Reducing Your Dog's Carbon Pawprint
Wednesday, September 28, 2022 14:00:01 PM America/Los_Angeles
Having a fur baby is one of the many great joys of life. However, sharing your home with a dog does come with a few pitfalls. One that seems less apparent is the impact your pet has on the environment. Luckily, there are some simple ways that pet ownership can be made more sustainable by reducing our fur babies’ carbon pawprint. Here are a couple of quick tips for getting started!
Photo by Alvan Nee
Always Pick Up After Your Pet
Many people think of pet waste as a natural fertilizer and don’t see much harm in not picking up after their dogs. However, pet waste can be much more damaging than we realize. In addition to germs and parasites potentially contaminating water supplies, bacteria found in pet waste can quickly kill native plant life and negatively impact the ecosystem that depends on those plants. Picking up after pets can be a nuisance, but it has a long chain of consequences that has serious effects on the environment. Wondering how to make clean-up even more eco-friendly? Use compostable poo bags, which are less likely to leave behind microplastics than biodegradable ones.
Groom Regularly
Believe it or not, grooming your doggo regularly can be better for the earth. Regular grooming helps keep problems like pests and skin conditions at bay. Unfortunately, the treatment of these common pet-related issues requires harsher chemicals that aren’t great for the planet or your furry one. Not only does the production of those products require large amounts of resources and labor, it also ends up in our water supply as dogs are bathed.
Feed Sustainable Proteins
While it may not be practical or budget-friendly to offer sustainably produced foods or treats at every meal, sustainable proteins can be easily incorporated into your dog’s diet. Sustainable proteins such as those made with crickets are relatively budget-friendly and wholesome to boot! Relying less on red meat to supplement your pup’s diet both reduces greenhouse gasses that result from farm animals as well as also offer alternate nutrients that help round out your dog’s diet!
DIY Pet Supplies
Whether it’s toys, treats, or bedding, take a moment to consider whether you can DIY the supplies that you’re thinking of purchasing. Could you spare some extra time to bake wholesome treats from leftover oatmeal and peanut butter? Or perhaps there’s an old blanket that was about to be thrown out that can be turned into soft bedding for your pup. Get creative and see what goodies your home already has in store!
Bark Potty partners with 1% for the Planet to donate 1% of our sales to One Tree Planted. 1% for the Planet is a network of businesses that have committed to taking responsibility for the environmental impacts of their various industries. 1% for the Planet encourages businesses to practice corporate responsibility by facilitating donations to grassroots environmental organizations such as One Tree Planted. Each Bark Potty purchase you make further supports our collective efforts to reduce the ecological footprint that humans have left on the environment!