Shop With Your Heart to Help Farm Animals

We all care about animals but sometimes we don’t always think about the animals that help produce our food - especially during the holiday season. So, this season the ASPCA, Food Chain Workers Alliance, GRACE Communications Foundation, and the Natural Resource Defense Council are working hard to arm consumers with the information they need before they head to the grocery store for holiday shopping. And they are focusing on farm animal welfare by doing so. Here are some tips for being a savvy consumer while supporting humane practices!

                                                                                          

Don’t Be Duped - Marketing schemes can play a huge factor when it comes to food purchases. So often consumers want to buy humanely-raised food, but labels can be meaningless or downright misleading at times! What’s the difference between “all-natural” or “free-range” or “cage-free”? That’s why the ASPCA has produced guides like this one to help consumers distinguish what matters.

Don’t Waste the Food You Have - Your family can reduce your holiday grocery bill - and food waste - by serving the right portion sizes and storing leftovers properly. A Good Groceries Guide will help you understand how all these elements fit together to help people, animals, and ultimately the planet

Buy Locally - Shopping locally, like from your local farmer’s market or CSA, can keep your shopping dollars in your local area and also decrease the need for factory-farmed foods. Check out the ASPCA guide for shopping locally and how to begin conversations with local producers in your area.

Shop With Your Heart - At the ASPCA Shop With Your Heart website you’ll find an abundance of options for healthy and humane food choices, along with tips on how to begin to implement them in your own family.

As consumers we have all the power to shift the focus of major companies and corporations. And that begins with understanding how our shopping choices can directly affect the lives of the animals that help bring us the meals we serve our family.

Enter for your chance to win some fun items from the ASPCA!

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Lipzu - Organic Lip Balm for Kids

Budding beauty guru Daisy Creel is proof that you're never too small to think big.  The 12-year old joined her love of animals with an entrepreneurial spirit to develop LIPZU, a line of organic lip balms that gives a portion of its proceeds to the Humane Society.  "We got all of our pets - two cats, a dog and a bird - from the Human Society," says Daisy.  "Someone saved and cared for them before they came to live with us so I want to return the favor."

My Thoughts

Using lip gloss has never been sweeter! Whether you're puckering up for a kiss or hoping to protect your lips from the harsh winter weather,  Lipzu organic lip balms are the perfect choice.  Applying this gloss will shield your lips from the elements, but it's also making a fashion statement by providing you with adorable cases featuring animals like cats, dogs, pandas, and penguins. Plus, they come in tasty flavors and pretty colors.  Kids will love these fun designs and it will encourage them to keep their lips healthy. 

I loved using this gloss for my children. It smooths and softens their lips instantly, but what I love even more is that it's made with organic ingredients. That means it's good for them and the planet. And as if that isn't enough, a portion of the proceeds goes to charities that benefit animals. 

Lpizu Organic Lip Balms are such an amazing idea. It has it all, and what makes it so impressive is that the concept was developed by a 12-year-old girl. To see all Lipzu has to offer, be sure to visit their website or follow them on social media.

Fall Finds at Chewy.com

Whether you have a dog or a cat, Chewy is your one stop shop for all your pet care needs. I live in a little tourist town, so I don't have many options when its time to get treats for my pets. Luckily, Chewy has something to suit any animal's palette. My dog is allergic to almost everything, but even I found some tasty treats she can enjoy.

The Eukanuba Vital Health System™ Baked Bars are biscuits with a purpose.  Each one is a bite size biscuit packed with the nutrients dogs need to live a healthy, happy life. It's the perfect compliment to Eukanuba Vital Health System  dry dog food products.  My Golden Retriever snatched them right up and enjoyed this crunchy treat after a walk by the lake.

Of course, these are only one example of the new treats available at Chewy.com. Here are a few  more items on our wish list.

Chewy has everything you need for your pets including food, liter, treats, bones, flea prevention and so much more, and all for prices well below resale. Plus, shipping is free on all orders over $49. To see all they have to offer, be sure to visit their website or follow them via social media. If you have a pet, you can make their life and yours more convenient, by shopping online with  Chewy today.

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365 Days of Watermelon for Your Pup

The dog days of summer are disappearing, and with it the fresh fruit that makes it so sweet.

But with new Skinny Minis Watermelon Flavor treats by Fruitables, pups can enjoy their favorite fruit all year long! Don't let the colder months get in the way of a cool, refreshing and naturally sweet treat made with real watermelon that's so fresh you can smell it.

Best yet, these treats are only 2.5 calories each. And they're gluten free, too!

My thoughts:

These mini treats are just the right size for little dogs.  They actually smell good, and I was surprised of this.  But also happy.  These treats come in a resealable bag so they won't go stale.  And you get quite a bit in a bag. 

We have a small dog, and he loves these.  My kids enjoy teaching him to sit for his treats.  I only have tried this flavor (Watermelon) so far.  But do intend to try the other flavors by fruitables.     I would definitely recommend these.  

Join the Herd and Raise Awareness for World Elephant Day #elphie

“If we do not act, we will have to shamefully admit to our children that we stood by as elephants were driven out of existence.”  Samantha Strindberg Wildlife Conservation Society.

World Elephant Day is August 12 and we want to implement a viral program to support the Wildlife Conservation Society’s 96 Elephants campaign. This initiative focuses on protecting forest elephants from extinction through awareness and legislation. More than 35,000 elephants are killed by poachers each year for their ivory and the goal of the campaign is to stop the killing, demand and trafficking of elephant ivory. There are a number of ways you can be a part of this and spread the word. The more you do the more awareness we can raise! And there are gentle messages for children as well. So, please post all the below information on your blog and social media and help bring in friends, and your community! This is one of the most important events of the year for WCS, and we would really appreciate your help spreading this news and taking part in the social media activities; please confirm if you’ll be able to do so.

Now, more than ever we need your support for a cause that is very important for the Wildlife Conservation Society – 96 Elephants. The 96 Elephants campaign, named for the number of elephants currently gunned down each day by poachers, focuses on: securing effective U.S. moratorium laws; bolstering elephant protection with additional funding; and educating the public about the link between ivory consumption and the elephant poaching crisis. You can learn more about 96 Elephants at the official site, www.96elephants.org.  

Here’s how you can help:

·         Let the kids get creative and color in their own elephant, using a special template; take a picture of their masterpiece and share on social media using the hashtag #elphie

·         Print out elephant masks for the entire family and take pictures of yourselves wearing the masks, then upload them to social media using the hashtag #elphie. Here’s a link to print the mask: http://bit.ly/1s1IZTr

·         On August 12, World Elephant Day, change your social profile picture to be one of you in the elephant mask and include the caption “join the herd” along with a link to the 96 Elephants information page: http://pages.96elephants.org/wed/

·         Go to 96elephants.org and sign-up to take the pledge to not buy ivory and support the US ban (and state bans) against ivory sales.

·         Donate a tweet or Facebook post to the cause via Thunderclap and help spread the word together, all at once, on World Elephant Day. thndr.it/1kqIbYo 

·         Visit the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, or other WCS parks on World Elephant Day or anytime during the week of August 12-17 and show your support by wearing grey and participating in elephant themed educational activities.

·         Download the 96 Elephants advocacy tool kit and take part in all you can!

·         Follow 96 Elephants on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

***No compensation received. Information was provided by the company or their representative***