Cats - should they be banned?

Cats have certainly been a hot topic in the last week or so in the media following Gareth Morgan's out there, "designed to stir heated discussion" statement, and cat lovers are certainly up in arms!  However what a statement that is so far to one  end of the spectrum does is begins a dialogue that was going to happen at some stage anyway.

In some states in Australia and Canada for example, cats are not allowed outside at all, in others only during the day, but they must be inside at night.  It was only a matter of time before this happens here.  After all all out native wildlife would be targets of a hunting cat.

In my opinion the statement made by Gareth Morgan was designed to get the dialogue going and then when the midway solution of cats inside only or inside at night is the outcome it will seem like a compromise. 

So on a sustainability front why am I blogging about this?

1. Cats are our companions.  While for some people it's their dog, for other's the cat has the same meaning.  They are important for our own wellbeing - part of being sustainable. 
2. Cats kill native (and exotic) wildlife - no arguing there.  Even if its not your cat, cats with hunting drive (most cats) and access catch geckos, skinks and native birds as well as non native species.
3. Cats reduce the rodent population - rodents are an introduced pest and cats do keep them in check.  If there were no cats outside hunting at night there would need to be significantly more trapping, poisoning and so forth to keep the population in check especially in urban areas
4. While most cat owners are responsible, there are those that aren't - not desexing, dumping kittens in wildlife areas, leaving a property and not bothering to take their cat.  Those of you in Dunedin will know about the problem in the student area of town with cats. 
5. If we keep our cats inside all the time we have to redesign how we live with them.  For many people that already do this this is a familiar concept but for others it is not.  Cats needs vertical space so they can sit up high and view the world.  They need lots of things to scratch on.  Those with mainly outdoor cats won't notice how much cats scratch but take a close look at trees around your garden if you have a cat.  You will find cat scratch marking - designed as a visual marker of territory.   It is very noticable on cabbage trees.    Another big area overseas exspecially is designing a cat habitat that is enclosed but outside with branches, warm sunny spots and so on.  This idea might appear to some people but others especially on very small sections may not have room for this. Check out this link for more on these cat habitats

What I think is important is cat lovers don't get on the defensive about this.  It is important to have a dialogue and to look at all sides of the story.  It certainly isn't totally clear cut and for  those people that are reacting in a huge way to Gareth Morgan's comments - in my opinion, they will never ban cats, so don't feel that you need to fight that argument. Look at the other options that are more realisitic and be involved in the discussion around those that is likely to arise.

Maybe cat owners should be licensed and all cats microchipped so any cat found that is unmicrochipped is considered unowned.  Maybe certain areas of the country should not be allowed cats that go outside - National Parks for example (I think this might already be the case) and perhaps areas like the Marlborough Sounds, where although it is not a National Park its an area of significance and also of regenerating native bush, but if you live in urban Auckland then they would be allowed free range.  This in itself is fraught with difficulties because there are always grey areas.  Parts of urban Auckland back onto small tracks of native bush for example.  And there are many other things to consider. 

This post is not about answers, its about putting some perspective on the topic and engaging some sensible thought and discussion. 

There are tonnes of websites and images devoted to indoor and/or enclosed cats and lots of products worldwide available to allow cats outside without them hunting the wildlife.  There are of course additional things an owner of a cat that can't exercise its hunting drive with live animals must do, and that means more play with your cat. 

I look forward to comments and feedback. 

Reflections on 2012

As most of our students for 2012 are finished now (or very nearly there), I thought for this week I would take some time to reflect on the year in terms of this blog and the topic of sustainability.

I am quite sure many of wondered what you had got yourself in for when we first introduced this topic to you at the beginning of the year.  I hope in some way we have helped all of you take a step forward in understanding why this topic is so important to each and every one of us.  

Here are some key points from this years blogs:

1.  There is only one planet earth 
2. Sustainability is not about being a greenie - its about respecting the environment, meeting peoples needs and within that ensuring that business is successful.  However without a healthy environment, there is no place for people to reside and therefore nowhere for businesses to thrive.  
3. We all need to play a part in product stewardship.  We need to consider carefully our purchases in terms of food or any product really in terms of asking questions about whether we really need it, what it contains, where it was made, what the companies policies on environment and looking after its people are like and are there better alternatives.  This applies to personal and business purchases.  And when any product enters out hands we then need to take responsibility for disposing of it in the most appropriate fashion.  
4. Choose natural fibres and avoid plastics as best you can (in this plastic orientated world especially biodegradable plastics and recycle whatever does come your way)!

