Green Options

David Schiraldi has seen the future and it is clay.  The Case Western Reserve University professor and his research team are developing a clay aerogel that transforms common clay into a super lightweight material that could be used as insulating or packing foams, magnets, conductors, and yes, even high tech kitty litter that weighs only 1/10 as much as conventional clay litter.

If you noodle around the gossip sites these days, you’re likely to come across the case of Ugo the dog, who is being kicked out of his home for the crime of…gassiness.  In fact, the entire family is being given the old-heave on account of Ugo’s posterior exhalations.  Oh, the humanity!  Leave it up to those New York City co-op boards to find something to pick on.

Seriously.  Gassiness? In the great green scheme of things, the gassiness of domestic animals is an issue only when it comes to cow farts.  As for the emissions from our dogs, cats, and other non-human family members, the occasional spurt of methane is small potatoes.  We’ve got bigger fish to fry: their poop.

Walk with me below the fold to see what it’s all about (but first a little disclosure: I’ve known Ugo the dog since he was a pup.  What a cutie!).

Conventional clay and silica-based kitty litters are not only burdens on landfills, but they come from strip mines (a very non-ecofriendly practice). Switch your cat over to some natural alternatives. These natural based litters are biodegradable, reduce odor and have less dust, which means less irritation for your cat’s lungs (and your lungs too.)

In her article on greening pets, GO’s Kelli Best-Oliver suggests a wheat based litter

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