A frequently overlooked area when it comes to greening your life is greening your pet's life. This can be a tricky subject, since what works best to keep your pet healthy and happy may not always be an ecofriendly decision. Luckily, there's easy ways to make sure that Fido leaves a lighter pawprint.

Where you get your pet can have the biggest overall impact. Rescuing a pet from a shelter or the Humane Society gives an already existing pet a good home and the possibility of a happy life. Why pay a breeder to create another animal? Accordingly, heed Bob Barker's sage wisdom: remember to help control the pet population; have your pet spayed or neutered.

Just like human food choices, your pet's diet has an impact on our environment. However, pet owners know that diet is crucial to your pet's health, and can be very particular to a pet. Always check with your vet when changing pet foods. That being said, there are organic, humane, and sustainably-produced pet foods on a market–in fact, it's a fast-growing niche. Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and Trader Joe's have their own lines of pet foods, and there are plenty of other sources online.

All that food has to go somewhere, as pet owners know. Pick up your dog's poop with biodegradable doggy bags. Better yet, compost it. Yeah, yeah, I know you aren't supposed to compost pet waste. However, that rule generally goes for compost that is going to be used on edible plants, like a veggie garden–using that compost on landscaping or flowerbeds is fine. If the thought of adding poo to your pile still makes you cringe, create a whole separate compost just for pet waste. Bury a metal garbage can for a securely-contained poo pile. For your feline friends, avoid clay-based litters–the clay is strip-mined, and the dust from the clay can irritate your cat's lungs. A much more sustainable choice is Swheat Scoop, a wheat-based scoopable litter. Should your precious pal leave a not-so precious present for you on the carpet, there are plenty of eco-friendly pet-odor eliminators, from such companies as Mrs. Meyer's.

Finally, choose greener pet items when shopping for your pet. Scratching posts, toys, and leashes all come in more sustainable varieties. GreenPeople.org is a good resource for finding various vendors.

With farmers markets opening up here in St Louis, it's time to get out those recipes that taste so much better with fresh, local produce. One of my favorites is this light summer pasta dish, which I modified from a Moosewood Cookbook to suit my own tastes. The raw sauce, with sweet tomatoes, basil, and creamy fresh mozzerella, starts with the classic Caprese salad flavors and adds a little something extra. On those hot summer days, it's best served room temperature.

Summer Pasta

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

1/4 cup minced parsley

2 tbsp fresh basil

1/4 cup minced red onion

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 lb short pasta (I use penne rigate or farfalle)

2 cups asparagus spears, chopped into 1" sections

1/2 cup-1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese or soy cheese, diced into 1" cubes

Directions

1. Bring large pot covered water to boil (don't forget to use your lid!).

2. While the water is heating, combine tomatoes, parsley, basil, onions, garlic, olives, oil, S & P, and vinegar in a large bowl.

3. When the water is boiling, stir in pasta, cover, and cook for 2-3 mintues. When water boils again, add asparagus spears and cook for 8-10 minutes, until asparagus are tender and pasta is al dente. Drain.

4. Combine pasta and asparagus with tomato mixture. Add cheese and toss together. Serve lukewarm.

Later in the summer, I like to add a cup of fresh sweet corn to the mix. You can use any combinations of herbs, veggies, and cheeses. Served with crusty bread and a salad, this pasta makes a great light lunch. It has also been my go-to dish to bring to backyard barbeques and potlucks.

One of my favorite things about spring is the opening of our local farmers' markets. Your diet has as much impact on our enviornment as the car you drive, because much of conventionally-grown food travels thousands of miles to get from farm to table. Shopping at your local farmers' market decreases the amount of miles your food travels, supports local agriculture, and supplies your table with food that is almost always fresher and tastier than what you would find at the grocery store.

Not only can you find seasonal produce, but many farmers' markets have locally-produced meats, eggs, dairy products, honey, baked goods, salsas, jellies, and jams. In fact, many chefs either shop at farmers' markets or have working relationships with local farmers because they know that fresh and local produce is of a higher quality. New to farmers' markets? Don't worry. With a few guidelines, you can easily become a regular in no time.

