How To Lower Your Carbon PAW Print!

By Charlotte Carson

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!
How To Lower Your Carbon PAW Print!

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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.
zero waste pets
  • 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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