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Use What You Have 

This is just a short article on being a little more eco-friendly! I mean, we all hear about the new, eco-friendly gadgets we can buy; water bottles, glassware, silverware, toothpastes, etc. Earth-friendly as they may be, every new item takes resources. And while you may not be able to stop buying new things altogether, if you really don't need something, don't buy it... including eco-friendly things! Unless you actually need it, you don't need to buy it, sustainable or not. 

For example, I got some toothpaste tablets that come in aluminum instead of a plastic tube. But it turns out, I still had a bit of toothpaste that I could squeeze out from my old toothpaste tubes that I didn't know about until I tried, which lasted me another couple of weeks! Imagine if I had just thrown out the toothpaste tubes as soon as I had gotten the labeled "eco-friendly" toothpaste tablets. I would've wasted that toothpaste! 

The point is, if you DO want to get something new, environmentally-friendly or otherwise, think about what you already have first. 

Are Real Christmas Trees Better for the Planet? 

With the holidays coming up, I'm sure many of you are thinking of putting up a Christmas tree, or perhaps already have. But do you opt for a fake one that doesn't make a mess, or the real deal? 

You may think that since cutting down a tree to get a real one in your living room wouldn't be so good for the environment, so might as well get one of the plastic ones, because then you're not using a tree. But that's not the case at all. Not only are there increased carbon emissions with 90% of the artificial trees coming all the way from China, but many are made of plastic - a big no-no when it comes to helping the environment. 

Getting a tree is better for the planet! It turns out that only a fraction of the Christmas trees planted every year are cut down, which means that lots of new trees were left there to grow! You can support local tree farmers grow new plants - every tree bought, farmers need to plant one to three new ones in its place according to The Nature Conservancy. 

So while artificial trees don't make the same mess, do your part for the planet this holiday season, for the trees - after all, it's the season of joy and giving. 

Resources: 

The Nature Conservancy   https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/protect-water-and-land/land-and-water-stories/real-vs-fake-christmas-tree/ 

NY Times   https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/26/business/energy-environment/fake-christmas-tree-vs-real-tree.html 

One Tree Planted   https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/real-vs-artificial-christmas-trees 

Which Is Better - Taking a Bath or a Shower? 

Which is better for the environment: soaking in a warm bath or taking a quick shower? 

Some recommend a shower, as long as it's short. A hot bath takes energy to warm up. Although... a hot shower would also use energy. In fact, while some may say "shower"  and others may say "bath", it really all depends. The Huffpost and Earthtalk say both! So here are some ways to take an eco-friendly shower or bath: 

The best way to take your environmentally-friendly shower is to take one that is: 

1. short, around 5-10 minutes. 

2. with a low-flow shower faucet, which will save more water. 

3. using a timer to track how long you've been in there. (Don't lose track of time!) 

The best way to take your environmentally-friendly bath is to take one that is: 

1. slightly colder 

2. only partially-filled tub 

3. to use the bathwater after you're done to water the grass or other plants in your yard. 

And there you have it! Now, get clean the eco-friendly way. 

Resouces: 

Huffpost   https://www.huffpost.com/entry/baths-versus-showers_n_57f81387e4b0e655eab4530d#:~:text=What's%20better%20for%20the%20planet,gallons%20of%20water%20per%20minute. 

Earthtalk   https://earthtalk.org/shower-or-bath/  

Grist   https://grist.org/living/baths-vs-showers-an-eco-smackdown/ 

No - A Dog Year Isn't the Same as a Human Year 

You may have heard the myth that one dog year is equal to seven human years - so that means when a dog is two, it's like the human age of fourteen, when they're three, it's like the human age of twenty-one, and so on. 

But this tale (or "tail") isn't true! Think about it; some dogs can live past 15! And, as Smithsonian Magazine points out, a fifteen-year-old dog would be... 105?! 

So how old would a one-year-old pup be compared to a human? Well, of course, different breeds and sizes of dogs live to be different ages. But one theory suggests a more complicated formula. A one-year-old would be like a 31-year-old human! Other sources debate. Some say the ratio is 1:15, some agree at 1:30. 

However old, I think an old dog can always learn a new trick. 

Sources: 

Nuwer, Rachel, Smithsonian Magazine, October 3, 2014, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-human-year-does-not-equal-seven-dog-years-180952929/, Accessed 8 July 2021 

Nemo, Leslie, Discover Magazine, November 20, 2019, https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/science-may-have-a-better-way-to-translate-dog-years-to-human-years, Accessed 8 July 2021 

Brookshire, Bethany, Science News, July 8, 2020, https://www.sciencenews.org/article/calculating-dog-age-human-years-is-harder-than-you-think, Accessed 8 July 2020 

Spreading Awareness of Animals and Cuteness 

If you love all sorts of animals, want to change the world, and need to watch a cute new animal video every day, you should check out The Dodo. The Dodo has a YouTube channel, website, and some animal books. According to their website, thedodo.com, they are "obsessed with creating fun, entertaining and emotional content that makes people fall in love with animals." They want to tell the animals' stories and try to get dogs and cats out of shelters. 

But it's not just kittens and puppies; they also make videos and write about rabbits, horses, pigs, elephants, gorillas, birds, and the occasional octopus or two. 

The Dodo has shows like "Adopt Me!", "Faith = Restored", "Wild Hearts", and so many more. All of the videos really restore your faith in humanity. 

Check out The Dodo on YouTube for daily, heartwarming videos, or read adorable stories on the web. 

Helping Hundreds of Abandoned Dogs in Greece 

Takis Shelter in Greece saves hundreds of abandoned dogs. They go to run and play in a huge shelter, getting constant love, care, and attention, until they are ready to be adopted! 

The man who started the shelter, Theoklitos Proestakis, or Takis, stopped doing everything to save dogs. Since then, Takis Shelter has saved over 400 dogs. (And cats, too!) 

If you'd like to adopt from Takis Shelter, click this link. There aren't any adoption fees other than the required pet passport. Just a cute pet to save and take home! 

Their hashtag to follow is #AdoptDontShop.