Author: Ruby Carter

Death, taxes and dogs. Three of life’s most dependable things, only, dogs are likely the one thing of the three we willingly accept in our lives. 

They’re unconditionally loving, unwaveringly loyal and always happy to see us, and those characteristics are exactly what have earned them the moniker of man’s best friend. Because you’d probably have a hard time forgiving your friends if they chewed your couch cushions, peed on your floor, or greeted you with an enthusiastic crotch sniff, but when it comes to your dog, you don’t think twice about it.

And welcoming a dog into your life is one of the best things you can do for yourself. According to the Ontario Veterinary Association, pet ownership boosts your emotional well-being, lowers stress levels, provides you with unconditional love and makes you a much happier person. A further study conducted by the U.S. Department of Health showed that pet ownership can even add years to your life. 

But choosing the right pooch pal for you isn’t as easy as walking into the pet store and picking the cutest puppy. Different breeds have different needs, and if those needs don’t fit your lifestyle, the relationship might not be a match made in doggie heaven. For example, if you prefer to lead a life of lazy leisure, bringing home a Husky or Border Collie – dogs who are programmed to want to run and then run some more – might not be the best idea. 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, or have somehow managed to lead a life of blissful ignorance, you’re well aware of global warming and other environmental crises currently facing our planet. Even if you’re not quite ready to buy into what scientists, environmentalists and Al Gore are saying and jump wholeheartedly onto the global warming bandwagon, you just need to look around you to see that something’s gotta give. 

Air quality advisories are becoming a staple of summer days. Pollution and high bacteria levels keep us out of our lakes and rivers; we’re even hesitant about the quality of water coming from our taps. 

Environmental organizations worldwide say global warming is the single greatest threat currently facing our society, and in 2007, NASA scientist James E. Hansen stated that unless international efforts are launched within the next 10 years, species will disappear and the Earth will be a vastly less habitable planet by the end of the century. 

It’s all very scary and completely overwhelming. How are you, one person out of the billions on this planet, supposed to make a difference? Easy.

As much as you’ve been bombarded with scary facts about climate change, you’ve also probably been told there are loads of things you can to do make a difference, and that’s true. (Relax, we’re not going to ask you to go all granola.)