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Friday, March 23, 2012
CNBC's Sue Herera: Working Mom Guilt Is a Constant
Sue Herera, one of the founding members of CNBC, opens up to iVillage about juggling her financial news career and three young kids, and how no matter what's happening in the stock market, there's nothing better than arriving home after work!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
FACT CHECK: More US drilling didn't drop gas price
WASHINGTON (AP) ? It's the political cure-all for high gas prices: Drill here, drill now. But more U.S. drilling has not changed how deeply the gas pump drills into your wallet, math and history show.
A statistical analysis of 36 years of monthly, inflation-adjusted gasoline prices and U.S. domestic oil production by The Associated Press shows no statistical correlation between how much oil comes out of U.S. wells and the price at the pump.
If more domestic oil drilling worked as politicians say, you'd now be paying about $2 a gallon for gasoline. Instead, you're paying the highest prices ever for March.
Political rhetoric about the blame over gas prices and the power to change them ? whether Republican claims now or Democrats' charges four years ago ? is not supported by cold, hard figures. And that's especially true about oil drilling in the U.S. More oil production in the United States does not mean consistently lower prices at the pump.
Sometimes prices increase as American drilling ramps up. That's what has happened in the past three years. Since February 2009, U.S. oil production has increased 15 percent when seasonally adjusted. Prices in those three years went from $2.07 per gallon to $3.58. It was a case of drilling more and paying much more.
U.S. oil production is back to the same level it was in March 2003, when gas cost $2.10 per gallon when adjusted for inflation. But that's not what prices are now.
That's because oil is a global commodity and U.S. production has only a tiny influence on supply. Factors far beyond the control of a nation or a president dictate the price of gasoline.
When you put the inflation-adjusted price of gas on the same chart as U.S. oil production since 1976, the numbers sometimes go in the same direction, sometimes in opposite directions. If drilling for more oil meant lower prices, the lines on the chart would consistently go in opposite directions. A basic statistical measure of correlation found no link between the two, and outside statistical experts confirmed those calculations.
"Drill, baby, drill has nothing to do with it," said Judith Dwarkin, chief energy economist at ITG investment research. Two other energy economists said the same thing and experts in the field have been making that observation for decades.
The statistics directly contradict the title of GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's 2008 book "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less," as well as the campaign-trail claims from the GOP presidential candidates.
Earlier this month, GOP front-runner Mitt Romney said of his solution to higher gas prices: "I can cut through the baloney ... and just tell him, 'Mr. President, open up drilling in the Gulf, open up drilling in ANWR (the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge). Open up drilling in continental shelf, drill in North Dakota, drill in Oklahoma and Texas.'"
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said on the Senate floor last week, "With oil prices above $100 a barrel and gasoline soaring toward $4 a gallon, greater production is not a political opportunity, it is a legislative imperative."
Supporters of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline say it would bring 25 million barrels of oil to the United States a month. That's the same increase in U.S. production that occurred between February and November last year. Monthly gas prices went up a dime a gallon in that time.
The late 1980s and 1990s show exactly how domestic drilling is not related to gas prices.
Seasonally adjusted U.S. oil production dropped steadily from February 1986 until three years ago. But starting in March 1986, inflation-adjusted gas prices fell below the $2-a-gallon mark and stayed there for most of the rest of the 1980s and 1990s. Production between 1986 and 1999 dropped by nearly one-third. If the drill-now theory were correct, prices should have soared. Instead they went down by nearly a dollar.
The AP analysis used Energy Department figures for regular unleaded gas prices adjusted for inflation to 2012 dollars, oil production and oil demand. The figures go back to January 1976, the earliest the Energy Department keeps figures on unleaded gas prices. University of South Carolina statistics professor John Grego, New York University statistics professor Edward Melnick and David Peterson, a retired Duke University statistics professor, looked at the analysis, ran their own calculations, including several complicated formulas, and came to the same conclusion.
When U.S. production goes up, the price of gas "is certainly not going down," Melnick said. "The data does not suggest that whatsoever."