Walk the entire market before buying. You can get a feel for what's in season this week, compare costs, and get ideas for meals using different items.

Bring cash. Although I've seen vendors who accept plastic and checks, err on the side of caution and bring real dollars–small bills are even better.

Don't be afraid to talk to the farmers. Unless it's insanely busy, farmers are almost always willing to answer questions about their products and growing methods. Is their produce organic? Where is their farm located? When were these tomatoes picked? What do they feed their cows? What's a good way to cook this veggie? I would have never discovered sunchokes if I hadn't asked a local farmer about them. Also, developing a relationship with a certain farmer has its benefits. Some vendors will hold back your favorite produce if you are a regular.

Don't rule out non-organic produce. I make a point to buy organic produce when I can, but sometimes small farmers don't get certified because of the costs involved. That doesn't make their produce a bad choice. Oftentimes, their growing methods are just as rigorous as "certified organic" methods. Local food is almost always a better choice for the environment–given the option, I'd choose a locally-produced conventional tomato from a farmer I trusted over a certified organic one shipped in from California.

BYOB. That's right–bring your own bags. No need to add to the plastic floating around, and saving farmers money on bags saves you money on produce.

Be considerate of other market patrons. Some farmers have a cult-like following. If the line is long, don't take ten minutes with your questions and browsing–keep it short or come back when the line has died down. And please observe the lines–I've had pushy, rude, people cut me in line without so much as a glance in my direction, and nothing kills the festive spirit of the market more than rudeness.

Make your shopping a social event. My favorite local market has live music, guest speakers, ready-to-eat food like smoothies and crepes, yoga, and treats for dogs and kids. Chances are, you'll see the same patrons every week. These community events are a great way to meet new people who may have similar interests as you. Also, they are a great place for kids to learn about where food comes from and to be exposed to new types of fruits and veggies.

Check out multiple markets. If you are fortunate enough to have more than one market in your area, make a point to check them all out. There will probably be some overlap in the vendors, but you just may find that one great combination of products that make one market your personal favorite. Don't rule out smaller markets either: they are often less crowded and more laid back than their bustling, bigger counterparts.

I'm getting excited just thinking about perusing fresh asparagus, sungold cherry tomatoes (THE BEST TOMATOES EVER), and purple potatoes, with a fresh cup of coffee and my dog. To find a farmers market near you, try FarmersMarket.com or the USDA's Farmers' Market Drectory.

Children today have a disconnect as to where their food comes from. For many kids, their favorite food comes from a drive-through. Because our food travels so many miles, and often hardly resembles the actual plants and/or animals from which it came, it's no wonder that kids have no concept of agriculture, let alone the environmental impacts of industrial agriculture.

However, programs that bring gardening to schools are launching all over the country. Children of all ages are making a connection between what they eat and where it comes from, teaching them about ecological principals, fostering environmental stewardship, exposing them to fresh fruits and vegetables, and encouraging them to eat lower on the food chain.

The Edible Schoolyard at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California, is one of the pioneer programs of school gardening. Founded in 1994 by school faculty and renowned chef Alice Waters, students in grades 6-8 are involved in every stage of gardening, and the garden is seamlessly integrated into the curriculum across disciplines.

At the Maplewood-Richmond Heights Early Childhood Center in Maplewood, Missouri, preschoolers are participating in a program called "Seed to Table", part of the school's Reggio Emilia approach to education. Students help prepare garden beds, plant seeds, tend crops, harvest produce, and prepare the food into meals they eat in their child-sized kitchen. "The children love the school garden and want to help in every way. They are so enthusiastic and capable," said Debi Gibson, nutritionist at the school. "We planted a flower, herb, and vegetable garden this year, including carrots, peas, eggplants, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, and squash." The students also practice composting, completing the cycle of food.

Programs such as these help students realize at a young age that good food is simple, and comes from the earth that we all have a responsibility to nurture and protect. For more information, check out The Edible Schoolyard's resource site or KidsGardening.org.