Sustainable Pet Parenting 101

You’ve probably heard before that meat (or at least the amount of meat we eat and how we raise it) and children (because of human overpopulation) aren’t too great for the planet. But if I told you pets are also pretty detrimental to protecting the environment, you might be a bit surprised — shook even!

But, according to The Guardian, pets are also on the list of things we should cut out to decrease our eco footprint, and here’s why:

• Their food has a similar impact to ours. Pet food can be made from a lot of things, but meat is typically mixed in there somewhere, and as we just covered the meat industry is (sadly) unsustainable at the moment.
• They’re technically invasive species. Because we’ve bread pets into being very specific companions, whose to say where our pets are really native too? So when your cat drops off a bird on your porch, it’s really flexing it’s invasive species muscles and affecting the local ecology in the process.
• Shit. And lots of it. Ever heard of how dog flatulence is not only bad for your nostrils but also bad for the atmosphere? Turns out their shit is like that too.

Despite this, you’re still probably better off nixing (at least some amount of) meat and/or dairy from your diet, as well as having a small family (or no children at all. Come on, kids are annoying anyway.)

HOWEVER! That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for more sustainable pet ownership practices. Whether you likes canines, felines, scaled, or furry pets, here are some basic tips to keep in mind to decrease their environmental footprint.

01. Food

If we’re being honest, making your own pet food is the most sustainable option out there — assuming you’re using good ingredients of course. What do we mean by “good”? You’re probably tired of hearing it but organic is the most environmentally friendly option for pet food. It’s also the healthier option IF done in a balanced way, so don’t forget to do your research before grinding up some beef and throwing it in your pet’s bowl.

This is perhaps easier done with rabbits, who you can feed via your own garden, or veggies bought from a local farmers market. But in case make-it-yourself food just isn’t up your alley, there are pretty good ready-to-buy options out there too (including millet for rabbits).

02. Shit bags

BioBag makes compostable bags for all types of household pets. So maybe you’re not addressing the shit problem, but at least you’re addressing the issue of plastic pollution (or at least some of it).

As a note, they’re COMPOSTABLE, not biodegradable, which are sadly not interchangeable words. Depending on where you live this could be more inconvenient than simply throwing the bag away, but try to remember that even if it’s inconvenient it’s so you can protect your wild.

BUT in case composting just isn’t your thing, you can always go with water soluble bags and flush ’em instead.

03. Litter

Yesterday’s News (made by Purina) makes paper — yes, PAPER — litter. Recycled paper in fact! So when you’re composting or flushing your cats’ and/or rabbits’ shit bags, you don’t have to worry about litter being an unsustainable dark horse by contributing to landfills as much as plastic bags do.

If you’re into DIY stuff, apparently you can make litter with wood shavings and/or sawdust. In case you like the whole rustic vibe but don’t want to put the work into it though, you can get it pre-made as well (try NEPCO’s, Eco-Shell, or Better Way.)

Oh, and as far as what the litter gets put in, you can always repurpose a storage box. If you’re trying to go zero waste or plastic-free but still need to buy a new litter box, buying a used one from a thrift store is your best bet.

04. Shark Tank

JK, I mean fish tanks. As a general rule, buying used things or repurposing your old stuff is the more sustainable way to go because it leads to a decrease in demand for new materials to be pulled out of the planet, as well as less energy needed to make said new products

The same goes with pet habitats, so if you’re in need of a fish tank try to check out a thrift store in your area, or see if you have anything lying around that could do the trick. AND if you have an old tank that can’t be used for fish (e.g. because of a leak), those can be put to use for your reptile’s new home.

05. Gilded Cage

ONLY because I’ve mentioned it a million times already am I not bringing up the fact that repurposing is a good option for bird cages too. If you’re in need of a brand spankin’ new cage though, do try to get a nontoxic one for the sake of both the environment and your feathered friend(s).

And while we’re on the topic of birds, if you’re more the type to lure birds to your house with a bird feeder rather than invite them into your home as a pet, you can make a super easy DIY bird feederwith shit you are most definitely going to find lying around your house.

As far as general tips go, huge pet populations are a problem, so spaying and neutering is the go-to way to prevent unwanted offspring. Repurposing old stuff for new pet toys is better than buying new toys, and hey — cats only really want boxes anyway. You can also buy from a thrift store if you’re in need of something you don’t have and can’t repurpose though.

So at the end of the day maybe the amount of pets on the planet and the way we raise them isn’t the most sustainable thing out there. But there are eco friendly products and habits that you can buy or adopt to decrease that eco footprint of both you and your pet(s) so you can #protectyourwild AND your pets.

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By Darian Williams, ALDA’s Blog and Digital Marketing Specialist Intern

Originally published at alda.life.