The calculations "help make the point that U.S. production and demand have little to do with the price of gasoline in the U.S., and lend support to the notion that there is not a great deal we in the U.S., acting alone, can do to affect the price of gasoline," Peterson wrote in an email. He pointed out that Energy Department figures show that gas prices in the U.S. seem to rise and fall similarly to gas prices in Europe, showing that it has little to do with American drilling.
And that's the key. It's a world market, economists say.
Unlike natural gas or electricity, the United States alone does not have the power to change the supply-and-demand equation in the world oil market, said Christopher Knittel, a professor of energy economics at MIT. American oil production is about 11 percent of the world's output, so even if the U.S. were to increase its oil production by 50 percent ? that is more than drilling in the Arctic, increased public-lands and offshore drilling, and the Canadian pipeline would provide ? it would at most cut gas prices by 10 percent.
"There are not many markets where the United States can't impose its will on market outcomes," Knittel said. "This is one we can't, and it's hard for the average American to understand that and it's easy for politicians to feed off that."
If drilling activity rises around the globe for a sustained period of time, gasoline prices can fall as that new supply eventually finds its way to market, but the U.S. can't do it alone, oil analysts say.
Politicians ? especially those in the party that's not occupying the White House ? have long harped on high gas prices when expedient. Then-Sen. Barack Obama said in 2008, when he was running for president, that "here in Ohio, you're paying nearly $3.70 a gallon for gas, 2-1/2 times what it cost when George Bush took office."
But Obama, who has seen gas prices go up 73 percent since he took office, was singing a different tune last week in his weekly radio address: "The truth is: The price of gas depends on a lot of factors that are often beyond our control. Unrest in the Middle East can tighten global oil supply. Growing nations like China or India adding cars to the road increases demand. But one thing we should control is fraud and manipulation that can cause prices to spike even further."
The political party of the president doesn't seem to matter to the price at the pump either. Since 1976, the average monthly gas price, adjusted for inflation, during Democratic presidencies has been $2.25; under Republicans it's been $2.34. Obama had the steepest monthly average at $3.05 and Bill Clinton the cheapest at $1.68.
When Bush and running mate Dick Cheney campaigned in 2000, they argued that as oil executives they could get oil prices down, with Bush saying, "I would work with our friends in OPEC to convince them to open up the spigot, to increase the supply."
Yet it was during the last few months of Bush's term in 2008 that gas prices hit their highest: $4.27 when adjusted for inflation.
___
Associated Press writers Dina Cappiello and Matthew Daly in Washington and Jonathan Fahey in New York contributed to this report.
___
Online:
U.S. Energy Information Administration: http://www.eia.gov/
___
Follow Seth Borenstein at http://twitter.com/borenbears
Follow Jack Gillum at http://twitter.com/jackgillum
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fact-check-more-us-drilling-didnt-drop-gas-065231245.html
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Tuesday, March 20, 2012
If the Primary Was a TV Show, Mitt Romney Would Star
Think of the Illinois Republican presidential primary as a re-run of an old television episode. If you?re a Mitt Romney supporter, it?s a story you know but are eager to watch again.?If you back Rick Santorum, you might want to switch off the TV.?
Tuesday?s contest is following a familiar path this primary season: The business-focused Romney is poised to win a state whose electorate is more upscale and secular, full of suburban Republicans drawn to his jobs-heavy message. And, once again, Romney and his affiliated super PAC have outgunned their Santorum counterparts to gain an edge in the state, according to recent polls.
Those factors add up to a near-universal expectation that Romney, despite his recent beatings in Alabama and Mississippi, is set to win another key victory.?
?Romney will do better ? much better ? in the Chicago suburbs than Santorum, and Santorum will do better than Romney downstate,? said Kent Redfield, a professor emeritus of politics at the University of Illinois-Springfield.
That regional success can help Santorum win a portion of the state?s 54 delegates up for grabs on Tuesday, who are allocated based on support in congressional districts. Because Santorum hinges his strategy on denying Romney the 1,144 delegates necessary for the nomination, those small successes could be critical.
Just don't count on his rewriting the GOP primary's script.
