Product Review: Healthy Pet ™ Cracked Pine Cat Litter

In my effort to reduce my garbage going to the landfill to near zero, I realized that I was going to have to do something about the cat litter waste that was comprising ~90% (and probably 99%, by weight) of my remaining garbage. A friend had found a local company, Green Dog Cleaning Company, with a pick-up service for composting cat litter. And so, the search for and transition to a biodegradable/compostable cat litter began.

Even before I found out about Green Dog Cleaning Company, I had tried to find an acceptable biodegradable cat litter. I never liked clumping litter due to the “tracking” mess (and with two cats, it can get bad if one isn’t sweeping up all the time), and the cats equally disliked pellets – both paper and pine – as demonstrated by their NOT USING the litter box (which then required even more of a clean-up than the clumping litter). Finally, I bought a bag of Healthy Pet ™ Cracked Pine litter. It smells nice, absorbs odor and urine well, and the cats don’t mind the texture. As with non-clumping clay litter, cat pooped gets scooped daily. The Green Dog litter pickup service provides a 2.5 or 5 gallon bucket, lined with a compostable liner, every week. The fee for me is about $5 per week, and it’s worth it to me to not send garbage to the landfill (with mined clay!). If I quit my garbage/recycling service, which I am close to doing, it will pay for itself.

Right now, in the greater Portland Oregon area the only store that I know of that carries the Cracked Pine Cat Litter is Fred Meyer. If there are others, let me know. The lack of availability at more stores and the plastic packaging are my only complaints.

There you have it, two recommendations in one: 1) Healthy Pet Cracked Pine Cat Litter (Healthy Pet also has other varieties, including a clumping litter, but they may be hard to find), and 2) Green Dog Cleaning Company (and they pickup/compost Dog waste as well).

Green Dog Cleaning Company in the News (The Oregonian)

Republican Friends and Alternate Scenarios

Apparently, all my friends and acquaintances in home-related businesses (realtors, inspectors, fix-it guys, etc.) are all Republicans. And now my Republican handy-man is including me on his email list passing along various right-wing rants. I decided some time ago that I wouldn't let this stuff go by me without applying some good old-fashioned critical judgment. So, below is the forwarded email from "JB" and my subsequent response. Please add your own scenario in the comments!

The $50 Lesson

I recently asked my friends' little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up.

She said she wanted to be President of the United States .

Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there.

So I asked her, "If you were President, what would be the first thing you would do?"

She replied, "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people.."

Her parents beamed.

"Wow...what a worthy goal," I told her.

"But you don't have to wait until you're President to do that.

You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and sweep my driveway, and I'll pay you $50.

Then I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house."

She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?"

I said, "Welcome to the Republican Party."

...Her parents still aren't speaking to me.

Cindy’s response --

... Except that the story goes more like this:

There are two kids, a boy and a girl, each wanting to make $50 and give $25 to the homeless. The boy is offered yard work for $50; the little girl goes to ask her Dad: “Dad, I want to help the homeless, but I don’t want to do any hard work. What can I do?”

Fortunately, the girl’s father knows a thing or two about investing. He tells her: “I’ll let you buy a share of the rental units I own. For the $10 in your piggy bank, you’ll have a 2% stake in the ownership for this month. At the end of the month, you’ll get a 500% return on your investment.” At the end of the month, the little girl receives $50. Due to depreciation of the property (on paper only, the value of the property has continually increased), she owes $0 (0%) in taxes. Now that she has her hardly hard-earned $50, she decides the homeless person should get a job and spends the money on herself.

The little boy, however, agreed to do the yardwork. After pulling a couple of weeds, watching some movies on his iPhone, texting his friends and tweeting about how much yardwork sucks, he gets half of the lawn mowed and asks for his $50. Rather than face a lawsuit from the kids litigious parents, the homeowner gives the kid $50. The homeowner sighs and says to himself, “At least the homeless will get $25.”

Of course, the little boy’s income is EARNED income, so he must first pay taxes. Being self-employed income, he pays 12.5% to social security and 3% in medicare – Social Security and Medicare going to pay his Mom who hasn’t been able to work since her medical issues started, mainly due to not having the time to exercise and eat right during the time she was working and so is now on expensive medications. The other 15% goes to the maintenance of “infrastructure” of suburban sprawl (sewers, roads, stop lights, police to monitor stop lights, etc., which he’s not able to use since he’s too young to drive) and the creation of more sprawl -- all of which requires ever increasing amounts of oil, which requires strong military forces (because in the quantities that we need it, and the Middle East having the largest last reserves of Light Sweet Crude, it’s just easier to take it from where there is a bunch of it). So in the end, the little boy bitches about taking home only $35 of his “hard-earned” $50.

Then the little boy becomes enlightened. He gives $25 to the homeless, because they at least are not contributing to the rape and pillage of the planet, and takes his $10 to little girl to invest with her father – and he prays that they never change the tax codes that favor the rich!!

