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this weekend’s paper towel

Posted: May 26, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: eco-friendly, pet sitting, work from home mom | Tags: , , | 4 Comments

You might think me insane, but hear me out.

I’ve mentioned it before. Our family has not purchased or used paper towels for nearly three years. Before making this change, I would watch my boys splash their hands with water, consider it a thorough wash job, then rip off half a dozen paper towels, delighting in how fast the roll pirouetted around the holder.

One day we ran out of paper towels, and I didn’t feel like going to the store. We had to make do with cloth kitchen towels to dry our hands and clean-up rags to, well…clean up! Guess what happened. We survived!

I didn’t buy paper towels on my next shopping trip, and I announced to the family that we were going to try a challenge: one month without paper towels. I got some grief. Fast forward three years later, and it’s second nature to the whole family. We don’t buy paper towels.

Can you imagine how many trees we’ve saved? I’ll have to give my boys most of the credit, there. Can you imagine how much money we’ve saved? I’m not one for facts and figures, but I’m guessing enough for a few evenings of family entertainment.

During this busy holiday weekend, I’m caring for quite a few critters. I wash my hands frequently: two to three times per visit, I’d say, depending on when the dog was last bathed or how dirty the litter box is. I can usually find a kitchen towel with which to dry my hands, but when I can’t, sometimes I’m forced to use paper towels (not being the type to snoop in drawers).

At one client’s home, this is this weekend’s paper towel:

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I started caring for the pets on Friday afternoon, and at three visits per day… this baby has now been used at least a dozen times to dry my clean hands. When I’m finished with it, I just lay it out flat, like so, and it’s all dry and ready to go again on my next visit.

It’s the little changes that make a difference.

keeping the pups hydrated

Posted: May 15, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: adventure with pets, Arizona, dog walking, dogs, eco-friendly, hiking with dogs, pet sitting, pets, Phoenix, product review, work from home mom | Tags: , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Temps are on the rise, especially here in Phoenix. Everyone in our family carries a water bottle everywhere, and it’s just as important to keep our pooches from becoming dehydrated. I use a foldable bowl by Outward Hound.

I love the convenience of the foldable bowl because it weighs next to nothing and folds down so small that I can easily fit it in my pocket or purse, and, of course, my hiking backpack for our family or Tails on Trails hikes. Though lightweight, the bowl can withstand a beating because it’s made of heavy-duty canvas. Though the pups prefer it when I hold the water for them, catering to their every whim, our bowl has been in dirt and on rocks and the like countless times and doesn’t look at all worse for the wear.

The bowls come in different sizes, but I got a fairly small one so that it would be most portable. It just means that sometimes the lager dogs ask for seconds, which I’m happy to provide.

The bowl was particularly helpful when we went to the Phoenix Pet Expo and our canine companion refused to drink out of the community dog bowls that were placed around the event. Who could blame her? I think the ratio of drool to water was off the charts.

I also love the collapsable, reusable bowls because they help us keep things green. Instead of using store-bought water bottles, we fill our reusable bottles and, in turn, refill the dog bowl. Again and again!

Cheers!

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the green side of well minded

Posted: April 22, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: dog walking, eco-friendly, hiking with dogs, pet sitting, pet waste | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Happy Earth Day!

As a family and as a business (yes, lines get blurred), we’ve been “going green” for many years. It’s a never-ending, evolving process that we love to educate ourselves about and improve upon.

Why do we consider ourselves a green company?

• We are nearly paperless. We do jot things down and ask for a few old-fashioned signatures with brand-new clients, but once our initial consultation is over, all confirmations and invoicing is done online. We take booking requests online and are able to send confirmations and invoices online, as well.

• We use biodegradable bags for waste cleanups on walks, in yards, and when scooping litter. If our clients leave us biodegradable bags, we credit their account $1 per day. So, if you’re traveling for seven days, and we pick up your doggy droppings and kitty litter every day you’re gone (which we do), when you leave us biodegradable bags to use, you’ll automatically see a $7 credit on your invoice. That probably covers the whole month’s supply of bags, right? Easy!

• We walk a lot. And we hike. Traveling by foot is super eco-friendly. And since we live in the desert, we drink a lot of water when we’re exercising. So we use reusable water bottles for both humans and animals, and we use reusable, collapsable pet bowls when we’re on the go.

• In our home/office, we haven’t purchased paper towels for over three years. HUH? It’s TRUE! We use cloth rags for everything, even pet messes! Yes, it CAN be done. We first tried it as a challenge, and it became second nature–part of our lifestyle. What do we do if an animal barfs on the rug? Well, we get out a few rags, then throw them in the washer. It works!

• We use non-toxic, ecofriendly cleaners. Not only do our animals breathe easier, our whole family does. And no one has to worry about the scary stuff in bleach, disinfectants, and the like. Feel free to lick your paws!

• We’re making more vegan choices, which impacts our earth every single day. We’re learning and striving as a family business to get there 100%.

• When we go on our lunch break, we use reusable containers to hold our grub.

• Porter, our six-year-old junior pet sitter, is in the Save the Earth Club at his school. He comes home with ideas for us to discuss and helps our family business stay on an earth-friendly path.

• We recycle everything we can. And we use reusable bags when we shop. That’s not very impressive, hopefully. Shouldn’t we all be doing this by now?

What will we do next?

• We’re researching taking online payments, so you won’t have to send a paper check anymore. Just blame my slight fear of figuring it all out for the delay.

• We’ve been doing lots of research on composting, but haven’t taken the plunge, yet. We’re excited to start!

Being “green” is not black or white. It’s a process, and it’s about making gradual changes that fit into your family’s life. It’s about being the best you can be, and being better than you were yesterday. It’s a family affair, including your pets. Think about how you and your pet can be just a little bit friendlier to the earth tomorrow. Maybe you use biodegradable waste bags, or clean up that pet mess with natural cleaners. Or maybe you walk instead of drive, and dispose of a piece of trash someone else left along the way.