?Alex Roarty
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NATIONAL JOURNAL?S PRIMARY REPORT
Illinois Looking Like Fertile Ground For Romney NEW!
[National Journal, 3/19/12] National Journal?s Alex Roarty writes that the business-focused Romney is poised to win in the Land of Lincoln this Tuesday because its electorate is more upscale and secular, full of suburban Republicans drawn to his jobs-heavy message
Santorum Accuses Romney of Pandering to Win Puerto Rico NEW!
[National Journal, 3/19/12] Santorum may have lost in Puerto Rico by a significant margin, but he came back with what can only be described as a scathing concession statement. His campaign says Romney ?put political expedience and political deception ahead of previously held policy positions? and accuses the former Massachusetts governor of switching positions on English and Puerto Rican statehood.
Santorum: Romney ?Doesn?t Have A Core? NEW!
[National Journal, 3/19/12] Santorum took to the airwaves on Monday to launch a full-scale attack on Romney, accusing the former Masaschusetts? governor of flip-flopping on issues and saying that even after spending ?tens of millions of dollars running negative ads? Romney has failed to energize the Republican base.
Could 2012 Be a Foreign Policy Election? NEW!
[Washington Post, 3/19/12] So far, the race to the White House has been dominated by economic and social issues, but with the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan dominating the news lately and the concern over Iran growing, could this be a race dominated by foreign policy?
5 Things to Watch For in Illinois
[Daily Beast, 3/19/12] Illinois? Tuesday primary is the next key marker in the grinding race for the GOP contest that has become political trench warfare between Romney and Santorum. Ben Jacobs offers five things to watch as the returns come in tomorrow. ?
Santorum Takes On Urban America
[New York Times, 3/19/12] Campaigning in recent days in Illinois and Missouri, Santorum has sought to motivate his followers by highlighting a divide between urban and rural America. And because many of the nation?s small towns are suffering economically, Santorum?s approach means he is taking on his own party.
Illinois Race Muddled By State?s Move Right
[Wall Street Journal, 3/18/12] Romney finds himself locked in a dogfight in Illinois with Santorum ahead of Tuesday?s primary, thanks in part to the rising influence of more-conservative Republicans in a state that once proved a reliable home for GOP centrists.
No Sparks For Romney in Illinois NEW!
[Politico, 3/19/12] Even as a state that seems a good fit to Romney?s brand of Republicanism, on primary eve Illinois remains in play, with Santorum seemingly within striking distance of a win. Romney?s inability to lock down the GOP vote in the state is exemplified by former GOP Gov. Jim Edgar?s ambivalence toward him.
Santorum Charges Ahead With Anti-Porn Crusade
[Talking Points Memo, 3/18/12] Santorum has garnered quite a bit of attention recently for his animated remarks against pornography, and on two separate Sunday shows the candidate refused to cede an inch. He accused the Obama administration of being soft on pornography on CNN?s State of the Union, and also clashed with a Chicago-based radio host Sunday on the issue.
Romneys Court Women Put Off By Contraception Debate
[New York Times, 3/19/12] The Romney campaign is seeking to repair the political damage with women voters that advisers acknowledge has been inflicted by the GOP candidates? rightward shift on immigration and social issues. Romney?s wife, Ann, has taken on a greater role as the campaign looks ahead to these independent voters.
Romney Revises Plans, Counts on Suburbs for Votes
[Chicago Daily Herald, 3/18/12] With Santorum close on his heels in Illinois, Romney returned to the Chicago suburbs Sunday, revising an earlier strategy to more seriously court voters in a region that is considered to be his stronghold.
McCain Calls 2012 ?Nastiest? Campaign Yet
[National Journal, 3/18/12] Sen. John McCain, one of several prominent Romney-backers, said Sunday that the current Republican presidential campaign is the most brutal race he has seen, fueled in part by super PACs that have rivaled campaigns in spending on this election. ?This is the nastiest I have ever seen," McCain said on NBC's Meet the Press.
