Businesses, homes, cars, people, and now pets can Go Green. A few simple steps can make it feel less like a chore and more like a habit. The following three solutions are great places to start.
Is your pet searching for greener pastures?
A dog or cat with an upset stomach will eat grass to aid with digestion. Are your pets getting more than they bargained for in your backyard? The lawn may look green, but is it truly pet-friendly? Don’t allow your pets to eat fertilized grass. Dogs exposed to herbicide-treated lawns and gardens have an increased risk of canine lymphoma and bladder cancer. Slow-release organic fertilizers are safer for pets, kids, and wildlife and create healthier soil and lawns.
When your pets like to graze, make sure their grass really is greener. You can use natural and organic lawn car products such as Cockadoodle Doo, Extremely Green, or Planet Natural. Another option is leaving grass clippings to decompose on your lawn. This isn’t being lazy—it has the same effect as one fertilizer application per year. For more information check out Healthy Lawn, Healthy Environment—the U.S. EPA’s guide to eco-friendly lawn care.
Just wondering: Why are you preserving dog poop?
For some of us, the mindset of being green is to recycle and reuse. So we get that plastic bag at the store knowing we will take it on the next walk with our dog and do our part to be green and reuse. Reality check! Think about it: using a regular plastic bag or even some of those cute doggie poop bags to clean up after your dog keeps that poop fresher for longer than you probably intended.
Switch to biodegradable bags or use a pooper-scooper. Biodegradable bags are comparable in price to regular bags and break down in as few as 30 days. BioBag Dog Waste Bags, Dispoza-A-Scoop, Skooperbox, and Spike Business Bags are a few to try. The bag can be avoided altogether by using a pooper-scooper, which is free after the initial investment. Try to buy a metal one. It will last longer and tend to be more effective than a plastic one.
What sort of legacy is your kitty leaving behind?
It could be stinky. Conventional clay and silica-based litters are strip-mined from the earth and sit in landfills forever. Going for the biodegradable alternative cat litters would mean fewer strip mines. Some of the litters made of wood, newspaper, sawdust, and wheat can be composted; however, keep them away from your vegetable garden. An added perk is that natural litters mask smells better that conventional types and they’re unscented, which many cats and humans prefer. Baking soda is a great additive to make the natural litter fresher longer. Natural litters are comparable in price to conventional litters and in some cases even cheaper, so don’t be surprised. Top sellers include: One Earth Cat Litter, Yesterday’s News, Swheat Scoop Wheat Litter, World’s Best Cat Litter, and Feline Pine.
Pets Gone Green!
As always, pets are aiming to please, and this time it’s the planet they’re pleasing. They may not have a voice, but your pet is begging for you to make a difference when it comes to them.
About the Author
Justine Schroeder owns and operates 3A Pet Sitting, which services Fremont, Newark and Union City, California. 3A Pet Sitting is a professional in-your-home pet care business that pampers your pets, plants, and home when you can’t. Ms. Schroeder is licensed, bonded, insured and a PSI & NAPPS Accredited Pet Sitter. Further information is available on her Web site at www.3Apetsitting.com.
© 2008 3A Pet Sitting. All rights reserved. You are free to use this article in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including Web site link and email link. In addition, please notify us where the material will appear.
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