Author: Jennifer Seene
Earth Day is an annual event that encourages people to make changes and implement a more sustainable lifestyle.
You can reduce your carbon footprint and lead a more sustainable life by choosing more eco-conscious brands, reducing your consumption of single-use plastic, and choosing more sustainable travel options.
But did you know you can make more sustainable choices for your dog? Keep reading to learn 5 easy ways to celebrate Earth Day with your dog and reduce your four-legged friend’s carbon footprint!
5 Eco-Friendly Ways To Celebrate Earth Day With Your Dog
As Earth Day rolls around, you need to know your options to become a more environmentally-conscious dog owner. You can help to decrease the carbon footprint of your four-legged friend and make the positive changes that Earth Day inspires by opting for sustainable dog food, dog accessories and adopting dogs in need!
Spend Time In Nature
One of the best ways to celebrate Earth Day is to spend time in nature and appreciate all this planet offers. Consider taking your dog for a trip to your local nature reserve. Your pup will appreciate the chance to roam freely and explore, and you will get to enjoy the fresh air and beauty of your surroundings.
Or, for a more sustainable Earth Day plan, you might consider walking your dog in your neighborhood and taking a litter picker with you. You can pick up any litter you see and place it into a garbage bag as you go. When you return from your walk, you can separate the recyclables and put them into your recycling bin. Your dog will enjoy their walk, and you can clean up your neighborhood!
Invest In More Sustainable Dog Food
When it comes to feeding your dog, you need to know where the ingredients come from and whether your brand is taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint. Generic dog foods often contain grains as a filler, and grains aren’t always the best option for your dog.
Plenty of organic dog food brands take extra care, ensuring that all of the ingredients are ethically sourced and providing your dog with the most nutritional value. One brand, Chippin, uses only over-populated fish in their treats and food to support biodiversity and is a massive supporter of Earth Day. Perform research into the best sustainable brands to determine which is best for your dog.
Pick Up After Your Dog – And Do Away With The Plastic
Plastic is one of the most challenging materials to recycle, so single-use plastic contributes to pollution tremendously. To reduce your consumption of single-use plastic products, you can start by looking at your dog’s products daily – poop bags.
Our dogs have bowel movements up to 3 times a day, and each time they poop, we need to pick it up using a bag. Dogs’ stool is highly toxic and carries harmful bacteria, which can cause humans to become very ill. When children walk in your neighborhood, you want to ensure they are safe from this harmful bacteria, so pick up after your dog.
The good news is that you don’t have to use a plastic poop bag! Adios Plastic is a sustainable poop bag brand offering biodegradable and compostable bags that are completely plastic-free. By making this simple switch, you can reduce your contribution to landfills and dispose of your dog’s poop in your compost bin!
Make Your Own Dog Toys
Dogs aren’t too fussy – they don’t need all of those store-bought toys. You can quite easily make dog toys. Simply take unwanted items, like an old T-shirt or pillowcase, and make your dog’s new tug of war toy!
Making your own toys doesn’t have to be complicated; you can simply take your empty jar of peanut butter and hand it to your dog instead of cleaning it out. Your dog will polish off the rest of the peanut butter, and reaching their tongue into the jar will provide a stimulating challenge for them. Once the pot is clean, you can put it into your recycling bin.
Adopt A Dog
One of the best ways to celebrate Earth Day with your dog is to help a dog in need and introduce a new member to your pack. If your dog is friendly with other dogs and your family is ready for another member, you might consider adopting a dog on Earth day.
Unfortunately, kill shelters still exist in the US, and by adopting a dog, you could be saving their life. There’s no better way to celebrate Earth Day than saving an animal’s life and giving them a loving home.
Summary
As the climate change crisis becomes an increasing concern, we need to use Earth Day as an opportunity to make those small changes to our daily life. You can start to make these changes by looking at the carbon footprint of your canine companion and ensuring you sustainably care for your dog. Earth Day is about respecting our earth and the creatures that share this planet. If you’re looking for a great way to celebrate Earth Day, adopting a dog might be the perfect solution.