Ron Paul?s Campaign Aims to Collect Stray Delegates
[USA Today, 3/18/12] Paul?s presidential campaign strategy of targeting caucus states appears to have fallen flat. But with just one caucus state remaining, rather than withdraw, the campaign is trying to pick up stray delegates in states that have already held caucuses.
Santorum: Backing Specter ?Wasn?t One of My Prouder Moments? ?
[National Journal, 3/19/12] Santorum's support of Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's 1996 presidential run has been used by his opponents to attack him as moderate. Now, Santorum is trying to cut his losses. Santorum said his support for Specter, who ran on a pro-choice platform in 1996, "wasn't one of my prouder moments."
Is Romney the Most Unpopular Likely Presidential Nominee Ever? NEW!
[Daily Beast, 3/19/12] Since 1976, no serious contender, Democrat or Republican, has watched his favorable ratings fall as low as Romney?s have in recent months. At this rate, could Romney shape up to be the most unpopular presidential nominee on record?
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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/primary-tv-show-mitt-romney-star-091233729.html
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How SEO Panama can Help your Business | Internet Marketing For ...
Written By: Ariel Dess?on?March 18, 2012 No Comment
Marketing has always been important in different kinds of business and strategies and techniques to produce your core items and make brands and make them well known so that several clients would really buy or acquire of them. Marketing strategies have always been costly, needed continuity and also full of competition. Nowadays, you do not need to create an entire department to help you increase your sales and also make your online business known. factual that you still pay a large amount of money to experts and firms, ultimately, availing Seo Panama services will be truly worthwhile.
First, you should establish your own personal web-site. There are many hundreds of web designers who can help you do this or if you probably know how to, then all the better. Your webpage will then have to be improved through experts focusing on Seo Panama. Dwelling in a largely Spanish-speaking region, you must reach your customers at a personal level as well as Seo Panama can assist you make a website which is culturally-sensitive and appeals to Spanish-speaking people?s tastes, interests as well as qualities. Professionals and also web designers can help you develop content that talks to your clients and one that they?ll understand with familiarity.
Seo Panama will then assist you boost this content and research key phrases which are either in Spanish, Spanglish or perhaps English which are frequently utilized to look for your services or products on the internet. These keywords will then be enhanced by creating content articles, press releases, weblogs, advertisements which have the same keywords, then linking these back to your specific web page. Moreover, there are many hundreds of directories over the internet to help you popularize these articles and invite more visitors in. This is all talking in terms of human reader?s level. In contrast, your web page is also simultaneously enhanced for it to become famous on the search engine stage.
Performing this, Seo Panama helps your web page get indexed for the key words that were optimized so that each time a potential customer searches for your product or service making use of those keywords, your webpage appears on the first web page of the search engine rankings webpages or SERPs. Seo Panama will assist you to keep your status or you could decide to do this on your own. Having your web page show up on the first page of SERPs may boost your sales simply because human internet visitors commonly only pick the first few web sites on the SERPs when looking for a service or product before they find what they are looking for.
Another way that Seo Panama can assist you is actually by doing reverse SEO. This is becoming quite typical mainly because the internet is also a powerful method for your detractors to make bad publicity for you. While this might not be your game, other businesses may actually do cheap tricks just to taint their rival?s golden standing. Seo Panama will also help you push the bad publicity to bottom webpages so that readers will not be able to see the unfavorable publicity first. There are several firms and also consultants that will help you grow your traffic-and your sales through Seo Panama.
Ariel Dess is an internet marketing expert focusing on the South American market. To read his blog posts and useful tips, please click here Portuguese seo
Tags: Internet marketing
Source: http://articles.buildabetterbusinessonline.com/how-seo-panama-can-help-your-business/
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Monday, March 19, 2012
Choosing Party Supplies for Every Occasion
If you're planning to throw a large party or perhaps a celebration, you will need party supplies. All the supplies that you'll require may be easily available at a celebration store. You'll have to determine the type of party you need to throw before you decide to really purchase all of your party supplies. You will not have the ability to choose the kind of party supplies that you'll require until guess what happens kind of party you're hosting.
