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For those looking to rid their pets of fleas
and other pests in a safe and environmentally
responsible manner, “area sprays”
may be the best bet. Orange Guard, for instance,
is a non-toxic, food-grade pesticide that
can be safely sprayed into pet bedding and
other crevices instead of directly onto
your dog or cat. Available from online sources
like the Green Home Environmental Store
and Planet Natural, among many others, the
active ingredient in Orange Guard is biodegradable,
citrus-based d-Limonene, which has been
shown to reduce cockroach populations better
than Dursban, the toxic ingredient in Raid.
Direct contact with d-Limonene will kill
insects and deter future visits, without
posing any risks to pets or humans.
Another alternative is Bug’n’Out,
a natural, non-toxic biting insect repellent
spray which uses a four percent concentration
of citronella oil to safely and effectively
repel fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, gnats, black
flies, chiggers and horse flies. According
to the manufacturer, it is safe and effective
not just for pets but also for people, and
is effective for up to eight hours per application.
Consumers can buy it from the website DoctorDog.com,
which also sells the One Earth Herbal Collar
for Cats, which uses aromatic oil extracts
of natural herbs, flowers and wood to repel
bugs without pesticides.
Still another natural insect repellent spray
for dogs and cats is Only Natural Pet Flea
and Insect Repellent Spray, available from
the online Only Natural Pet Store. It contains
Neem Oil, Lemongrass, Catnip, Citronella,
and other essential oils to keep pests away
and contains no DEET or other pesticides.
Only Natural also makes a Pet Insect Repellent
Shampoo.
One of the leaders in the “greening”
of the pet care industry is Planet Dog.
Beyond its large selection of safe and healthy
pet toys and accessories, the company offers
biodegradable pet shampoos and conditioners
that are pH-balanced with aloe, eucalyptus
and chamomile. The Green Home Environmental
Store also offers an all-natural and biodegradable
pet shampoo, and guarantees that it contains
no harmful ingredients such as petroleum
distillate, ammonia, benzene or formaldehyde.
CONTACTS:
Orange Guard, www.orangeguard.com
DoctorDog.com, www.doctordog.com
Planet Dog, www.planetdog.com
Planet Natural, www.planetnatural.com
Only Natural Pet Store, www.onlynaturalpet.com
Green Home Environmental Store, www.greenhome.com
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Dear EarthTalk:
Who are the greenest celebrities?
—
Eddie Kelley, Albuquerque, NM
While there are no precise standards by
which to judge how “green” any
given celebrity may be, a number of entertainment
luminaries come to mind for their outspoken
support of environmental causes and their
commitment to greener lifestyles. For instance,
television actor Ted Danson started the
American Oceans Campaign in 1987 to advocate
for stronger coastal and marine ecosystem
protections (the organization merged with
Oceana in 2002). His views on marine conservation
have spurred thousands of volunteers nationwide
to take part in letter-writing campaigns
as well as coastal clean-ups and other related
events.
Not to be outdone, fellow Cheers barkeep
Woody Harrelson drives a biodiesel-powered
bus around the nation campaigning for clean
energy and organic agriculture. The Ron
Mann documentary “Go Further,”
which ran in select theatres last fall and
features rockers Dave Matthews, Natalie
Merchant and Rob Weir, documents one of
Harrelson’s wild rides down the Pacific
coast to raise environmental awareness.
Meanwhile, Cameron Diaz--who drives a hybrid
Toyota Prius--is hosting “Trippin’,”
a new MTV show about eco-tourism. During
the first season, Diaz travels with singer
Justin Timberlake, comedian Jimmy Fallon
and rapper Talib to locales as diverse as
Costa Rica, Tanzania and Yellowstone National
Park to enjoy, showcase and encourage the
safeguarding of these breathtaking natural
environments.
Actor Ed Begley, Jr. was an early adopter
of energy-efficient car technologies. These
days, he makes a point of showing up at
Hollywood events on his bicycle, and lives
in a self-sufficient house powered by solar
energy. He serves on the board of the Environmental
Media Association (EMA), a non-profit that
consults with producers and actors about
placing pro-environmental messages in TV
shows and movies.
Daryl Hannah walks her talk by solar-powering
both her Colorado and Malibu homes, maintaining
and eating from her organic gardens, and
running her vehicles on biodiesel pumped
from her own home processing facility. She
recently won EMA’s Greenlight Award
for her environmental commitments.
Leading man Harrison Ford has served on
Conservation International’s Board
of Directors for 10 years and has actively
participated in the work of the organization.
Harvard Medical School recently honored
Ford with its 2002 Global Environmental
Citizen Award.
And Leo DiCaprio has been working since
the mid-1990s on environmental issues. His
foundation has funded projects by the Natural
Resources Defense Council, the International
Fund For Animal Welfare, the Dian Fossey
Foundation, Reef Check, Oceana, Santa Monica’s
Heal The Bay, and others. DiCaprio’s
foundation places particular emphasis on
the issues of global warming, alternative
and renewable energy sources, and the preservation
of biodiversity.
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