Find out some ways to make your home cleaner and greener for your pets!

Go green! Conservationists everywhere tout the benefits of living a “green” life. Being environmentally responsible is healthier for the planet, for us, and for our pets. Since we want the best for our pets, we should include them in the go green movement.

Here are a few ways you can create a cleaner, greener home for you and your pet:

1. Reduce the impact eliminations have on the environment. OK, this topic is no fun, but it’s an important one. Dogs and cats have to “go” and it’s up to us to monitor their bodily functions and to provide suitable outlets for nature’s call.

Dogs usually eliminate outside. If you live on vast acres of land, the environmental impact of a single dog taking care of business may be insignificant, but if you live in an urban area with a little or no yard, it’s a different story. And if you’re in a city where hundreds of dogs eliminate in a tiny green space, the environment really takes a hit.

“Look for environmentally friendly, biodegradable waste disposal bags.”

Responsible dog owners know how to “scoop the poop”, but may not be aware that their environmental responsibility doesn’t end there. Plastic waste disposal bags (both new and recycled) aren’t all biodegradable, which means that these bags linger in landfills for years before decomposing. So even though your dog’s feces is organic matter, it can’t break down when sheathed in non-biodegradable plastic. How can you take a green approach to eliminations? Look for environmentally friendly, biodegradable waste disposal bags. There are many varieties on the market. Some bags are even compostable, but you shouldn’t use compost containing pet feces around edible fruit trees or vegetable plants. Composting doesn’t heat up enough to kill bacteria such as E. coli which could be a dangerous food contaminant. If you have room, you might even consider an enzymatic septic system for pet waste.

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