So, the very first factor you will have to do is determine a particular theme for the party. You must also determine exactly the number of people you need to invite towards the party. Both of these situations are vital to understand before you decide to set to make any purchases from the party supply store.
After you have selected the theme for the party, along with the quantity of buddies and family that you're inviting, the following problem at hands is the budget.
You will have to determine just how much money you'll be dealing with when you're searching for the supplies you'll need. Your financial allowance must be realistic, and you will have to stay with it.While hosting a celebration in your house, office or somewhere outdoors, you should result in the occasion an unforgettable one. Besides music and food, party supplies in addition have a significant role in contributing to the spirit of celebration. Party supplies include table covers, tissue paper, party bowls, table skirts, party cups, party plates, party platters, party utensils, balloons, invites and much more.
If you're getting mothering Sunday party for the kid, colorful adornments are essential.
No party could be stated to become complete without balloons. Just decorate your configurations with colorful balloons of various dimensions and find out smiles illuminate everywhere!Lights are also key point that cheers up parties. Lights mustn't be either too vibrant or too dim. Then there's the focal point. The focal point may be put together to mirror the party's theme.
Experience, dedication and professionalism are essential while planning for a party, especially to create the big event memorable and stress-free.
If you're searching for good quality suggestions to increase your dining tables, always employ party items which will be perfect for your theme. You will find party supplies to match every theme. Party providers stock products to choose every party theme. Providers have party kits which have all you need to help make your theme party an unforgettable occasion.
Online retailers provide a virtual tour of websites offering an entire selection of party ware for each occasion. Bulk purchase would fetch high discount rates.
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Source: http://lifestyle.ezinemark.com/choosing-party-supplies-for-every-occasion-7d34c757b3b4.html
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Sunday, March 18, 2012
Relationship Marketing ? How you can be An internet Success ...
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Although marketing via email has stopped being in order to of marketing on your customers, it remains a significant component of web based business building. Building a list differs from the others when the major focus is not really on boosting your volume of subscribers. Actually, your list members are going to be on more lists than only yours, and thus the is to purchase these phones impatiently open and look your emails. There?s no doubt that email open rates have fallen these days, and that means you should position yourself such your messages are seen as the priority to individuals in your list. In your everyday living, once you givea bunch you typically acquire a bunch in exchange. Viewers your clients tend to be more in a position to purchase things which you endorse if you have previously provided them useful information free of charge.
So if we affirm that marketing via email has long been important, have to also know that social media marketing features a completely new era for relationship marketing. It is a fact that sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn play a crucial role while in the lives of several people and discussions transpire which will improve or harm a profitable business online. As online marketers it really is very useful to experience a presence on such sites if you provide the intention use a positive experience for anyone you correspond with. If you ever engage individuals such a manner how they such as you and trust you, they usually are in a position to see your website or become a member of your optin list. In your email and on the web marketing to build purchasers out of these visitors is what you?re after over the end.
If you ever increase anything you be aware of these social websites, on your path of relationship building is likely to allow you to establish a loyal list of followers. There are several online marketers who definitely have experienced success with these web pages and imitate them a highly effective business. As with all online marketing, if you learn from individuals who are already profitable inside an area, you?ll be able to avoid many of the mistakes which can be difficult to repair.
Today relationship marketing can be a priority on-line, if you?ll be able to give value while to be a person of integrity and someone others can trust, you could do well.
Categorised as: Uncategorized
Source: http://greenvilledirttrack.com/relationship-marketing-how-you-can-be-an-internet-success/
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8 Common Household Chemicals Harming your Pets, & their Non ...
Pets are more vulnerable than people to exposure to toxins in and around the home. Since pets are smaller, they are closer to carpets, garage floors, lawns and restricted spaces which may harbor chemical and pesticide residues. Their natural curiosity, coupled with a lack of awareness about toxic hazards, make them more likely to encounter substances harmful to their health. Animals also have faster metabolisms and smaller lungs than we do. Their bodies have to work harder to try and eliminate these toxins. Not only are they processing these chemicals at a faster rate, they are also breathing them in more rapidly.
