Creating A Sustainable, Zero-Waste Life with Your Pet

by Michelle at Vet Organics October 03, 2019 ecoeats ecotreats pet health

Living a more sustainable, zero-waste lifestyle is no easy task. Creating a zero-waste life with your pet can be one of the small steps you take towards significantly reducing the waste you and your family generate. It is possible to be a pet guardian and still be environmentally-friendly.

Creating A Sustainable, Zero-Waste Life with Your Pet | Vet Organics

Start with small steps and achievable goals.

You don’t have to go from everyday-waste to zero-waste overnight, or even over a week or a month. It takes small adjustments to your lifestyle on a daily or weekly basis - the important thing is to set small, achievable goals. Once you reach these goals, set new ones. Instead of switching to a zero-waste life with your pet in a single snap, adopt a low-waste strategy first.

It’s not about making sacrifices, but about making better, more sustainable choices. Sometimes it will take creativity and resourcefulness, particularly when it comes to building sustainable choices for your life with Fido and Ms. Kitty without sacrificing their needs.

Your low-waste to zero-waste journey with your pet begins here.

Food. Believe it or not, there are sustainable pet food options. For some, this may just mean we ensure the fish products in our pet food is sustainably sourced, such as wild-caught and dolphin safe. For others, it may mean moving to a raw food diet that is locally sourced and sustainably processed. You might consider buying pet food in bulk. Often that just means buying the biggest bag available because it will be less expensive and requires less waste to manufacture and dispose of multiple smaller bags throughout the year. There are places that sell package-free pet food for those who bring their own containers.

EcoEats is a dehydrated dog food that is grain-free, gluten-free, and preservative-free. It’s veterinarian formulated dog food at its best. This formula is the closest you can get to a whole food diet for your dog. Simply add water, and your choice of protein for a healthful, delicious, all-natural meal. Try EcoEats now.

Treats. It’s also worth keeping in mind that treats can be manufactured in big wasteful manufacturing plants, or they can be sustainably produced. Even homemade treats can end up being a sustainable option compared to the carbon footprint of treats that are not sustainably produced and then shipped around the world. Checking labels and looking up company profiles, as well as taking a closer look at product descriptions and labels are all ways to determine whether a product leans sustainable minimizes waste, or whether they are a less responsible manufacturer.

EcoTreats is an all-natural premium treats. Try the 100% natural, freeze-dried, wild-caught sockeye salmon filet bits. Your dog or cat won’t be able to resist these USA-sourced, all-natural treats straight from the waters of the Pacific Northwest. These salmon chunks have the skin kept right on the filet for extra flavor. They’re a low-calorie, guilt-free, healthful treat your dog or cat will love! Get a bag now.

sustainable life with pets | Vet Organics

Litter. Dog and cat waste is not compostable. However, you can set up a dog-waste worm farm. For dog litter bags, choose biodegradable ones, or use old newspaper or plastic bags. These days, you can purchase biodegradable cat litter from your local pet store or online.

Bedding. Most types of bedding, such as sawdust, are already eco-friendly and compostable. You can also opt for washable bedding, such as vet fleece, old towels, or old newspapers. Whether brand new or not, as long as bedding is kept clean, it will last for years, which minimizes waste.

Toys. You can simply DIY your pet’s toys. Not only will you avoid more purchases and accumulating more stuff, but you’ll also be able to recycle materials you’d otherwise throw away. If you must buy, choose second-hand and eco-friendly toys. Avoid plastic as much as possible when it comes to both toys and packaging.

Grooming and Accessories. Ask your vet about organic and your local privately owned pet store owner about herbal soaps that are safe for pets. When it comes to other stuff that your pet needs - such as bowls, carriers, and grooming supplies - choose plastic-free products whenever possible. And make them last as long as possible and in good condition by using them with care, cleaning them regularly or as needed, and storing them properly.

Even if you are not able to go completely go zero-waste, every step you take to minimize your pet’s carbon pawprint counts - no matter how small they are. Small steps, when taken together, will still make a valuable contribution to your overall effort to live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle with your fur-baby.

Michelle Lievense

Michelle is a writer and ghostwriter, specializing in wellness, sustainability, and global social change. She is particularly fond of serving ethical organizations who contribute to a better life for people and animals through humane and environmentally responsible missions. At Vet Organics, Michelle uses her time as a vet tech, her academic studies in animal science and behavior, and nearly a decade working on a ranch teaching animal husbandry to write on a variety of cat and canine health topics. When she isn't writing, Michelle can be found hiking in the mountains of Colorado with her dogs or snuggled up with a good book and her cats.