Help Your Pet Reduce His Carbon Pawprint

  Posted on April 21, 2012  by Joy of Living  No comments

With Earth Day coming up tomorrow, there is a lot of focus on taking care of the environment.  Here are some ways you and your pet can help:

• Disposing of pet waste.  It’s estimated dogs in the US produce 10 million tons of waste, cats  2 million.  For dog waste, plastic bags do not decompose in landfills. Using biodegradable bags, which are often flushable, is an ecologically sound alternative.  For cat waste, choosing a biodegradable litter is a good choice.  Biodegradable litter is made of ingredients like wheat, corn, wheat or old newspapers. Odor control and absorption is often equal to the traditional clumping clay-based litter.  Introduce the new litter gradually to minimize litter box avoidance issues.
• Spay/Neuter.  Pet reproduction rates for dogs and cats account for 12-20 offspring per year, contributing to the 6-8 million homeless pets in the US.  Many area animal shelters provide low cost spay/neuter services. If adopting a shelter pet, spay/neuter has already happened if the pet is of age.
• Sustainable Pet Supplies.  A growing number of collars, leashes and pet toys are made with products such as cork, bamboo and hemp. Hemp is anti-fungal and breathable, making it  a good choice for pets prone to allergies.  It is also very sturdy, resistance to the elements is much higher than cotton.  Hemp, cork and bamboo are highly renewable, making them a good ecological choice.  Due to governmental regulations, hemp farming is not legal in the US.  The majority of hemp used for products is imported from Canada, making the cost of hemp products higher.