1. Eat Organic: Organics are produced in a way that respects the environment and protects the workers from harmful chemicals. Be sure to look for the USDA Certified Organic label. When at the farmers market, ask the farmers if their farm is certified organic. Many farms are not certified due to the costly and lengthy process but they may still use organic farming practices.
2.  Buy Fair Trade: This certification ensures fair wages and working conditions for the people harvesting the produce. Transfair is the only fair trade certifier in the U.S. Their environmental protection standards are extremely strict, second only to the USDA organic certification.
3. Reduce your Meat Consumption: Producing meat is very resource intensive. One pound of beef requires 12,000 gallons of water not to mention grain, land, medical care & man hours. Consider starting small by reducing a couple of servings of meat a week. This one choice will have the biggest impact on the environment.
4. Buy Local/Eat Local: On average, food travels 1500 miles to your table. Buying local reduces the emissions produced by transportation. Local food tends to have less packaging, more nutritional value and come in many varieties. Look for restaurants that buy local or grow their own food at www.eatwellguide.org
5. Eat Raw: The benefits of eating raw are undeniable. Preparing raw food uses almost no energy and it’s easy to take your fresh snacks on the go.
6. Cook More Often: Cook at home more often and in larger quantities. You’ll not only avoid much of the packaging and preservatives in processed foods but also be able to save the leftovers for the next day.
7. Eat Wild Caught Fish: Wild caught are purer in flavor, sustainable to the environment and don’t have the added pigments and antibiotics of its farm raised counterparts. It is also higher in the healthy Omega 3 fatty acids.
8. Buy in Bulk: Whether you’re shopping at the local food co-op or the grocery store be sure to check out the bulk foods section. They are free of packaging and minimally processed. There are typically many dry goods available including nuts, granolas, beans and peas. This is also a nice way to try a small amount of something new.
9. Buy a Side of Grass Fed Beef: Corn based diets make cows sick, therefore needing antibiotics. Ordering grass fed beef from local farmers gets cows out of the feed lots and gives the local farmers a vested interest in caring for their land. We have the option of having the meat processed in whichever cuts we like best and the transportation impact is almost zero.
10. Pack a Lunch: Invest in a lunch box and pack it with a wide variety of nutritious foods. You’ll reduce the waste from takeout and be consuming fewer preservatives.
11. Grow Your Own: Having fresh veggies readily available is so nice. Consider planting heirloom seeds. They are not hybrid and not genetically modified either. Over 1000 varieties are available at www.heirloomseeds.com
12. Love Your Veggies: Veggies produce no green house gasses, and use minimal water and energy to grow compared to meat. Increasing your vegetable intake will make you feel great and be easier on the environment.
13. Pick Your Own: You can find local farms to pick your favorite fruits and vegetables from or you can forage around town. Every spring and summer I find plenty of asparagus along the roadside, morel mushrooms in the woods and fresh black & red raspberries in local parks. Be sure you know which to pick and which to leave as they are not all edible and some can be very poisonous.
14. Eat Sustainable Seafood: American seafood tends to me more sustainable than seafood from other countries which are fed questionable feed and given antibiotics. Some fish and seafood is over fished and should be avoided. Check out www.seafoodwatch.org for the latest updates.
15. Join a CSA: Community Supported Agriculture is a group people who join together in purchasing weekly shares of fresh produce with the option of eggs, meat or flowers from a local farmer. It’s a great way to stay connected to your community and eat healthier.

Eating is an important act that we engage in daily and it has a huge impact on our health and the environment. Including these tips into your daily routine will make your footprint a little smaller, your taste buds more excited and leave you feeling nourished.

Enjoy!

1. The Cake

Everyone knows a great wedding begins with the cake. For the best in dog-friendly cakes, I highly recommend The Barkery. The Barkery specializes in dog birthday cakes, but they also make special Valentine’s Day themed treats that would be the perfect centerpiece for a puptial. Like The Barkery on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

2. The Cake Toppers

You didn’t think I was going to let you put humans on top of your “I Woof You” wedding cake, did you? For the finest in ceramic dog wedding cake toppers (available in a variety of breeds) I think Madame Pomm’s are the finest.

