Reduce Your Furry Pal's Carbon Footprint
Written by Erin Patterson - Monday, 24 November 2008
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 You’ve been working hard to reduce your own carbon footprint. But, what about Fido and Fluffy’s carbon “pawprint”?
Have you considered the impact there or how you might reduce it?
Here are some suggestions to make your furry friends more eco-friendly citizens.
Pet waste. Consider the environmental impact of your pet’s waste—both dog and cat.
The accumulation of pet waste is a health hazard that possesses real environmental impact. This is particularly a problem if storm drains carry it into waterways.
The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that 2-3 days worth of droppings from a population of 100 dogs would create enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay and all watershed areas within 20 miles of it preventing shell fishing and swimming! Did you know that pet waste makes up nearly 4% of residential landfills? Do you want to be part of that? I didn’t think so.
That said, clean up after your dog regularly. If you don’t want to do it yourself, hire it out. Services like Doo Care or Pet Butler will clean up your pet waste for you! These companies are generally very environmentally conscious. Their efforts help to preserve water and land from bacteria contamination and other health hazards.
If you are the industrious and frugal type willing to pick up your pooch’s dooty, use biodegradable waste bags. Biodegradable bags permit pet waste to go back to nature. At the very least, reuse plastic grocery bags. Don’t purchase the little non-eco friendly bags in the little roll sold at your local pet store. They are not usually biodegradable and you are creating additional landfill waste by purchasing something with the express purpose of throwing it away. Much of this landfill problem is the result of pet waste that is disposed of in regular plastic bags. Using biodegradable bags allows the pet waste to go back to the earth as nature intended.
Another option is to, effectively, recycle your pet’s waste by implementing an in-ground pet waste septic system. These systems are environmentally friendly and sanitary. These systems are often provided by the same companies who will dispose of your pet’s waste for you.
Pet waste does not stop and start with your pooch. Cats need to be eco-friendly, too. To make Fluffy’s cat litter environmentally-friendly, choose kitty litter composed of organic or recycled materials. The traditional clay-based cat litters are major culprits when it comes to the landfill because they do not biodegrade. Instead, choose something greener like recycled newspaper or flushable kitty litter made from organic materials, such as wheat.
Feeding Fido & Fluffy.
Look for the many healthy and eco-friendly alternatives for pet foods. Choose cat and dog foods that don’t contain animal byproducts, rendered meat, or chicken meal. You should also avoid pet foods that contain protein sources with growth hormones or antibiotics. Rather, buy organic dog and cat food. Attempt to buy locally produced treats and food wherever possible. Always recycle any packaging from cat & dog food & treats.
Green grooming & hygiene for your furry friends.
In grooming your fur-covered friend, be sure to avoid any products with sulfates, phosphates, or other similar chemicals. These are harmful to the environment. When shopping for pet shampoos, rinses, tick control, and flea control, choose items made from environmentally-friendly or natural ingredients. Though they are sold over the counter and in pet stores, some of these products leave behind a residual toxic trail wherever they have been used – this includes on your pet! If your cat or dog goes to the groomer, always ask your groomer to use earth-friendly products. If they do not have them, bring your own for their use. When doing at-home grooming, be sure to use towels, not paper towels or a dryer, to dry your pet. This conserves energy and keeps disposable towels out of the landfill.
Toys, treats, & spoiling your pet.
You can quite easily buy or make earth-friendly toys, bedding, etc. for your pet. When you are buying toys, bedding, and any other products for your pet, be sure to purchase items made of all natural, environmentally-friendly materials. More and more, companies are making toys of recycled materials. Beds, biscuits, “bones”, and plush toys made of natural, recycled, or biodegradable materials are all available. For your feline friend, toys made of hemp, organic catnip leaf, and beds of organic cotton (and more!) are options.
Even better than purchasing new things to spoil your pet, try to make your own pet products from repurposed or recycled materials. My childhood dog’s favorite toys were old socks tied together for an eco-friendly game of tug of war. Try old rope or socks strung, tied, of sewn together for toys. You can make a bed for Fido or Fluffy from old linens like pillow, blankets, towels, or sheets. Fido and Fluffy won’t mind that the styles or colors are so-last-season. They will just be happy to have a cozy place to call their own! Take a look around home and be creative transforming things you might donate into cat or dog lounging luxury or endless hours of playtime with little environmental impact!
Vinegar & its many green pet uses. Vinegar is an amazingly green and inexpensive product with multiple uses that are safe for Fluffy and Fido and for the environment, as well. Here are some great ideas to incorporate vinegar and its helpful green effects into your daily routine with your pet.
- Make your pooch’s coat gleaming and glossy by spraying or rubbing with 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 quart water. This works for horses, too. And, it’s much less expensive than similar products you can purchase.
- Prevent your pooch from scratching his ears by regularly wiping them out with a cloth dipped in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
- Skunk odors can be removed by wiping your cat or dog down with a solution of half white distilled vinegar and half water. Follow this up with a plain-water rinse. Repeat this process if the odor is not completely gone.
- Discourage your cat from sitting on undesirable surfaces, like countertops or tables, and from scratching your upholstery by spraying surfaces with white distilled vinegar. Be sure to test it first on an unnoticeable area to be sure the vinegar won’t cause discoloration.
- Keep your cats out of the garden by placing a sponge, a cloth, or paper soaked in white distilled vinegar in the garden.
- Remove cat litter odor by pouring a ½ inch of white distilled vinegar in the empty litter box. Let the vinegar stand for 20 minutes, swish it around, and then rinse the box out with cold water.
- Kill fleas safely without toxins and poisons by adding just a tad of white distilled vinegar to your dog or your cat’s drinking water.
- Prevent your dog from barking by spraying him with a spray bottle filled with equal amounts of water and white distilled vinegar. Spray the solution in his direction, but not in his face.
- Remove pet odors from your carpet by covering the area with baking soda after vacuuming. Let the baking soda stand overnight. Vacuum up the baking soda and wash the area with white distilled vinegar the next day. Rinse it and let dry.
- Because cats hate the smell of vinegar, you can prevent them from marking their territory around your home by spraying the area with white distilled vinegar then rinsing it with a hose.
- Stop cat fights with a spritz of a white distilled vinegar and water solution, just as you would to stop your dog from barking.
- Prevent cats from eating your plants by spraying the leaves with a white distilled vinegar and water solution.
These tips and ideas should help your furry friends live a green life and be eco-friendly canine and feline citizens, just like you!
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