Eco-Friendly Pets – Green Your Pet Routine

There are so many ways to be eco-friendly that a lot of people overlook a big one- their pets. Our pets are (usually) cute and cuddly, but they can harm the environment just as badly as we can. By living “green” you reduce any negative impact on the planet in all possible ways. There are ways to decrease your carbon “pawprint”, and we’ll go over them here to teach you how to “green” your pets!

If you have a dog or a cat, cleaning up after them is a necessity, and it’s also an easy way to be more eco-friendly. Instead of using a pooper-scooper and plastic bags, use biodegradable (or paper) bags so they won’t spend years in a landfill.

For those with indoor cats, don’t choose a clay litter that clumps. The clay for this litter is strip mined, and it is full of harmful silica dust that can coat both your and your cat’s lungs. Clumping clay litter also contains sodium bentonite, which is toxic to cats. There are eco-friendly choices available, such as Feline Pine- or you can make your own cat litter with tea leaves, finely shredded newspaper, and baking soda.

Feeding time is a great time to be more eco-conscious, too. You wouldn’t want to pollute your body with food additives, so why do it to your pet? Steer clear of pet foods with animal by-products and fillers, and give them organic or holistic food (it contains no drugs or hormones, and it comes from a humanely-raised source animal). Orijen, is one of my favorite natural dog foods and my dogs love it!

There are almost as many eco-aware pet care products as there are for humans. When you’re buying shampoos and pet stain cleaning items, choose those that are made from plant-based and sustainable sources. If you’re buying toys for your pet, choose those that are made from sustainable fibers like organic cotton or hemp, or from recycled materials.

If you are a beginning pet owner, you should choose your animal wisely. If you choose a smaller pet, he or she will have a lesser impact on the environment. A lap dog is a better choice than a St. Bernard, just as a hamster or a fish is a greener choice than a dog or a cat, in terms of environmental impact. That does not mean you should not select a large breed of dog, simply make sure you take additional steps to make sure you pet is easy on the environment. Companies like West Paw Design and Olive create pet products that are made from sustainable sources and non-toxic to pets.

When selecting your first pet or taking care of one you already own, you’re probably looking for companionship. Pets make our world a better place and they make us happy. By being a more environmentally-conscious pet owner, you can enjoy that companionship without harming our planet.

Guest Author Bio: Tara V, is a green living guru, natural pet care advocate, and editor of {Go Green Street}. She co-inhabits with her hubby, 5 children, and their American Pitbull Terrier and English Bulldog, in sunny Florida. For more info on going green or eco-friendly living, visit her blog at http://www.gogreenstreet.com

Image’s by Stephen K. Willi and Sebastián-Dario .

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13 Responses

  1. StevieWilson
    | Reply

    RT @thewahm Eco-Friendly Pets; Green Your Pet Routine – Guest Blog for @PetLvr #eco #animals #environment http://bit.ly/9a8dgI

  2. redheadranting
    | Reply

    RT @thewahm Eco-Friendly Pets; Green Your Pet Routine – Guest Blog for @PetLvr #eco #animals #environment http://bit.ly/9a8dgI

  3. Wendy Sheppard
    | Reply

    RT @thewahm Eco-Friendly Pets; Green Your Pet Routine – Guest Blog for @PetLvr #eco #animals #environment http://bit.ly/9a8dgI

  4. Wendy Sheppard
    | Reply

    RT @thewahm Eco-Friendly Pets; Green Your Pet Routine – Guest Blog for @PetLvr #eco #animals #environment http://bit.ly/9a8dgI

  5. Ann Smarty
    | Reply

    RT @PetLvr Eco-Friendly Pets – Green Your Pet Routine http://bit.ly/9a8dgI by @thewahm

  6. IT jannat
    | Reply

    RT @seosmarty: RT @PetLvr Eco-Friendly Pets – Green Your Pet Routine http://bit.ly/9a8dgI by @thewahm

  7. denise weber
    | Reply

    RT @thewahm Eco-Friendly Pets; Green Your Pet Routine – Guest Blog for @PetLvr #eco #animals #environment http://bit.ly/9a8dgI

  8. Renee Kirkpatrick
    | Reply

    RT @PetLvr Eco-Friendly Pets – Green Your Pet Routine — PetLvr Blog For Pet Lovers http://bit.ly/9a8dgI

  9. Anipal Info
    | Reply

    RT @PetLvr Eco-Friendly Pets – Green Your Pet Routine — PetLvr Blog For Pet Lovers http://bit.ly/9a8dgI

  10. Matt Keegan
    | Reply

    RT @PetLvr Eco-Friendly Pets – Green Your Pet Routine — PetLvr Blog For Pet Lovers http://bit.ly/9a8dgI

  11. Pamela
    | Reply

    Follow up question: The greenest way to get rid of dog waste is probably to flush it down the toilet (if a doggy dooley septic system doesn’t work with your soil). Have you ever heard of degradable bags that can be flushed into a city sewer system?

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