3. The Dress & The Tux

For a great selection of dog formal wear for the big day, look no further than Doggie Clothesline. They offer tuxes, white dresses, and accessories in all different sizes to fit your puptial needs. Don’t forget out about outfitting your ring bearer and bridesmaids, the Doggie Clothesline offers options for your whole wedding party.

4. Floral Centerpieces

I’ll admit it, I like a good DIY project here and there. One of my favorite pet blogs, Pawesome, has a lovely way to make your own dog inspired floral centerpieces. They’re perfect for your guests to take home and enjoy after the puptials. Follow Pawesome on Twitter or like them on Facebook.

5. The Petographer

Of course you will need someone to capture the special moments of your big day. Why chose a regular old photographer when you can chose a petographer? As a maven of social media I combed Facebook for a remarkable petographer and came across Scruffy Dog Photography. Their main website comes complete with a blog of recent images. Scruffy Dog Photography is located in Canada, but even if you can’t cross country lines for their work, you can use it as inspiration to find local petography talent in your hometown.

6. The Wedding Planner

Don’t have time to plan your own puptial? No problem. Check out Auntie Jen specializing in Puptials & Bow Wow Vows. This kind of service gives you plenty of time to relax and play with rocks while someone does all the planning for you. Lucky dog!

7. The DJ

Everyone knows a good DJ can make or break your wedding, I mean how many times do you have to hear The Funky Chicken, am I right? For those truly wanting to make a hip statement at their puptials, check out YouTube breakout star DJ Mama the French Bulldog. Mama’s a personal friend, so please, contact me with booking info….ok, well Mama’s not a friend yet per say, but soon!

8. Gift Registry

Create a gift registry for your puptuals at Paw Place Online, the one stop shop for pampered pooches. While you’re browsing their selection and setting up your registry for friends and family, go ahead and friend them on Facebook too!

9. An Alternate Gift Idea….

If you and your fiance already have more then you can fit into your crates and doggy beds, why not ask guests to donate to a local organization that helps dogs in need? Petside.com has a list of 10 pet charities that would happily benefit from your donations. That’s one way to start your puptuals off on the right foot.

10. JUST MARRIED!

As you and your beloved head off onto your honeymoon, or more likely the dog park, announce your marriage to the world while wearing on of these Just Married doggie t-shirts from Zazzle.com.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!

- Baxter “Be Mine <3″ Freemont

I remember as a child getting the popcorn popped, grabbing a bag of chips and a few beverages, and coming together with my family the night award show aired. We would watch it from start to finish (at the time it was actually on), chat about the red carpet outfits, the hosts jokes, the presenters and who we hoped would win in each category. It was a family night of sorts.

What makes award shows interesting now? To many people, it’s not usually the acceptance speeches, or the red carpet, or even the presenters, but the new addition of social media. With Twitter, you can tweet your thoughts on the show, winners, outfits, etc., and see what others are tweeting about. All you need to do is add a hashtag to your tweet. For example, “I love #RickyGervais! He is rocking the #GoldenGlobes!”

You can see what other people are saying about The Globes, or Ricky Gervais by simply searching for them on Twitter. This has become the new way to watch an award show.

You can also link directly with the award show Twitter accounts:

@goldenglobes

@redcarpet/goldenglobes

@CriticsChoice

@PeoplesChoice

@redcarpet

The list goes on and on. There will be a Twitter account for each of the upcoming award shows, and they will mention it sometime during the show.

Mashable created a great infographic on popular Twitter trends during the evening of the Golden Globes. It even mentions which celebrity’s Golden Globe tweets were most popular!

It’s sometimes more exciting to tweet and read tweets about the award shows, than to actually watch the award show!

What award shows are next?

January 2012
21 – Producers Guild Awards
28 – Directors Guild Awards
29 – Screen Actors Guild Awards

February 2012
12 – BAFTA Awards
18 – ACE Eddie Awards
19 – WGA Awards
25 – Cesar Awards
25 – Golden Raspberry Awards
25 – Independent Spirit Awards
26 – Academy Awards

Happy tweeting this award season!