Free things to do in Boston

A recent trip back to my college town drove home part of why I enjoyed my four years there so much. Unlike many college students of other towns, I lived there year round and worked a couple of summers in the tourist industry. Being interested in both architecture and history, I explored a lot on my own as well as learning the answers to common touristy-type questions. In my recent 5 days back in Boston -- and unlike in my college days, this time with money to spend -- I realized how much one can do in the city for very little money. Here are the things that didn’t cost a dime.

1. Boston Public Library, McKim Building (Copley – Green Line): What a find! I never visited there during my college days, and I’m glad I didn’t since it has undergone a major restoration in the meantime. I had no idea that there were murals by John Singer Sargent (one of my favorite painters) on the third floor, a wonderful courtyard, and a palatial reading room. Boston is a true home for the intellectual. Art and Architectural tours are offered regularly and are highly recommended. It just so happened that the rare books collection was featuring the works of Margaret Fuller while I was there, and I found that worthwhile as well. If you reserve ahead (which I did not), one can go on an art and architecture tour the PRIVATE library, the Boston Athenaeum (Park Street – Green Line). This library basically spun off the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Tours for the Athenaeum are Tuesday and Thursday at 3pm, and space is very limited and must be reserved ahead (it was booked more than a week ahead when I was there, so it’s on my list to do next visit).
2. Concerts at Local Churches: An evening I was there, the Old South Church (across from the Boston Public Library) was hosting an annual Hand Bell Choir Festival. Admission was free, but a donation of $15 was suggested (the proceeds going to their expenses and providing a two-octave hand bell set to a local school). Kings Chapel (Park Street – Green Line) has free recitals at noon most Tuesdays. I’m sure there are other churches with similar offerings. It is a great way to experience the interior church acoustics/architecture and hear great music at the same time.
3. Faneuil Hall (short walk from Government Center – Green Line): Be sure to go to the grand hall located above the Faneuil Hall marketplace. This historic spot is part of Boston Historic National Park and is staffed by a park services representative who will give a short talk on its historical and modern day importance every 30 mins.
4. Quincy Market (short walk from Government Center – Green Line): Right next to Faneuil Hall is Quincy Market – mostly an eclectic mix of take away eateries. Probably the best place to grab lunch and eat in the center of the hall or outside on benches of the shopping plaza.
5. New England Aquarium (Aquarium – Blue Line; or not too far from Government Center – Green Line): Visit the Harbor Seals at the Aquarium – no ticket required to visit them, just look for them behind the ticket office. Feeding times are listed, along with information about the seals that are residents. Smoke, the oldest at nearly 40 years old, was getting an eye exam (she now has cataracts) and a mini-check-up at the 4:15 feeding that I had watched. The other seals show off knowledge of commands (similar to sit, speak, and roll-over), which they demonstrate for food.
6. Old North Church (walk from Haymarket – Green/Orange Line): A stop on the red-brick “Freedom Trail” in Boston’s North End (what used to be referred to as Boston’s “Little Italy”), this historic church still has a congregation and regular services, so be advised – this is a church not a museum. The church, most famous for the “one if by land, two if by sea” lantern that sent Paul Revere (whose home is a museum in the North End a short distance away) on his midnight ride. The church and grounds close at 5pm. Suggested donation is $3 per visitor.

Free “non-things” to do in Boston:

1. Stroll Newbury Street. Leave your wallet and spend-thrift companions at the hotel, or else expect to spend a lot of time and money at the high end shops of this street. The sidewalks are wide, with bistro tables spilling out onto them. Languages from all over the world can be heard as one walks down the street.
2. Hang out in the Public Garden. After walking Newbury or Marlborough St, or Commonwealth Ave., enjoy the horticultural array of the Public Garden. Be sure to see the Swan Boats, the Island where ducks nest in the spring, and the “Make Way for Ducklings” statue.
3. Stroll the Park of Commonwealth Ave. “ Comm Ave” is a busy street but lined with beautiful buildings and bisected by green space.
4. Stroll Marlborough Street. Running parallel to Newbury Street and on the other side of Commonwealth Ave, this street is mostly lovely residential brownstones. Be careful of the uneven sidewalks! Sensible shoes are advised for most of Boston.
5. Explore Beacon Hill. Charles Street will get you off to start, but venture onto side streets to really find out what Beacon Hill is about. Acorn Street is still cobblestones. The Church of the Advent is worth a peek inside if their doors are open, the State House has free daily tours, and the Athenaeum is in this neighborhood.
6. Finally, Salem Street and Hanover Street in the North End are interesting and yet another “flavor” of Boston’s neighborhoods.
   

Not quite free, but worth it: a 7-day unlimited subway pass is $15 – because eventually your feet, which can get you everywhere in Boston, will get tired! Daily passes are also available.

And a final note on being a pedestrian in Boston – always look before crossing the street and completely ignore the “Don’t Walk” signs. The driver’s corollary to this is that pedestrians need to get the hell out of the street when (and it had better be before) the light turns green!

