Know your dog's carbon pawprint
The Dogs' Trust has been doing some great work towards lowering the *ahem* 'emissions' that come from man's best friend, and have pointed us towards some tips for greening up Fido. The good news is that they've concluded that dog-owning families actually have a lower carbon footprint on average than exclusively two-legged ones -- as long as they follow some simple rules.
It isn't all about using biodegradable poop-scoop bags and ensuring you clean up after your pet: there are loads of other ways you can be a greener dog owner. Read on after the jump for some suggestions.
The Dogs' Trust suggests you consider everything from the material your dog's collar is made from to how often you avoid using the car so that 'walkies' can coincide with your daily errands. It's been suggested that dog owners are more likely to shop locally and leave the car behind while out shopping, since their dogwalking trips get them into the habit of dropping in on nearby stores. Here are some tips they recommend:
1. Biodegradable poop bags - Buy some, they are much more environmentally friendly and will take less time to decompose meaning less waste in the environment and the death of plastic bags. You can find them on Pet Planet
2. Wonderful walkies - Even if it starts to rain outside get out of the car and onto the pavement to reduce those toxic fumes leaking into the atmosphere. You can find a good suggestions for dogs at www.greatdogwalks.co.uk
3. Buy your dog sustainable accessories - hemp collars with matching leashes look great, you can even buy pet beds made with organic cotton
4. Look for products packed in biodegradable packaging, like Pooch & Mutt.
5. Finally, spend more time with your pet - investing more time in playing with your pet means you will spend less time doing other, resource consuming things like using your mobile phone, driving a car or watching TV
For more advice on leading a green life and responsible dog ownership visit www.butcherspetcare.com
