Worried about your pet's carbon footprint? Learn how to reduce it today.

There's been much ado in the press lately about a recent study which claims that the carbon footprint of a medium dog is twice that of an SUV, and the footprint of a cat is similar to that of a small Volkswagen, much to the horror of many eco-conscious pet parents. So before the green guilt sets in, let's talk about the myriad options you have for dramatically reducing your pet's environmental impact.
 
The bulk of the average pet's carbon footprint is a result of the amount of meat that our pets consume.  Meat farming puts a tremendous strain on the environment because of the amount of land required, the amount of feed required, and the amount of energy required to produce farmed meat.  So what is a good uptight Seattlite to do?  One option is to feed your pets wild-caught fish based diets.  My two dogs eat a grain free, 70% wild caught fish based food and love it- they eat Orijen Six Fish.  My cat eats a grain free chicken and fish food (a little less eco-friendly due to the poultry)- he eats Wellness Core Feline.  Potential Pitfall:  Watch out for farmed fish!  Most farmed fish are very hard on the environment and not as nutritious as their wild counterparts.

Another environmental burden created by pets is their poop.  Lots, and lots, of poop.  Those of us with yards have the option of using a Doggie Dooley for pet poop- it's a mini septic tank for animal poop that you can put in your own backyard.  As long as you use enzyme based additives rather than chemicals, you're still behaving squeaky green.

As for kitties, all that clay clumping litter is an eco no-no, because the clay is sourced by strip mining and the clumps never biodegrade.  In my house we deal with the kitty litter challenge by using a U.S. grown 100% corn litter (yes it does clump!) called World's Best Cat Litter.  It's biodegradeable and works just as well as the clay for clumping, and you "can" flush it...but the jury is out on whether or not flushing it is eco friendly.  Now, all that corn takes up land and has to be watered, so you're not carbon neutral here, but definitely making a big reduction in your kitty's footprint.

So now you know.  You have lots a great green pet care options that can allow you and your best friends to hold your sustainable heads (and tails!) high.  For an additional boost to your peace of mind, you should know that the pet/vehicle comparisons considered only the manufacturing, and not the fueling of, said vehicles.  Now get out there and be a good Northwesterner by living with enough eco-consciousness for you and your beloved pets.