These are just some of the topics covered this year.  

For any one who didn't get a chance to listen to my presentation on ideas around a sustainable veterinary practice of the future, you can listen to that here and for anyone who doesn't think its a reality, here is an example of a clinic who is out there doing it - sure they aren't perfect (I don't anyone is) but they have made some huge steps in a fantastic direction.  I discovered this clinic after I did my presentation so I was stoked to see that someone was out there doing it!

One of the biggest things I have learnt this year for myself around this topic is that local community involvement is so very important and also rewarding.  I have only taken small steps this year, but intend to develop this path in the next few years.  What impact have these blogs had on you?

I hope that I have managed to open your minds and eyes to this topic and the importance of it.  I look forward to hearing about your endeavours out in the big wide world and hope that some of this learning will be carried through into your new careers or lives after Otago Polytechnic!

For those students finishing with us - we wish you the best of luck as you forge ahead with your career.  We hope you stay in touch with us and let us know what you are doing - don;t forget to hook up to our Facebook page to stay connected to what is happening and this blog.    

For those who will return next year to achieve the next step in their goal - have a well deserved summer break and we'll see you bright eyed and bushy tailed in February!

Kind Regards
Francesca

The Ocean

Have you ever listened to TEDtalks - amazing inspirational and educational talks given by engaging speakers.

This is an 18 minute talk by Sylvia Earle on the worlds oceans. Its a serious talk but it contains good uses of humour to raise awareness of this serious topic.  It does highlight some great things are being done, but makes its clear that we need to do more.

The oceans are an integral part of planet earth and without healthy oceans we won't have a healthy planet.  If we haven't managed to flick the switch yet this year on this topic, perhaps this talk might flick it.

Have a great sustainable weekend.

Francesca

A real example of a green veterinary clinic

Just to prove that it is possible to do something - check out this veterinary clinic.  They have done some great work and have shared it on their website, including some presentations from the practice principal.  Have a look - you might find some inspiration for your practice here!

http://www.aspenmeadowvet.com/green_tour.html

What I found really exciting about this is what they have done fits very well with the work I have been putting together and presenting here around the sustainable veteirnary practice. 

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I have been in touch with Aspen Meadow Vets regarding polar fleece useage as they indicated this is the bedding they use in their information.   This is something that has certainly come up in discussions we have had around what is the best bedding as of course polar fleece is made from recycled PET bottles - which is great in terms of getting another use about of them, however the source product - PET bottles are not sustainable of course so in an ideal world we would want to create a cyclic system.   

Response regarding fleece:

"I am so excited to hear you guys are working on greening veterinary medicine too.  Our washing machines and driers have lint catches and so all of the fleece that comes off is caught up in that and is put into the trash.  So it could make it into waterways via landfill.  But honestly, the amount of fleece that comes off is very little.  I would think there are different types of fleece and level of quality. Ours is a 2in thick version that has large wool-like curls.  And so maybe that makes a difference. With our high efficiency washer and driers, the washing machines are front loader and spin at 1600rpm.  So when the fleece comes out, it is almost dry already.  Then the driers have a sensor that knows when the load is dry.  So it dries in 5minutes.  The key is to make sure that only fleece is washed with fleece.  If you get a piece of cotton, it will dry in 30minutes, when the cotton is dry.  So when its all fleece, its just 5minutes to dry.  Really efficient way to go."

So some great feedback here which all makes sense and is working within the environment we currently have and I think offers some good solutions.  Easy to implement solutions.  Once your clinic has the high efficency machines/dryers and is using polar fleece, then the next step might be to look for truely cyclic alternatives like modern wool fabric which has similar properties to polar fleece.  There is no doubt this is a process and we will never be 100% perfect in one step.  So don't wait, take some steps that are realistic in your practice and reflect and modify over time as new knowledge and ready availability of products changes.
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I also asked if they had  a solution on cat and dog faeces disposal yet, as this is an area I am looking into.

Response regarding Faeces:

"We do not have an answer for the faeces.  Some people with more guts than me have composted it and grew a garden in back of the clinic."

