April 22 is Earth Day; a day that celebrates our beautiful planet and raises awareness about how we can be more sustainable. This year’s theme is centered around how animals have to clean up the pollution around them, taking action to better their habitats. What better way to participate Earth Day than to find out ways you can become environmentally friendly with your pet! Here are some ways you and your furry friend can reduce your carbon footprint, including better recycling practices and switching to eco-friendly pet products.
Donate Pet Supplies that Your Pet Doesn’t Use
Instead of throwing away your supplies that your pet doesn’t use anymore or has grown out of, mark this Earth Day by donating them to a local shelter. Not only does donating toys, crates, blankets, brushes and clothes help the animals at the shelter, it also reduces your carbon footprint by eliminating waste going to the landfill.
Donating supports a circular economy, meaning that instead of throwing out functional products, they are reused or refurbished. Dog and cat crates are a perfect example—whether they are made of metal, plastic or complex material, crates are usually high-quality pet products that can last years. Instead of disposing an unused pet crate, you can donate it to a local shelter, friend or someone in need of one to give the crate a new life. Helping others and the environment can be made simple by donating your unused pet supplies!
Use Compostable Waste Bags
Pet waste can have a negative impact on the environment if thrown in the garbage, contributing to an increased amount of waste that goes to the landfill. In the U.S. alone, dogs produce 10.6 million tons of waste per year, which if not disposed of properly using green or compost bins, goes straight to the landfill. However, there are products to fix this issue; one of them being compostable waste bags!
Earth Rated carries biodegradable, vegetable-based bag options to help you compost your dog and cat waste. These compostable bags are BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) certified and can be disposed of in a municipal compost environment where pet waste is accepted. But don’t think that you have to give up quality to help the environment—these bags are 100% leak-proof, ensuring that you can feel great about using green bags for your pet.
Properly Recycle Pet Packaging
To keep the freshness of pet food, complex or multi-layered materials are used in the packaging of pet products such as treats, food, toys, etc. Complex materials cause a problem for the environment as they are difficult to recycle since they need to be broken down and separated before recycling, or the packaging must be thrown in the garbage.
Take Earth Day to find out how to properly recycle the packaging of your pet’s food or other supplies. Many pet brands offer tips on how to recycle their product on the package, or you can try visiting the FAQ section of their website.
Switch to Eco-Friendly Pet Products
Do you know what’s in your pet’s shampoo? Many grooming products contain chemicals that can be harmful to your pet overtime or use synthetic fragrances. Check the ingredients on your pet’s products or research the brand to find out if they are harmful to the planet or your pet. There are various organic grooming supplies that can keep your pet and the earth clean, take this Earth Day to find which is best fit for you! A visit to your local Bone & Biscuit is a great first step, where you can get advice on eco-friendly pet products to suit your dog or cat’s needs.
Get Active Outdoors with Your Pet
There are many ways that you can save energy when trying to eliminate unnecessary usage of electronics in your household. Why not start by reducing the amount of hours spent on tablets, watching TV or scrolling on social media, and instead do an activity with your pet. This is a simple solution to an energy consumption issue that promotes an active lifestyle for you and your pet. Playing in the yard, going for a walk or hike, and visiting a dog park are just some of the many ways you and your pet can reduce energy produced by electronics while staying active.
There are so many benefits to spending time with your pet instead of on electronics. For instance, the energy saved by not having to charge your electronics does not only help the earth, it can also reduce your electricity bill. But saving electricity isn’t the only benefit—playing with your pet is proven to have a positive effect on mental health. Taking the time to get active with your pet helps the environment, your pet and you!
Conclusion
If you are looking for other ways to contribute to a more sustainable environment, the Earth Day organization has a calendar full of activities and education seminars that you can participate in.
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