Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

Most of us should have two goals in life: have the time of our lives and save the world. Well, what if you could do both simultaneously?

Unless you have been living under a rock, you must know that climate change is an emergency now. The planet does not have long before it starts buckling under the weight of all the pollution and destruction that humans have put it through. What most people fail to realize is that there is no one coming to save us. There is no other planet out there that we can move to once we have completely and irrevocably damaged this one. We have to be our own saviors. We have to look out for our planet. We have to protect it with all our lives because all our lives depend on it.

You don’t need to do anything grand to play your part. Gather your friends on the weekend, put the leash on your dog, and go save the world.

Go to the Beaches

Beaches are a great place to start, perhaps because they are one of the most affected places. You can see the plastic wrappers, fishing nets, and other rubbish floating on the surface of the ocean. The shore is cluttered with beer bottles, plastic shoppers, discarded clothes, toys, cigarette butts, and anything else you can imagine. Everything under the sun is now at full display at our beaches. Trash has taken up so much of the coastline that you can probably spot more trash than beachgoers now. The trash is not only ruining the aesthetic beauty of our beaches but is deadly for the ocean life and fish, which are all part of our food chains as well.

You and your friends can go out to the beach and clean it up on your own. You can make a fun little activity out of it and even get your dog to help out. If all of us started cleaning up little portions like that, there would be more clean shores and beaches for us to enjoy.

Go to the Mountains

Dogs love hiking, and so do your friends. Don on your caps and backpacks and put some smores for a bonfire at the top of the trail. The mountains are no cleaner than the beaches. There is rubbish strewn around at the highest points of the mountains. They are eyesores and completely ruin the feel and beauty of the majestic mountains. You and your friends can change that, though. You can equip yourself with large bags and pick up any trash you find along the way. Your doggy can help you by pointing out what places to look in and even bringing you trash that is easy for him to pick up.

You can reward yourself with a big bonfire cookout at the top. Trust us, your food will only taste better after knowing what a monumental task you have done and that you have directly helped make the earth a better, cleaner place.

Go to the Parks

One of your dog’s favorite places has got to be the park. And though parks are still very much there, it makes you sad to look at the state they are in. People carelessly throw plastic bags, burger boxes, and their dog’s poop on the ground, assuming that there will always be someone else coming to clean up after them. Why should someone else clean up your mess? It is your job, first and foremost, to not litter and clutter a public place. Without the right education and awareness, these people will never learn.

The next time you and your dog go to a dog park or meet up with a friend with their own dogs for a playdate, make sure to designate some time to cleaning up the park a bit. Pick up any trash that you see lying around and help the people who labor away to keep our parks, our neighborhoods, and our streets clean. It will take almost no time for you, and the sense of pleasure you will feel after doing the right thing will be unparalleled. You can even train your dog to make a game out of it. For example, you treat him for every little plastic wrapper he picks up and throws in the bin, or you both race to the bin together to throw the trash in.

There’s nothing we can’t do if we band together and really try to bring a change. Humankind has been destroying the planet for centuries, but it is high time that we stop the chain. It’s miraculous what can happen with just a few high-spirited people coming together to save the planet along with their cute little doggies. You might be on an important mission, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it fun. Saving the planet is not boring at all, especially if you have your furry best friend tagging along by your side. Save the world with your dog.

Along with lending a hand, we must also donate to organizations that are working round the clock to buy us more time on the time. Financial assistance is the least we can provide, and even a few dollars from you could make a huge impact somewhere. These superheroes who are cleaning up the oceans and the lands and setting right what we had done wrong need all the love, support, and help they can get. The onus of saving our only planet is not on them alone; it is on all of us. Donate and do your part.

by Bobby J Davidson

We are in business to provide great products for the outdoorsy hikers, campers and their dogs; and to help clean our parks, rivers and oceans for a better planet earth for hikers and their dogs.

Parks Clean

Parks are high-traffic areas in most cities. This means that trash is bound to show up in and around your park and playground.

When discussing ways your family can help clean your local park, don’t overlook a literal cleanup! Picking up trash will make a huge difference in the appearance and vibe of your park. A clean area will encourage others to keep the park pristine. When picking up trash and debris, make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself, and put trash in appropriate receptacles or lawn bags. You can also contact your local trash company to schedule a pickup when you are finished.

Rivers Clean

The storm drain on your street collects the water from your roof, driveway, and sidewalk and funnels it directly in your local lake or river. Nutrients from grass and leaves, pet waste, and fertilizers “enrich” our lakes and streams — feeding algae blooms and harming fish. Chemicals from washing your car in the drive and household chemical spills add up, taking a nasty toll on our favorite swimming areas and fishing spots. Soil can also be picked up by runoff, reducing the clarity of water and hurting fish.

So as you prepare your lawn and garden, here are a few helpful tips to keep our lakes and rivers beautiful and safe for all of us.

Use mulch and vegetation to keep soil from washing away.
Sweep or rake grass and leaves away from street curbs.
Mulch and compost grass clippings and leaves.
Keep paved surfaces to a minimum.
Capture water runoff with a rain garden and rain barrels.
Wash your car on the grass, where the water will get filtered.
Keep chemicals away from storm drains.
Collect your pet’s waste.
Aim your rain-gutter downspouts onto grass.

Beaches Clean (do it for the ocean)

In 2007, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution to recognize the value of beaches to the American way of life and the important contributions of beaches to the economy, recreation, and natural environment of the United States.

Clean Beaches Week, celebrated annually July 1-7, offers the perfect opportunity to encourage stewardship and volunteerism along our coastlines. But where do you even begin? Follow these tips to get started.

Identify a clean-up site. Choose a place that needs some TLC, making sure that volunteers can safely access the site. Get permission, if needed, for your clean-up event, perhaps from the local parks agency.
Choose a site coordinator. (That might be you!) A beach clean-up takes a lot of work and needs an organized person to keep everything on track before, during, and after the event.
Visit the site in advance. The coordinator will need to know where to set up a volunteer check-in station, where to leave trash and recyclables, and what area(s) volunteers will clean.
Gather supplies. Depending on your location, you’ll need supplies such as trash bags, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, wipes, and large coolers of water. You should also provide (or ask volunteers to bring) items such as reusable work/garden gloves, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Plan how to handle the recyclables. Reach out to recyclers in your area (and perhaps your community’s solid waste departments) to make arrangements for accepting any glass, plastic, and aluminum that you collect.
Line up event partners. Contact local businesses for donations of drinks, food, and supplies. Ask a local solid waste hauler to donate their services for trash removal.
Plan for handling hazardous waste. Determine how you’ll dispose of any medical and sewage waste you might find. One solution: A wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Clearly label that it contains hazardous waste.
Get volunteers to help. Recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Create an event on Facebook and ask volunteers to sign up online. This will give you an idea of how many people to expect and will help communicate event details.
Stay safe. Be prepared for a variety of health emergencies, from minor cuts and scrapes to heat stroke.
Take photos! Post pics online to share the success of your event and recognize volunteers for their hard work.