Written by Beco Pets
The pet industry is an enormous contributor to climate change. Part of this comes in the form of the livestock needed for your dog’s food. There is also the issue of many factories releasing large quantities of greenhouse gasses. Packaging from food and other pet products is another problem, as they’re not often recyclable and therefore end up in landfill.
As increasing numbers of people are becoming dog owners, it is now more important than ever to make sure your dog has a sustainable life. Because the prospect of going green seems daunting at first, here’s 7 easy steps so you and your pet can be as eco-friendly as possible.
1. Use sustainable dog poo bags
Many dog owners are still using plastic dog poo bags which are contributing to the pressing issue of single use plastics. However, it is now very easy to swap your plastic dog poo bags with a sustainable option. There are many alternative dog poo bag options which allow you to dispose of your dog poop in a sustainable way. This ensures that your dog’s mess and the bag completely breaks down, unlike a plastic bag which can take upwards of 500 years to decompose.
2. Chose recyclable packaging
To help play your part in combatting plastic pollution, choose to buy dog products with recyclable packaging. Doing this will ensure that when you buy dog food, toys, beds, or other accessories you are not contributing to the enormous piles of landfill taking up natural space, poisoning wildlife and causing harmful chemical runoff. Look for cardboard or paper-based packaging, eco-friendly dog poo bags which are compostable or biodegradable, and food packaging that is marked with the recycling logo.
3. Sustainable dog toys
Toys are a huge part of their life, yet they are mostly made from non-renewable plastics.
However, If you are on a mission to be sustainable, we are firm believers that this shouldn’t’t be a the peril of your dog’s enjoyment. As well as the fact that toys are vital for your dog’s sensory stimulation, and they also help your puppy through their teething stages.
As eradicating toys is not an option, finding a green way for dog
s to play has to be the focus.
Luckily, there are some sustainable toys available.
When you are looking for a new toy to treat your pup, look for natural materials, such as the Beco ball on rope .
Natural rubber that is sustainably tapped from trees is an environmentally conscious option. It is strong enough to endure a long play with your dog, whilst having a lower carbon footprint than regular rubber because of its sustainable production. Using natural rubber also means, that even if your dog has a tendency for burying, there will be no chemicals infiltrating into the ground.
Another option is to buy toys that are made from recycled materials. This way, you are helping minimise the amount of plastic in the world, whilst giving some love to your pup.
4. Buy natural shampoos
Another contribution to pollution is the number of chemicals running into the ocean from toiletries. Many of dog shampoos contain toxic chemicals and synthetic fragrances. By choosing more natural products such as a wild wash shampoo, you know that none of these are filtering into the ocean or soil. Look for shampoos that are paraffin free, with no diethanolamine, sodium laureth or butylated hydroxyanisole. Buying organic and natural shampoo also means that you are not rubbing any nasty chemicals into your dog’s skin! You’ll be looking after the planet and your pup at the same time.
5. Buy less beef and more sustainable meat
We are all aware of the impact that eating beef has on the environment and we are now beginning to consider this when choosing the food we put on our plates. But, what about the meat in your dog’s diet? Instead of choosing dog kibble that’s more often than not full of beef and meat meal, which leads to high greenhouse gas emissions and largely contributes to reforestation. Why not choose a food with a more sustainable choice of meat? There are now dog foods that have a lower quantity of meat, or meat that is produced sustainably. For example, wild boar grain-free dog food, has a very low carbon footprint. Ultimately, feeding your dog a diet which is made of of less meat or more sustainable meat options will lessen its contribution to climate change caused by animal agriculture.
6. Donate your old pet gear
Don’t let your old products go to waste! Instead of throwing out your old dog gear, donate it to be re-used. When your puppy grows out of its coat, give it to someone else for another dog to wear! This reduces the amounts of dog accessories that end up in landfill whilst giving another dog something that they will value. You can give it to a shelter, a dog rescue service, or even to another dog that you know may need a new bed, collar or a warm coat.
7. Use chemical-free cleaning products
As much as we love our pets, we know they make a mess sometimes! Frustratingly, cleaning products are full of nasty chemicals. So, when cleaning up your pup’s footprints after a day in the muddy park, you may be causing environmental damage. The problem is that after cleaning, chemicals are washed into the oceans, polluting the water and harming wildlife. Also, spray products release chemicals into the air and damage the ozone layer. Look for cleaning products with natural ingredients – most eco-friendly products will have this labelled clearly on their packaging, such as those by Northumbrian Botanicals
These small changes that you can make to the life of you and your dog will reduce their carbon “pawprint” without making any large sacrifices to the quality their lives. They are easy ways to love the planet, as well as loving your pup.