Most pet owners go to great lengths to care for their pets, but there are unseen health hazards to pets which are commonly overlooked, yet easily avoided. Here is a list of potentially toxic materials which may be affecting the long-term health of your pet.
1. Flea control chemicals
Flea control is a challenge for most pet owners. Surveys show that as many as 50% of American families report using some kind of flea and tick control product on pets, exposing millions of pets (and children) to flea control chemicals on a daily basis.
Flea repellent products labelled as ?natural? may still be toxic to your pet. The chemical d?Limonene, derived from citrus peels and found in many natural anti-flea products, can be highly toxic to cats. Flea sprays and dips which contain ?all natural Pyrethrin? can be toxic to some pets, and Pyrethroids , synthetic derivatives of pyrethrins, expose your pet to more chemicals.
Flea control formulations which use essential oils can be particularly hazardous to cats. Essential oils are absorbed rapidly into their skin and enter the bloodstream, and because cats do not efficiently metabolise essential oils, exposure can build to toxic levels. And while there may be no initial adverse reaction, the effects of essential oils can be cumulative and manifest themselves at a later date. Other natural ingredients known to cause allergic reactions or have toxic effects in some animals include Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil and Pennyroyal oil.
Pet-safe Alternatives:
- Electric flea traps, also called ?plug-in? flea traps, are effective for controlling flea populations and are safe for indoor use around pets. These traps are inexpensive and easy to use.
- Diatomaceous earth is a nontoxic substance which will control flea populations in the home, and will also kill other insect pests such as ants, roaches, sow bugs and most home insect invaders.
For homes with persistent flea control challenges, it is recommended to use electric flea traps to reduce the active flea population, followed by the application of diatomaceous earth to control emerging populations over time.
2. Lawn fertilizers
In a 1991 study published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, a link was found between 2, 4-D and malignant lymphoma in dogs and non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma in people. According to the study, ?researchers report that dogs were two times more likely to develop lymphoma if their owners sprayed or sprinkled the 2,4-D herbicide on the lawn four or more times a year. And even with just one application a season, the cancer risk was one-third higher than among dogs whose owners did not use the chemical.?
Even if you do not use chemical-based lawn fertilizers, your neighbors may. Dogs are more vulnerable than humans to lawn care chemicals since dogs run ?barefoot?, and often roll, sniff and dig in the grass. Some dogs even eat grass occasionally.
Pet-safe Alternatives:
- Corn gluten is a natural, nontoxic alternative to commercial ?weed ?n feed? products. Corn gluten is an organic fertilizer and a pre-emergent weed killer which has become popular for use in residential lawns as well as school fields and golf courses. Exposure to corn gluten is safe for pets.
- Awareness. Know where your pet goes when outside the home, especially in spring and fall when lawn fertilizers are applied. Wipe or wash your dog?s paws after running on lawns which may have been recently treated with fertilizers.
3. Garden herbicides and insecticides
Herbicides, insecticide baits, sprays and granules are often used in gardens without consideration of the effects these chemicals may have on pets. Slug and snail baits containing metaldehyde are toxic, and can be lethal, to dogs if ingested. Metaldehyde toxicity causes rapid onset of neurological symptoms that can be fatal if untreated. Signs of poisoning begin within one to four hours of exposure. Repeated seizures due to metaldehyde poisoning can elevate body temperature, which can lead to complications similar to those observed in pets suffering from heatstroke. Affected pets usually require hospitalization for 24 to 72 hours after metaldehyde ingestion.
Fly bait and garden insecticides often contain methomyl or carbofuran, which can cause seizures and respiratory arrest in dogs and cats. Organophosphate toxicity from garden insecticides may lead to chronic anorexia, muscle weakness and muscle twitching which may last for days or weeks. Some organophosphate insecticides commonly used include coumaphos, cyothioate, diazinon, fampfhur, fention, phosmet, and tetrachlorvinphos. These insecticides inhibit cholinesterases and acetylcholinesterase, essential enzymes which break down acetylcholine, causing seizures and shaking due to continuous nervous transmission to nervous tissue, organs and muscles.
