Going Green with Your Pet
By Diana Smith
A lot of people are concerned about the impact our lives and behaviour have on the planet and many of them are constantly trying to change their habits in a way that minimizes the negative consequences of our actions. They are trying to save energy, create less waste and generally behave as responsible individuals and we should all follow suit.
However, there’s one important aspect of life that many people still don’t associate with going green: owning a pet. It may come as a surprise, but all of us proud owners of various pets can actually go green with our beloved friends if we follow the some simple tips.
Scooping up their poop
If we don’t pick up dog poop, it might contaminate the soil, water and even spread disease, which is why it’s extremely important to clean up after your dog. You might even consider composting your pet’s waste, but make sure you keep it separate from the compost you use for your vegetable garden. If you’re short of ideas how to go about this, have a look at these instructions for making a dog waste composter.
Recycling
When buying food for your pets, you should also consider the packaging and whether it can be reused or recycled. Dogfood cans are definitely not the only type of packaging that can be recycled, since more and more producers are opting for recyclable bags nowadays, especially if they are locally produced, which further lowers the carbon footprint.
Preventing overpopulation
Spraying and neutering pets is a common practice, which helps keep the pet population in check. This is important for several reasons, but the most important one is certainly the fact that many parts of world are really struggling with pet overpopulation and the last thing they need are more pets to take care of.
Buying in bulk
If you buy small bags of food, that means you’ll have to drive to your local pet store more often, or have their delivery van make longer and more frequent trips, which is quite damaging to the environment. That’s why you should always look for manufacturers which produce big bags of pet food, such as Vets All Natural, to cut down on both your carbon footprint and packaging waste. Another advantage of buying in bulk is that it’s always cheaper than buying smaller packages.
Making your own pet toys
If you can use some objects and materials you no longer need and turn them into a toy for your pet, you’ll not only save some money, but also get rid of at least some of your household waste. For example, your parrot might enjoy playing with cardboard boxes and wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between such a box and a more expensive toy.
Adopting instead of buying
Every living being impacts the environment to some extent. So, if you buy a pet from a pet store or breeder, you’re encouraging more breeding. On the other hand, adopting a stray, homeless pet or one from a local animal shelter is not only very noble and humane, but it’s also the most green thing you can do when it comes to your pet.
Natural flea prevention
Each pet owner has to make sure that their pet is flea-free and many resort to traditional flea shampoos and collars, which are full of various hazardous substances. Instead, you should look for solutions that contain only organic ingredients if you want to help both your pet and the environment.
As you can see, the decision regarding how green you want your pet to be is up to you since you can choose to incorporate different aspects of green behaviour. It may seem too small a contribution and not worth the trouble, but imagine millions of pet owners around the globe behaving in the same way and how much cleaner and greener our planet would be.