During our last company Skype meeting we started compiling a list of ideas for 2012′s social media, so I decided to do a little research myself and share my top 11:

1.   Social media will be incorporated into corporate websites

Many businesses have added social media links and information to their websites that consumers now look for these links. Visiting a companies Facebook page or Twitter profile has become as important as reading reviews on the business, and corporate websites have noticed this. 2012 will be their time to join the fun.

2.  An increase in social media usage on mobile devices

CNet.com reported that, “In April, research firm Gartner reported that over 296 million smartphones shipped worldwide last year. This year, the research firm expects that figure to jump to 468 million. Next year, smartphone shipments could jump to over 630 million, the company said. But all those figures pale in comparison to Gartner’s expected 2015 shipments. The research firm said that by then, 1.1 billion smartphones will ship worldwide.”

3.   An increase in personal support

In 2011, individuals began reaching out to others through social media websites. Their problems, issues and causes were spread through outlets like Facebook communities; this has become an accepted outlet to share experiences, find others who support the same causes or have the same problems as you. This type of viral support will only increase in the years to come.

4.   Social media budgets will grow

Now that businesses have seen how social media has effected the world, they realize how important their own social media presence is. Websites like, Facebook and Twitter, are such a large part of everyday life for so many people that it’s hard to picture life without this social connection.

5.   Social media advertizing will grow

With so many people skipping TV commercials, businesses will look to take their advertizing where the people actually are: social media websites. Some companies will create in-house positions and others will outsource to get their information to the public (via blogs, reviews, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and other outlets relevant to their business.)

6.   Social gaming will grow

A serious increase in gaming was noticed when social media sites added game options to their website. For example: Farmville, Family Feud and Bejeweled on Facebook. People started playing games with their friends on their smartphones, like the popular game, ‘Words with Friends’.

Plus Manatank.com reported yesterday that the Xbox 360 dashboard has included new social media features:

“There’s also new social network integration and the idea of leaving ‘beacons’ for your friends so they know you want to play a certain title. At the touch of a few buttons, gestures or voice command its now easier than ever to post to Facebook and Twitter, improving the social aspects of the Xbox 360.  Microsoft is also planning to roll out newer apps over time including Youtube.”

7.   News will be increasingly social

Many people get their news on social media sites, so a large number of news outlets have Facebook and Twitter Accounts to keep people updated. Most of the these news accounts allow readers to comment, ‘like’, retweet and discuss news stories with others. This will only increase in 2012 and more people will want to voice their opinion.

8.   Creating websites that are compatible with mobile devices

With the increase in smartphone owners, iPads, Tablets, Nooks and so on, companies will have to make sure their website can be accessed through these devices. People often access their favorite websites from their smartphone or tablet while at work, in the airport, waiting at the doctors office, etc. If they can’t access your businesses information, your businesses loses out.

9.   Election campaigns + social media

It all started around the time of President Obama’s Presidential Campaign – an increase in Facebook pages geared toward the election and candidates popped up everywhere. These days it seems as if every public figure has their own Facebook account to keep the people informed – including our President.

10. Your social media footprint will grow

With the recent addition of Facebook’s Timeline, people can now look back through your Facebook “life”. Not only that, but your gaming profiles, Yelp! profiles, Twitter, Flicker, Myspace, Linkedin, YouTube,  etc. all increase your footprint. The more social media sites that are introduced and you create an account for will continue to increase your social media footprint.

11.  Facebook will surpass 1 Billion people

“Where does that more than 1 billion Facebook users come from? The countries with more than 20 million people and Facebook penetration below 20% will add most of this growth in 2012. Add the potential growth of other countries and you get to a cool billion or 1.1 billion even. And that does not include China.” -Dreamgrow

Techi.com shared a great infographic to show what trended in 2011.

Is there something you think, or hope will happen with social media in 2012?

Happy New Year!

Alternative holiday gifting helps the environment in a variety of ways:

• Generally you will spend much less time in the car driving from store to store.
• Repurposing items that you already own is a great way to get started on craft projects for the holidays.
• When you make gifts yourself there is much less waste from commercial packaging.