Pet-safe Alternatives:
- The Flies Be Gone fly trap uses nontoxic sterilized food materials as bait, and is very effective for outdoor fly control.
- Holey Moley nontoxic mole control uses the natural ingredients Castor Oil and Fuller?s Earth to repel moles. These ingredients are safe for pets, children and the environment.
- See our guides to Natural Slug Control and Nontoxic Garden Pest Control for nontoxic solutions to most common outdoor insect pest problems.
- If pesticides are used, always store them in inaccessible areas?and read the manufacturer?s label carefully for proper usage and storage.
4. De-icing salts
De-icing salts used to melt snow and ice pose a hazard to pets. When dogs lick their paws after having walked on surfaces treated with de-icing salts they may become sick. This limited exposure can lead to short-lived sickness such as hypersalivating, nausea and vomiting. Larger ingestions, according to the ASPCA, can lead to an increase in the blood?s electrolyte levels, weakness, lethargy, moderate irritation to the oral and gastrointestinal system, and even tremors. De-icing salts can also cause burns, cracks and skin irritations on dogs? paw pads.
The most commonly used de-icer is rock salt (sodium chloride). This is also the least expensive de-icing salt. Other ice-melt formulations use potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium carbonate or calcium magnesium acetate. These formulations are less toxic than sodium chloride but they are also more expensive.
Pet-safe Alternatives:
- Waterproof ?pet boots? are recommended during winter walks on treated icy surfaces.
- Sand, crushed cinder, or cat litter can provide traction on icy pavement, although they do not melt the ice.
- De-icers containing calcium chloride or potassium chloride are safer for pets but they are more expensive. Calcium chloride de-icer costs about three times as much as sodium chloride de-icer. De-icers marketed as ?pet friendly? are preferred for use, however prolonged exposure can still cause irritation to pets.
- Wash off your dog?s paws with a wet towel after walking on de-icing salts.
5. Antifreeze
Most antifreeze formulations in use today contain ethylene glycol as the principal ingredient. The sweet smell of ethylene glycol attracts animals, but it is deadly if ingested even in small amounts. As little as half a teaspoon of spilled antifreeze can kill an average-sized cat, and eight ounces can kill a 75-pound dog. Unless you catch it early, the damage to pets? kidneys can be irreversible. Spilled or leaked antifreeze also washes into rivers and lakes, harming fish and other wildlife.
Pet owners should be aware of the potential danger of antifreeze, and keep an eye out for any small green puddles in the garage or the pavement where cars are parked. Leaks from engine coolant systems are not common, but small spills may occur when topping up the car?s coolant reservoir.
Pet-safe Alternatives:
- Use ?Low Tox? antifreeze made of propylene glycol. This is just as effective as ethylene glycol, but it is a little more expensive. The added cost is hidden ? the mix ratio for ethylene glycol is 50:50 (antifreeze/water), while the propylene glycol mix is 60/40. But considering how little antifreeze car owners need to buy, the added cost is a small price to pay for safety to pets and the environment.
6. Household cleaners
According to the EPA, 50% of all illness can be traced to indoor pollution, which can be directly related to the use of household cleaners. The National Center for Health Sciences says ?? perhaps the most serious exposure is to modern household cleaners, which may contain a number of proven and suspect causes of cancer.? Cleaning products with ingredients such as bleach, ammonia, chlorine, glycol ethers or formaldehyde can put pets at risk for cancer, anemia, liver and kidney damage.
Even when the toxic cleaners are put away and closed, the vapors left behind can continue to harm both us and our pets.
Ammonia, found in oven cleaners and window cleaning formulations, is an irritant to the mucous membranes. Chlorine is a toxic respiratory irritant that can damage pets? skin, eyes or other membranes. It can be found in all-purpose cleaners, automatic dishwashing detergents, tile scrubs, disinfecting wipes, toilet-bowl cleaners, laundry detergents and mildew removers. Chlorine is heavier than air and lands in low-lying areas where pets live. Because your pets are smaller and breathe faster than adults, they are even more vulnerable than children to toxic exposure.
