You may know how to reduce your own carbon footprint, but what about your dog’s?
With the looming climate crisis, we should all do our best to support environmentally friendly products. However, this can get tricky when it comes to the world of pets. Sure, there are little things we can do. You’re probably familiar with re-using old grocery bags for pet pickup instead of buying a whole roll of doggie-specific bags. But, it can be hard to tell where to go from there.
Thankfully, some up-and-coming pet brands, along with some old favorites, are working to be more sustainable.
Using Larvae to Reduce Food Waste
Cats and dogs are responsible for 25 percent to 35 percent of the environmental impact of meat consumption in the U.S. This equates to 64 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. While your own pet may not make a large individual impact, those are pretty startling numbers. Some pet brands are leaning towards insect-based alternatives for the health of the planet.
“Birds, companion pets and other animals naturally love to eat grubs,” said Sean Warner, CEO and co-founder of Grubbly Farms, which is now offering dog food with a base of Black Soldier Fly larvae. This larvae has long been touted as a superior food due to its protein and calcium contents.
“We surveyed our current customer base and found that the majority have dogs, so it was a natural next step to expand into the dog food space. Pet parents care deeply about their pet’s nutrition and are constantly seeking ways to provide healthier options for them. With Grubbly, our customers can better nourish their pets and feel good about lessening their environmental impact while doing so.”
The larvae in the food not only offer a highly digestible protein for pets. They also reduce impact on landfills by recycling food waste. Additionally, this provides cleaner air by producing 20 times less carbon dioxide than beef. It also uses 2,000 times less water than beef production. Plus, grubs serve as a direct replacement for fishmeal, protecting over 150,000 pounds of fish every year.
Grubbly has plans to introduce dog food which will recycle over 80 pounds of food waste with every bag. This equates to the CO2 produced by driving 1,244 in the average car. To date, Grubbly Farms has recycled over 13 million pounds of food waste.
More Bees, Less Plastic
Project Hive Pet Company is a pet company that includes sustainability efforts in its mission statement: to help save the declining native bee populations. Project Hive donates one percent of sales to The Bee & Butterfly Habitat Fund to establish wildflower habitats to support native pollinators.
“While making all of our toys and treats in the U.S. helps reduce freight emissions, we are still mindful of the emissions created by shipping products around the U.S. and are working to mitigate and offset those greenhouse gases,” said co-founder Melissa Rapaport Schifman regarding the impact of carbon emissions on the planet.
Earth Animal was one of 20 pet food brands that announced this past March that they had recovered 2,000 tons of plastic waste from nature, the rough equivalent of 111 million plastic bottles or one billion plastic bags in weight. In an effort to tackle the issue of plastic pollution, the brands reduced the plastic in their packaging and supply chains and financed the recovery of discarded plastic waste through rePurpose Global’s waste cleanup projects.
Even some old classic brands are trying to make a change. Purina announced that they have reached their goal of zero waste for disposal across all manufacturing plants within the company. Purina also noted that they are working towards zero environmental impact in its operations by 2030 as well as being committed to sourcing ingredients responsibly, reducing water use, and achieving 100 percent renewable electricity for all its sites.
Making a Change at Home
One of the most important things you can do to support sustainability when caring for your pet is to pay close attention to the brands you are supporting. There is an increasing number of organic, sustainable dog treats on the market, along with eco-friendly toys and biodegradable doggie bags. There’s now a diverse range of eco-friendly pet products some might not think to look for, too. This includes cleanup supplies, pet beds, and even green dog collars and leashes. Consider also changing your dog’s routine to help the environment. Leash your canine companions when in areas with protected wildlife for everyone’s safety, and consistently clean up pet waste to prevent harmful runoff into local water sources.