It all began over Thanksgiving weekend when we noticed that my Grandma’s bird feeder was in disrepair. I mentioned that we should get her a new one and my husband said “why not build her a new one?” Knowing that Grandma loves that bird feeder, he designed and built a similar model. He used the extra wood from the bird feeder for one of my gifts and was able to make what he calls the squirrel lunch box.

For our other Grandparents I tried my hand at baked goods which tend to go over well with almost everyone. Baked goods always make a great addition to any gift, especially if you’re trying to give multiple gifts to one person while staying on a budget. A couple of our friends turned their holiday gift ideas into a business last year, making fleece gloves, hats and scarves. I personally enjoy making knotty fleece blankets. They are easy to do with some scissors, measuring tape and a few knots & can be made for almost any occasion.

Over the years I have found myself relying on gift certificates more and more.  I find myself buying them as a last minute purchase for the “hard to shop for” and the “they already have everything” people on my list. Instead of buying gift certificates from a department store, think about what you could do to help the people on your list. Make a simple Gift Certificate stating a service that you can provide such as babysitting, washing dishes or yard work. This works really great for people in the trades or service industry. If you’re a house keeper, hairstylist, massage therapist or handyman you could offer to do a free service as a gift for your friends or family.

Don’t forget when it comes to decorations and ornaments there are plenty of DIY ideas online.  It’s always fun to go to your local hobby shop or fabric store and let your inner artist run wild. Most of the larger stores have incredible coupon specials and clearance items on a regular basis. Don’t forget to look around your house for items that may be re-purposed towards your projects.

Getting the whole family involved with making gifts and decorations is a great way to spend time together while staying on budget and remembering what the holidays are all about. Also encouraging kids to design and make their own gifts & ornaments is great for their imagination, and helps build motor skills.  Many of our parents are still hanging up the decorations we made as kids or are keeping their favorite homemade gifts on display. My father-in-law has his “World’s Greatest Dad” plaque up year round!! I think that just goes to show that when time is spent & the gifts are from the heart that those are the gifts we cherish the most.

East Last Minute Gifts

Easy Homemade Holiday Food Gifts

Happy Holidays,

Here’s the gist…

Say Hello to Your Cover Photo.

Think of this as an album cover — it’s one large photo at the top of your page that best represents you.  This will be the largest photo, and the first thing that people see when they visit your page.

See You Later Sidebar.

The three-column layout is ancient history.  directly below your Cover Photo, visitors will be able to see your job, school, current city, who your married to and graphic links to your friends, photos, likes and a map of where you’ve been.

Tell a Story. 

With the new timeline format, users can select their most memorable posts to help tell the story of their life.

Your Apps. 

Social Apps like Netflix (movies), Kobo (books), Spotify (music), and Nike (GPS) all Facebook users to display the activities they can’t get enough of – favorite song, movie quotes, 5k runs, and more.

Timeline!!

Based on my years in the social media biz, it seems like most Facebook users are mainly addicted to logging in for the photos.  To these users, I say, you’re going to love timeline. Notice a little timeline on the side of your screen that allows you to click back in time on a year to see photos and events that happened that year.

For even more information:

Introducing Facebook Timeline [Video]

Vintage Camera Pro is the newest addition to the recent swarm of vintage inspired photography apps available for iPhone and iPod touch. Released this week, the Vintage Cam app is a useful resource for professional photographers and hobbyists alike. If you enjoy the ever popular Instagram or the 8mm Vintage Camera, one of our previously blogged about favorites, the Vintage Camera Pro app will be right up your alley. Priced at an economically friendly 99 cents, it’s worth the money just to try it out. The app scores highly on ease of use, just download it and it’s ready to go. There are no prompts to set up a profile or link to social media platforms, just open up the app and get to shooting.

