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What are the responsibilities of eco-friendly pet owners?
Imagine you decide to start riding your bike to work instead of driving your car. You want to cut down on emissions, use less gas, and get more exercise. You purchase a new helmet. You fill your tires with air. You roll up your pant legs and sling your bag over your shoulder. Off you go, feeling great about getting this extra workout in, getting to work on time, and getting to help the health of the planet in some small way. You pull up to a stoplight, and while you’re waiting for it to turn green, a man walks past and yells at you, “Those tires are made of…
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Welcome to The Zero-Waste Pet!
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Harm Reduction and Environmentalism for Pet Owners
How can the pet industry help the environment? How can pet owners take small steps that make a big, positive impact–without feeling guilt, overwhelm, strain, or stress? Let me introduce to you a topic I’m learning about: harm reduction. Before we dig into the pet industry and our role as pet owners, let’s take a big leap backwards and unpack the concept first. What is harm reduction? Because I can’t say it any better, here’s the intro to a paper published in Harm Reduction Journal (bolded text by me): Harm reduction refers to interventions aimed at reducing the negative effects of health behaviors without necessarily extinguishing the problematic health behaviors…
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Zero-Waste Tips for Pet Owners: Simple ways to love an eco-friendly dog or cat
Earlier this month, I wrote about where we are in 2021 after the *ahem* legacy of 2020. You can find that post here. While it was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year for many reasons and for many people, the reality is that it wasn’t so bad for the environment. So, how do we keep that positive momentum going? We all know it’s not practical or reasonable to stay home forever. Instead, we need to shift our attention to taking regular action to mitigate our impact on the environment–without having to shelter in place forever. The flip side of that, radical action that upends your lifestyle isn’t necessary…
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Sustainability in 2021: What does it look like for pets and their people?
Welcome to a new year! The year ahead is full of massive challenges, that’s for sure. Thankfully, unlike last year, many of the challenges are known. I think many of us were completely blindsided by much of 2020, and the legacy of that year will greatly inform our progress in 2021. They might even deliver us a few silver linings… In the meantime, let’s take a look at where we’ve been and where we’re going for sustainability in 2021 for pets and their people. The Impact of the Pandemic Rightfully so, we shifted our attention to the health and safety of ourselves and our fellow citizens. At the same time,…
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Environmentalism in 2020: People, pets, planet, and rationalism
Hello, friends. How are you? Are you hanging in there? Times sure are tough right now. We’re in the middle of a pandemic, a revolution, and a depression–and all that is notwithstanding the environmental degradation that sparked the creation of this space in the first place, though we all know it’s all interrelated, the causes interwoven with one another like a complicated tapestry. And yet. We go on. We continue to move forward and fight for social justice and environmental justice. We continue to read and write, to call our friends and family, to take care of our homes. It’s the ultimate act of hope, I think, in this climate…
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Welcome to The Zero-Waste Pet!
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The Eco-Friendly Fish Tank Guide
Can you keep pet fish and not have a major impact on the environment? Whether it’s the goldfish you win at the school fair or a tank purchased and set up from an aquarium store–or something in between–there are a few considerations to making your tank as environmentally friendly as possible. These tips will not only help lessen your tank’s impact on the planet but will save you a little money, too. The topic can be broken into a few main points: the fish, the tank, and the maintenance. Let’s wade in (I couldn’t help myself), shall we? TheZeroWastePet.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an…
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The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Zero-Waste Cat
Before we dig into this topic, how to raise a zero-waste cat, I want to first say thank you. Thank you for being here, for seeking out this information. Thank you for making an effort to lessen your pet’s impact on the planet. There’s been so much emphasis in popular media about living this “perfect” zero-waste lifestyle that I think it’s deterred a lot of people who are interested in doing a little bit more. And, honestly, a little bit more makes a huge difference. So, thank you! Thank you for each small step you take. In that vein, it’s important to say right up front that it’s probably impossible…
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The Simple Guide to Going Zero Waste
AKA low waste or “nearo waste” or low impact or landfill-free or whatever your heart wants to call it! We’re all in this together! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. What is zero waste? The most basic definition: Zero waste means you don’t send anything to the landfill. In other words, you reduce your consumption down to what won’t be wasted, what can be reused or repurposed, and what can be recycled so that you’re not throwing anything into the trash. Easier said than done, I know. However, it’s my opinion that a lot of the info out there right now makes it seem far more complicated,…
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The Best Vegetarian Pets: Everything you need to know
Few things in this world spark as much argument as what to feed your pet. Facebook groups, Twitter threads, comment sections, IRL… no place is safe from vehement pet food discussions. One of the biggest arguments? Can dogs and cats be vegetarian or vegan? The question makes sense. Most of us have given up or significantly cut down on our meat intake for our own health and for the health of the planet. It stands to reason that we’d want to extend the same to our pets. And, the reality is: Pet food has a gigantic impact on the planet. Read more: The Complete Guide to Zero-Waste Pet Food Despite…
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How to Dispose of Dog Poop the “Green” Way: The Ultimate Guide to Eco-Friendly Pet Waste Management (Part 2)
Dealing with doo… it’s one part of loving a dog! ICYMI: Part 1 was all about how to dispose of cat litter the “green” way! In part 2, we’re tackling all things dog waste with an emphasis on dog poop because, let’s face it, there’s a lot of it, and it can be a big problem. TheZeroWastePet.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Dogs generate a lot of waste. Let’s start with urine: Think about all the wild animals going in the wild… that stuff gets…