Good to know I haven't missed anything I guess in my  thoughts regarding this but now to find a solution.  Faeces going to landfill is a major problem as it release greenhouse gases during breakdown and  faeces left on the footpath/along dog paths end up in waterways which increase contamination. But becasue of potential contamiantion is shouldn;t go in our greenwaste. 

You will find a possible solution here which I am looking into: http://www.disbin.co.nz/.  Thanks to the generosity of Helen, from Disbin, currently 2 staff offsite and the team onsite are using this system or a variation on it (they have swapped the cardboard bin for a plastic one).  The plan is to put together a research project looking at solutions for dog and cat faeces disposal which includes looking at bacterial, parasitic and protozoal contamination following the bokashi treatment among a number of other things.  If you have any ideas let me know.

I'd also love to hear what you do with your dog and cat faeces.
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Have a great week
Francesca

Ethical dilemma

Here is an animal ethics dilemma for you

There are three common ways eggs are produced for human consumption

Image Source: http://www.brightside.org.au/bloogoocms/asp/print_template.asp?articleID=430 

Battery

3 hens to a cramped cage, fed a measured diet.  As we know they develop all sorts of displacement activities but these can be maintained as specific pathogen free (eg free from salmonella). The pressure is on to ban this form of farming completely.



Source: http://thesolution.org.nz/2012/03/20/why-colony-cages-rather-than-barn-laid-eggs/

Barn eggs

These chickens are reared in a large barn - have nesting boxes, can move from one end to the other, and look happy and healthy in the one I have been in.  It is possible to have these as "specific pathogen free - eg free from salmonella which is an issue for eggs, but the birds are still inside and when you look at it from a birds eye view it looks cramped.

Image source: http://www.animal-voice.org/if-you-buy-buy-free-range/

Free Range

Great marketing, looks really great having them outside at least some of the time, the chickens look happy, they can forage and get there nutrition from a range of sources. This is certainly normal chicken environment and behaviour.  However they can't be maintained as specific pathogen free (eg salmonella contamination of eggs is more likely), they are more at risk of parasites and predation (depending on how they are free ranged) and the weather can impact on them if they are not provided with enough shelter.  Their production levels may be lower too as they utilise more energy foraging than producing.   


For meat chickens they are reared in barns (often on floors within a single barn), similar to barn egg production or free range. Similar issues apply and you can add campylobacter into the mix too which is a common meat contaminant.

Of course this isn't the full story -

If free range chickens are rotated around a farm and foillowed by sheep for example they are adding natural fertiliser and cleaning up parasites in front of sheep, which are cleaning up the chicken parasites for example. This is being done naturally without the use of transport (oil) to more the fertiliser made by chicken poo to where it is needed.

However it is fact that chickens reared indoors in cramped conditions are more efficient at converting feed to meat/egg production and therefore intensively reared chicken have a lower carbon footprint than free range, but at the cost of poorer animal welfare according to one reference I read.

This may vary when you look at using the chickens to fertilise land ahead of other stock and the source of the chicken meal fed to the chickens.

Barn eggs/chickens also have an advantage of being very efficient in terms of land use, and within barns it should be possible to harness any of the gases released and used for energy sources too and all waste can be collected and used for fertiliser.

The ethical contiuum

For all our student readers who have studied ethics, you will know that we all sit somewhere different on the ethical continuum, but that it important not to form you ethical opinion until you have got infomration about all sides.

Is animal welfare your primary concern, is it carbon footprint, or is it a combination?

The aim of this post is just to point out that what seems best or worst is not always that simple and we make the best decision we can make with the information we have.

Why not learn more about the brand of eggs you buy (and any of the food for that matter). Take a pasture to plate approach to eating. 

Read more about the farm and what they do and their philosophies - if its good they are bound to be on the web.  If its not they probably won't be. This might help you to make your decision.  If you can't find them - call them on the contact number provider on the box of eggs!

Maybe we should just all have our own backyard hens?

Look forward to your comments

Have a great weekend!

Francesca

Haves vs Have nots - sharing resources fairly

If you watched Campbell Live a couple of weeks ago, you would have seen the article about kids school lunches.  If you didn't watch it here.  It had quite an astounding effect on me.  I knew there was a problem but the article graphically illustrated it.  Nothing like a picture to tell 1000 words!

