I run an animal shelter in my home currently housing 57 cats, but this is about the environment. We tried Yesterday’s News and we love it, but it is too expensive. We recycle zip lock, grocery vegetable, and shopping bags for used cat litter. Garbage cans are bungee corded closed to keep raccoons out. We recycle day old dry cat food for rescuers running feral cat colonies and local people who cannot afford to feed their own cats. I have an 1800’s pet cemetery with carved headstones where we bury any of our cats that have crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

A local factory donates its bottles/cans to us, which we return. They are out of the land fills and we earn some money! We recycle all cat food cans, plastic bottles, glass, magazines, newspapers, and cardboard. We compost vegetable waste and trimmings from the yard. I have 4 stick piles providing homes for small animals. I have an organic vegetable/herb garden and grow catnip, which I dry and crush for the cats. Dead trees are left standing or where they fall for birds and small animals. Removed grapevines are made into grapevine wreaths. I use paper bags from the grocery store, which we use to burn paper trash. We use the ashes on the driveway in winter to prevent skidding.

I feed humming birds and grow flowers bees love – privet, Hosta, day lilies, honeysuckle, and Barberry. I feed birds in winter, but our bear prevents this in summer. I have lots of shrubs/trees which produce food for small animals and birds – Autumn Olives (berries), raspberry bushes, Barberry, wild rose bushes (rose hips), Quince (fruit), grapes, Black Walnuts, Hickorys (nuts), Hazelnuts, pears, apples, and crab apples.

Respectfully submitted,
Carol E. Farren