Laundry Detergent residue left behind on clothes and pet blankets can be harmful to your pet, especially those that chew on their bedding. Toilet bowl cleaners may be ingested by pets who have the habit of drinking from the toilet bowl.
Pet-safe Alternatives:
- Most home cleaning chores can be done without the need for commercial chemically-based home cleaners which may be toxic to pets. For a list of non-toxic home cleaners which you can make yourself, see our page Nontoxic Home Cleaning.
- Nellie?s All-Natural Dishwashing Powder uses biodegradable, nontoxic ingredients to clean dishes safely and effectively.
- Soap Nuts Laundry Liquid replaces chemical-based detergents with the natural cleaning properties of saponin, extracted from the Soapberry tree.
- Nellie?s All-Natural Laundry Nuggets are nontoxic, biodegradable, hypoallergenic and leave no residue on clothing or bedding.
7. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is present in many new home furnishings, household cleaners and some construction materials. It is considered toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. According to the EPA, formaldehyde has been shown to cause cancer in animals.
Pets can inhale formaldehyde from new fabrics, wood-veneer furniture, laminated flooring, wood paneling and doors made of particleboard, plywood, and medium density fiberboard. These pressed woods are bonded with resins containing formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde emissions are highest from new pressed wood furniture, drapery and unwashed new fabrics such as upholstery fabrics, and will gradually subside over time. New furnishings which contain formaldehyde should be set outdoors for a few days to ?out-gas? before bringing into the home. Rooms which contain new furniture or draperies should be well ventilated. Wash new clothing and bedding before use to remove formaldehyde-containing fabric finishes. Consider buying solid wood or used furniture.
Newer mobile homes and trailers are made using materials which contain formaldehyde, and many illnesses have been reported from occupants. The mobile homes provided by the government for victims of the Katrina hurricane sickened many people due to the off-gassing fumes.
Air purifiers are ineffective at removing gaseous pollutants and should not be used to mitigate formaldehyde off-gassing. Ventilation is the preferred option.
Pet-safe Alternatives:
- Dog houses should be made of solid wood. Plywood and pressed wood products should be avoided, but if they are used they should be painted on both sides.
- New dog cushions and blankets should be washed or left outdoors to off-gas for several days before letting the dog come into contact with them.
- Dogs kept in apartments or small homes during the day should have access to fresh air. Keep a screened window open if possible.
8. Mothballs
Mothballs, when used properly, are effective at killing moths. But used carelessly, they pose a hidden health threat to pets. Inhalation of mothball vapors causes headaches, respiratory distress, eye irritation and many other symptoms. Ingestion causes toxic poisoning leading to liver damage, respiratory failure, seizures, heart arrhythmia, and the possibility of death. The ingestion of just one mothball can produce significant illness. Repeated inhalation of fumes or ingestion of a few mothballs can be fatal to cats and dogs.
Pets can be attracted to the curious smell of mothballs. This leads them to heightened exposures to which the pet owner is unaware. Ongoing exposure to mothball fumes in the home may remain undetected which results in long-term exposure for the pet.
Mothballs are impregnated with either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, both toxic substances. They work by releasing toxic vapors which build up within airtight spaces and kill any moths or moth larvae emerging from the clothing or other stored items. Mothballs should only be used in closed, airtight containers where the pesticide fumes are trapped. If mothballs are not kept in sealed containers, the vapors are gradually released into the room. This long term exposure can pose health concerns if the exposure is high enough.
Pet-safe Alternatives:
- Make moth-repelling sachets using small squares of cheesecloth stuffed with juniper shavings (aromatic cedar, pencil cedar) and place them in closets, bureaus and clothes chests.
- Buy non-toxic pheromone-based clothes moth traps.
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Domestic pets may have keen senses of smell and hearing which alert them to danger, but they have no defence against the hidden dangers of chemicals in your home. As a pet owner, you will need to identify the presence of these unseen hazards and take preventive measures to ensure your pet?s long term good health.
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Dog, Lawn Fertilizing, herbicide, and salt images courtesy of Bigstock.com
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