Photo from TV website - school lunches story

In summary (in case the link ever gets removed in the future) - TV3 Campbell Live went into a decile 10 school and a decile 1 school and asked kids in a random year 6 class (the kids did not know it was happening), to put what they had for lunch out on their desks and then leave the room.  The cameras then went in and filmed it.  In the decile 10 school - everyone had lunch, all but 1 or 2 had fruit, some up to 3 pieces. In the decile 1 school only half had lunch and those that had lunch had mostly sugary (often fizzy) drink and chips and none had fruit.  When TV3 asked who had had breakfast, all but one student in the decile 10 school class had had breakfast and virtually none in the class surveyed in the decile 1 school. 

I am well aware this article has provoked lots of comments on the internet regarding the parents and what they spend there money on but it is impossible to say that these families are not in poverty, even if some of the decisions they make about the content of a lunch is poor, remember most of the students didn't actually have any. 

However, the purpose of this blog is not to argue the point about these kids, their lunches and their family situation.  The point of this blog is to consider resource sharing - the have's and the have not's.  Sure - there may be reasons why some of us have and some of us have not, but no one can argue that the have's, have got too much!  

Image source:  http://www.seoptimise.com/blog/2011/12/36-social-media-sharing-resources-for-business-people.html 

In terms of sustainability,  fair sharing of resources is an important part of that.  Take some time to consider how you personally might be able to share some resources more fairly.  Even if its just making sure your cast off clothing goes to the charity bin in a cleaned and usable state or donating to the food bank every year.  Perhaps you could allocate some money or time each year for a chosen charity.  As they always say, charity begins at home -  so look to your local and neighbouring communities for good causes where you could donate time or money.  This builds communities and capabilities and shares resources more fairly.

Tell us what you have done to share resources more fairly.  

Have a great "sharing" weekend

Kind Regards
Francesca

Unwanted toys

Check out this picture and story regarding piles of unwanted toys

Quite sobering isn't it - plastic toys may enthrall the kids for a short period but for the most part they are quickly finished with and forgotten, often broken too because they aren't engineered to last forever.  
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There are 3 small children at my house and I don't think one day goes by when I don't feel like I am choking in the stuff they have and the stuff that is broken and can only go to landfill and I don't even get them that much.

I blogged late last year about making sustainable purchases for Christmas and included discussion on kids toys but when my colleague sent me this link and at the same time I had been given the Chalk magazine by the local kindy where the kids had circled things like plastic irons, hairdryers, cooking stuff - you know all the stuff I already have in the house (as the real deal) and then this morning my son was playing with my real hairdryer - yes he was supervised and I thought WHY do we need all these plastic replicas of things we already have in our houses.  Are we all so lazy (or busy) that we can't supervise our kids to play safely with the real thing or are we so health and safety conscious we think they are just not allowed to play with the real thing? 

If the kids use the real thing the kids learn about how they really work, they learn about the things to be watchful for.  My son understand with my hairdryer that first we need to remove the safety plug from the wall (which i do), then we plug the hairdryer in before turning it on, we take care not to cover the fan or have it too close to us.  After 5 minutes he turns it off, switches it off at the wall, unplugs it and asks for the safety plug to put back.  

We have a similar system with other pieces of equipment.  My kids all know how to use them and how to be safe with them.

They do make believe kitchen play with real stuff out of the kitchen - sure I select what pots/bowls they can have but they get a wide range of stuff (just not my really good stuff).  They are allowed to use some food - with the rule that they eat what they make (or they use playdough - I don't make them eat that!).

Next time you go to buy your children, nieces, nephews, or other children in your life a toy, stop and think.  Ask yourself -  do they really need this?  Think back to what you had and how you carried out that play.  Not only will it reduce waste but it will reduce clutter.  And that is the advantages even before considering the waste and carbon footprint prior to the toy making it to the shop you are about to purchase it from.  

Last year instead of a physical gift for my daughter for her birthday I bought her  a two hour horse trek which she has lots of memories from.  It supported a local business too, and has a lot lower footprint than a toy in many cases and it has not cluttered my house (or my daughters life) either.

One of the many toys that last a lifetime available from Funhotoys

Check out this link to Funho for toys that truly last a lifetime.

By the way - this blog may have been all about kids toys but lets face it, we could all do with reducing the "toys" in our life!  So think about it for yourself too.

Reduce the 'stuff' in your life and feel the freedom!  

Have a great weekend
Francesca