Looking to lower your best buddies carbon paw print?
Like us humans, there are a lot of furry friends making a mess around the planet. Dog poop contaminates groundwater and in bags dog poop sits encased in plastic in some landfill for all eternity.
Whether you’re a zero-waste newbie or a no-trash pro, when it comes to our favourite furries, a lot of the tips parallel with how we shift our own home care. It’s much easier than you think.
Here is a simple how to guide to get you on track:
- Only use biodegradable pickup bags.
- Call or email your city councilperson and ask them to swap bags at public poop stations for biodegradable versions. Send some suggested brands and it may just happen!
- Use an environmentally-friendly kitty litter. A few to take a peak at are: KAMY’S ZOO – I AM TOFU and sWheat Scoop
- Before you buy something, check craigslist. You can find everything from crates to scratching posts on second hand sites.
- You can also be a do-gooder while searching those free sites by snagging crates or carriers you spot and donating them to your local shelter. They’re always in need at shelters!
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- Buy the biggest sized bags, boxes, or cans of pet food available to cut down on packaging.
- Choose food that participates in Terracycle’s recycling program. Here are six choices, all of which appear to be high-quality pet foods.
- Use steel dishes. Or, at the least, dishes made from recycled materials.
- Get a metal scoop. Ditch the plastic scoop freebies in pet stores and purchase a metal one. You can get one in a second hand store or this one is under $5
- If possible, swap to a brand that only sells in recycled/recyclable packaging.
- Buy treats in cardboard. If you don’t DIY your pet’s treats, consider this.
- Grow organic catnip.
- Brush your pet and toss the fur in a pile under a tree for birds to use for nesting material.
- Find shampoos without the plastic bottles and pumps with pumps that can’t be recycled, and give your pet a bath with planet-friendly castile soap.
- Commit to picking up at least one piece of trash when you pick up your dog’s poop. Scoop the trash into the bag first, then the poop in.
- Left-behind poop is a pollutant that contaminates groundwater, so be a good steward and, pick up dog poop you find on your travels.
- Use environmentally friendly pet foods.
- DIY toys and bedding for your pets from your old, worn-out clothing.
- Prolong the life of pet products with regular cleaning, washing, and repairing.
- Filter your water. Add a simple filter to your faucet, and you can stop purchasing water and you and the pets can enjoy fresh, filtered, bottle free.
- Compost. You can also compost your pet’s waste in a system specific for that purpose or DIY a pet-waste composting system yourself.
- DIY cleaners. For a way less than the retail prices, you can make cleaners that have a much lower impact on the planet and your pet’s health. And they work just as good!
- Hug your pet! It’s carbon neutral!
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