunity to think over some of today’s most abusive factory farming practices.

“We cannot have peace among men whose hearts find delight in killing any living creature.” Rachel Carson, American Author and Marine Biologist