Just Me and My ... Trailer?

I know I haven't posted in a while. There's been a couple of illnesses/deaths in the family that has made spending time with family more important than anything else.

Life goes on ... but the ability to pack-up and get away is also important. So I have found myself the proud owner of a 17' 1969 Aladdin Travel Trailer. I spent this last weekend at a State Park not too far from Portland, and it was wonderful to get a mini-vacation -- a mini-vacation that didn't involve an airport or hours of driving. However, a regular two-day weekend just wasn't long enough to find the peace I was seeking in getting away.

I do have book reviews and essays to post. I know I need to get into the habit of posting after writing them. But until I do, here are some pictures of my darling travel trailer and of the beautiful surroundings I had this weekend.

Climategate - Rebuttal

Being a scientist myself and having been through the peer review process (on both sides, as an author and a reviewer), I was happy to find this concise video that explains the correspondence of 'climate-gate'. I'll admit that scientists, like everyone else, may overstate the importance or implication of their findings, be sloppy in their data analysis, etc. The peer review process (and often the 'peer' may be someone competing for funding in the same field) is done so that other scientist can review how the data was handled and if it is being given a sound interpretation. And although the peer reviewer is anonymous to the author, the editor knows the reviewers identity and ultimately decides the weight of the peer review recommendation (and usually at least two scientists review the paper).

Climate science is not perfect. Correlation does not always mean causation -- but it does provide a BIG RED WARNING FLAG which we would be fools (and maybe greedy fools) to ignore.

Since I've already posted something with holiday cheer (see Rebecca Kilgore - Holiday Swing posting), for the holidays I'll review three books on personal finance.

Happy Holidays! - More Rebecca Kilgore

In my previous post, I added a link to the Nov. 18th episode of Fresh Air which featured Rebecca Kilgore and Dave Frishberg singing Johnny Mercer songs, commemorating what would have been Mercer's 100th birthday.

Somewhere in the process I came across a previous visit by Rebecca on Fresh Air in December of 2005, in which she performs "swinging holiday music". Take a listen and enjoy!

Reading, Writing, and Music

Apparently, I can only do two of the three at a time as a “hobby” -- and for the last week we or so it has been reading and music.

So, if you’re curious, this is what is on my nightstand for reading:

Several books by R. Buckminster Fuller. Buckminster Fuller has been an icon for chemists since the carbon allotropes known as fullerenes, named after the inventor of geodesic dome architecture, were discovered in 1985. The Carbon-60 geodetically-shaped fullerene is commonly known (at least amongst us nerdy science types) as “buckyballs” -- again as a nod to Fuller. Perhaps more widely known of the fullerenes are carbon-nanotubes, which according to some scientific circles seem to hold the potential to do just about everything. While I knew about Fuller’s domes and love of using shape in structural design, I knew shockingly little of his writings about technology, humanity, and his view of our future as a species on the planet. Having studied chemistry in Boston, you’d think I would have known that he is buried in Cambridge, MA – but it seems that learning things about humanity has been stripped out of science education, particularly if one is getting a dual-science or engineering education. His books make very interesting (albeit sometimes esoteric) reading.

A Place of My Own by Michael Pollan. I picked up this book from the library after attending the natural building workshop. Although I didn’t have any immediate plans to build anything at the time of the workshop, once I left I started looking around for something to build. Michael Pollan, best know for his books about what we are eating and producing as food, wrote this book several years ago about his experience building a small building with his own efforts. This is Michael Pollan the story-teller, much like as in his first(?) book Second Nature. Unfortunately, I’m not making much progress on this one, but it is a lyrical and humorous read. I may take it back to the library for now and check it out again over the Christmas Holiday.

In my CD player (what can I say, I’m an old-fashioned gal and still have CDs):

I Wish You Love by Rebecca Kilgore with Lyle Ritz and Dave Captein. Rebecca Kilgore is a well known Portland jazz singer/musician. Her voice is simple and sweet … and yet combines with a maturity and wisdom I’m not sure I’ve come across before. She’s accompanied by Ukulele virtuoso Lyle Ritz and Portland star bassist Dave Captein. I can get obsessive when trying to figure out a simpler bass line on my bass guitar for songs, so I’ve listened to this CD a lot in the last week. Rebecca will be on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross on Nov. 18th. (Link to the Nov. 18th program has been added.)

The Best Party Ever by The Boy Least Likely To. Since I don’t have a TV, I’m blissfully unaware of most current commercials. But I was happily surprised to hear the instrumental portion of “Be Gentle with Me” on a Coca-Cola commercial preceding the movie “Men Who Stare at Goats”. I saw this quirky duo at live performances in Portland twice in 2006 and loved their techno-folk music. I haven’t kept up with what they’ve done since then, but I think I’ll look into their latest album.

Well, until I can put down my 4-string instruments or the library recalls my books, that’s it for this week.