Vintage Camera Pro vs. Instagram

As I mess around with both apps, I’m trying to find what makes each unique. Off the bat I can say Instagram clearly wins on two issues – cost (it’s free) and cult following. Vintage Cam and Instagram both have about a dozen filters you can use on your photos to give them a retro feel. I am partial to Vintage Cam’s quirky filter names including Theme Park, Creme Brulee, Pirate, and Watermelon. Interestingly, both apps have a filter named Toaster, so I decided to investigate how the Toaster filters compare. I used a completely boring subject, my living room, and took pictures with both apps using the Toaster filter.

Vintage Cam's Toaster filter vs. Instagram's Toaster filter

Both Toaster filters give my living room a fun retro feel, which is the whole point of using either of these apps. Vintage Cam’s filter had a really colorful result, but whichever one you fancy is all just a matter of personal preference.

Images taken with Vintage Cam are saved to a gallery that looks like a film strip, a clever nostalgic detail. Vintage Cam gives the user the option of sharing photographs via email or through social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. Instagram wins on social media capabilities as it can post to not only Facebook and Twitter, but Tumblr, Flickr, and Foursquare as well. Instagram users also have the option to share their photos with the Instagram community and comment on other user’s images, an option not yet available to Vintage Cam users.

Sharing capabilities aside, if you’re just interested in taking some cool looking photos for your own enjoyment then Vintage Cam is a great addition to any retro photo toolbox.

Happy Holidays. How is your holiday shopping coming? Wonderfully, I hope. As you carefully cross each person off your gift list, I hope you haven’t forgotten your most import friends….man’s best friends, the dogs. What’s that you say? It slipped your mind? No need to fret! This month’s Baxter’s Top 10 is a list of perfect gifts for dogs. Naturally many of these come straight from my own personal Christmas list, so, hint hint. You know.

#1 For any dog – Rocks

Basically free and more fun than a Wii.

#2  For the hound about town – Track’r HoundAbout Pet Bicycle Trailer

Don’t forget your pup next time you’re enjoying a nice crisp day outdoors. Maybe we can’t run as fast as you can bike, but you can take us with you when you’re out for an afternoon cycle. We aim to please, so please take us along!

May I also suggest a pair of Doggles, if you intend on riding very fast. Wind in my eyes, so very annoying.

#3 For the DIY dog -Toogz Bulky Scarf

I like to stay warm and showcase my precious mug with a fashionable hand knit chunky scarf. I especially enjoy the ones created by the fine crafter chocolatepeanut on Etsy.com.

#4 For the all natural canine – Wet Noses’ Organic Dog Treats

A healthful doggie diet is oh so important, and Wet Noses organic dog treats come with my highest recommendation. Wet Noses treats don’t contain any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. With savory flavors like Dogranola, Agave & Pear, and Sweet Potato Pie, you better remember these treats are for dogs only!

#5 For the pampered pooch – Inflatable Dog Shower

Yes, sometimes we like to get dirty and roll in nondescript things in the grass, but we still appreciate good hygiene and a nice hot shower after a long day of playing with rocks.

#6 For the dog on the go -Dog Hammock Seat Cover

Talk about a win-win situation. You get to keep your car clean and we get all the luxuries of relaxing in a hammock while you chauffeur us around. Now that’s living the dream.

#7 For the gourmand pup – Spoiled Dog Christmas Dog Basket

An array of dog biscuits, dog biscuits, dog biscuits, and a hand written note. Sure to please even the most discerning of palates. As for the note, again my name is Baxter, that is B-A-X-T-E-R…

#8 For the misbehaved mutt – Premier Manners Minder Remote Reward Behavior Training System for Dogs

We all know a mutt that misbehaves because he believes any attention is good attention. Until your pup grows up there is the Manners Minder from Premier to help train the little beast…ahem, the little darling. The Manners Minder rewards with treats. Yum.

#9 For the dapper dog – Christmas Dog Bow Tie

For the four legged friend who wants to looks stylish and festive this holiday season, a pooch can never go wrong with a classic plaid bow tie.

#10 For the man (or woman) who needs a best friend – Pet Adoption

Have I inspired you to shower a pet with gifts? I hope so. What’s that? You don’t have a dog to call your own? I assure you there is a dog out there who just wants to love you. If you can promise to return the endless love you will receive, Petfinder.com is my most recommended resource for finding pups in local shelters that need a home. Share some love this holiday season.

