Day 290 of our Green Year: Damn Fruit Flies!

Anyone who leaves fruit out finds that fruit flies can become a problem. These little guys will lay as much as 500 eggs at a time, and they can quickly overwhelm your house and become a serious annoyance. Since we are coming up to spring, this will become a problem but there are plenty of natural ways to keep fruit flies from becoming a problem.

First, at our house we will be covering our fruit and eating the fruit before it can become appetizing to fruit flies. Old fruit is a haven for these flies so it is best just to eat it before it gets old and then you don't develop fruit flies.

In extreme cases, where the flies have become a serious problem, we will resort to more drastic means to deal with them. One such way is one we from UrbanGreenGirl.

To eliminate fruit flies, you will need the following:

1. A little bowl
   
2. Apple cider vinegar
   
3. Reused plastic wrap or a small plastic bag.
   

Instructions:

1. Fill the little bowl with apple cider vinegar so that the depth is approximately 1in/2.5cm.
2. Cover with reused plastic wrap or plastic bag.
3. Take a tooth pick and punch a bunch of holes in the plastic wrap. Make sure that the opening is big enough for them to get in, but small enough that they cannot get out. Do not put them around the edge.
4. Place the bowl(s) on your kitchen countertop or under the sink; where ever they accumulate.

Thank you to Kelly at KBS Radio, who was nice enough to give us a call today and do an interview with us for Our Green Year! :D

Day 186 of our Green Year: Refreshing Our Dog's Breath

Layla and I own one dog; Niko. He is not just a dog to us, but practically a child. We love him dearly and only want the best for him (hence the spending of $25.99 medium-sized bags of organic dog food). As much as we love him, his breath can be a bit atrocious. Rather than buy the dog breath fresheners at pet stores that are not organic and may be harmful to the health of the dog, we have looked towards some green solutions.

First, we try and look at our dog's mouth about twice a month to check for bleeding gums, pale gums, tartar, decay, sores and broken teeth. This is done so that we can make sure that he is healthy. Despite what many would think, the mouth can tell you a lot about the health of the body, even for us.

Second, bacteria can cause a lot bad breath and there is a lot of bacteria build up in old water. So, in our house we take the water that is more than two days old in Niko's bowl and we put it in the plants, then we refresh his water. However, this only has to be done on occasion because Niko drinks most of his water within two days since he has a small bowl. Most of the water that is collected each day is put into the water bowls for the dogs and is never more than a day or so old.

Three, a raw carrot is great to clear away plaque on a dog's teeth and they are a good source of vitamin A, C and fiber.

Lastly, we will be looking for organic dog treats that can help clean our dog's teeth. As well, we will begin making our own treats, as we have started to do, that will help keep the dog's mouth fresh and healthy.

Got some green tips for fighting bad breath in your dog's mouth, let us know with an e-mail to craigbaird@wildmail.com