Happy Earth Day! Today is a day to celebrate and appreciate Mother Earth, and all she provides for us. Personally, I like to take stock every couple of months of the supplies and materials I use on a daily basis to ensure that I am doing my best to live as greenly as possible. Particularly as a pet owner, I am extremely wary of bringing chemicals into my home. Our pets are often much more sensitive than we are to harsh cleaning supplies and chemicals we may not even realize are in our environment. Take a second to put yourself in the paws of your cat or dog: pets are infinitely closer to the ground than we are, taking in the smells and feels of our world at a magnified rate. For example, a dog’s nose is about 40 times stronger than that of a human, and cats use their tongues all throughout the day to keep themselves clean. While it may take a little extra effort, it is absolutely worth it to invest in chemical free cleaning products to keep our homes safe for our super-sensed pets!
Rover.com was Oh-So-Kind to compile a list of most-loved green friendly cleaning products for the home: https://www.rover.com/blog/16-pet-safe-non-toxic-cleaners-love/
We’ve discussed what enters our pet’s systems… now let’s talk about what exits!
For Cats: If you compost, this product is for you – A brand called Purr & Simple created a cat litter that is biodegradable. It is made is nutshell byproducts (kinda weird, right?!), is low dust, and can go straight into your compost bin; so cool! If you don’t compost, that’s alright! There are plenty of other litters our there that are made from recycled newspaper, pine shavings, or other all-natural products. Some of them are better at masking odor than others, and you may have to negotiate with your kitty to see which one they like the best. But, if you’re up to the challenge, it’s definitely worth it! Not only are chemical-free cat litters better for the environment, they are better for your health and your cat’s!
For Dogs: OK, raise your hand if you enjoy picking up dog poo… yeah, me neither! But, it’s always a little bit better knowing that you’re helping the environment! There are a bunch of earth-friendly poo bags on the market, such as BioBag USA. The key is to look for a brand that is 100% biodegradable and compostable. That way, you can keep your immediate environment clean, while also ensuring that the waste won’t sit around in a landfill. Be warned, some of these brands are thicker than others, so you may want to do a double-bag test run when you buy a new roll!
Just remember, you don’t have to wait until next year’s Earth Day to make a small change that will help the environment (and your health). If you’re looking for other earth-friendly pet products to bring into your life, they range everywhere from pet beds and bowls to toys – just hop on the google box and get to searching!
*Check out the link below for a head start:
https://www.moneycrashers.com/eco-friendly-dog-products-supplies/