Wishing you and your families a happy holiday season.

- Baxter Freemont

Top 10  Holiday Gift Ideas for Coffee Lovers (in no particular order): 

1.  Starbucks offers reserve coffee beans at select locations.This is great for coffee aficionados. Check the Starbucks Store website for locations.

2.    Coffee of the Month Club. It sounds perfect for any of the people in my life, and there are always several options to choose from with these types of clubs.

3.    Java Logs are burnable logs for your fireplace, made from coffee grounds. This is an amazing way to divert 12 million pounds of coffee grounds from landfills per year.

4.    Coffee Bean Jewelry is a fun idea! Search for bracelets, necklaces and earrings…all made of coffee beans!

5.    Your friends and family can grow their very own coffee beans with a Coffee Plant. I don’t know anyone who has one, do you?

6.    Coffee Gift Baskets are always an easy choice and have a wide range of options depending on your price point.

7.   Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans could be used for individual gifts, or your contribution to a holiday party! Just make sure everyone knows there are coffee beans inside, and not nuts (it could be a big shock if they are not aware).

8.   A Coffee Tote for 2. Take this tote on a hike or picnic so you and your friend can get the caffeine you want, when you want it.

9.     Coffee Cookbooks have amazing coffee recipes for any who enjoys the flavor of coffee in any mixture.

10.   Personalized Coffee Mug‘s can be a thoughtful, funny, or cute gift for anyone on your list.

*I hope this helps narrow down your own search! Happy Shopping.*

My debut list for November is Baxter’s Top 10 Dog Tumblrs.  Tumblr is one of my favorite social web networks. It combines everything I love about the sharing possibilities of social media within the structure and layout of a blog. Tumblr offers the option to reblog a post, just as one might retweet on Twitter. Tumblr is a fantastic resource for social networking, and with over 20 million Tumblr accounts in existence, there is surely a Tumblr that will keep you distracted at work for an unforgivable amount of time.

Now, without further ado, I give you my Top 10 Dog Tumblers:

#10 Dogs Eating Pasta

This makes me long for the iconic spaghetti scene from one of the finest cinematic triumphs  of all time, Lady and the Tramp.

#9 A Blog for Dogs

General dog appreciation at its finest. If somebody was thinking of submitting a picture of me for the blog, well, I surely wouldn’t oppose it (hint, hint).

#8 SquishFaceDogs 

I’ve been enjoying this collection of dogs with squished faces. To my squished face comrades – Pugs, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, Chow Chows – don’t ever change your wrinkly ways.

#7 Cute Boys With Dogs

Well, well, this one goes out to the ladies. Cute boys + puppies = double time eye candy.

#6 Dogs in Costume

Maybe it’s from my days spent living in Vegas, but if there is one thing I do fancy, it is a good costume.

#5 Dogs That Look like Tom Haverford

I love a good laugh. I am a huge fan of Aziz Asari as Tom Haverford on Parks and Recreation. Do you think I could be on this blog? Really, I look like Tom Haverford a bit, no? The similarities are all in our eyes….and tiny sweaters….

#4 Hipster Puppies

Oversized reading glasses, scarves, fauxhawks – trust me, hipsters are just as ironic when they are puppies.

#3 Dogs and Cats Living Together

It’s just an old wives tale that dogs and cats don’t get along. In fact, we can really be the best of friends.

#2 Dogs Looking like People

If we start acting like you, it’s only out of admiration. Dog is man’s best friend, how can we help it if we pick up some of your mannerisms?

#1 F*ck Yeah Dog Gifs

Excuse my French and know that I do not approve of this language, but it wouldn’t be an official  Tumblr list with out including a F*ck Yeah blog complete with gifts. But truly, shame on everyone for this crass language.

I hope you enjoyed the first edition of Baxter’s Top 10 as much as I enjoyed creating it. May this inspire you to begin a Tumblr of your very own, or at least explore the treasures of the Tumblelog universe.

Now, back to my rocks.

- Baxter Freemont