Pure bred, designer, and rescue dogs, black, brown and white dogs, big dogs and little dogs, we love all kinds of dogs, but especially green dogs!
There’s a lot of love for dogs in my urban Denver neighborhood! This is evident during the dog walking hours in the evening when we can see all the many varieties of dogs but it’s tough to spot the dogs that have been loved green. Green dogs are those furry friends who are living a greener, more eco-friendly life via our purchasing choices.
Check out these 5 ways we can start greening our dogs today:
(one) GREENER POOP
Leaving dog poop on the ground, whether in the city or on a nature trail, pollutes groundwater and streams. The simple act of picking up after our dogs is being eco-friendly… please remember picked up poop must go to the landfill (not city compost or recycling bins).
*Plastic-free bag alternatives:
Paper
Cardboard
My favorite compostable “plant-based” bags without a cardboard core
Bea Johnson, my Zero Waste idol, uses receipts to pick up her tiny dog’s tiny poop.
*My favorite fabric poop bag dispenser designed and sewn by a Boulder, Colorado dog mama: SASyLUNA
*Dog poop disposal for the ambitious and gold star green dog parents:
Composting Dog Waste by The US Department of Agriculture
Composting Dog Waste with Doggy Do Good Plastic-Free Bags
Four Responsible Ways to Keep Dog Poop Out of the Landfill
Puppy Poop Hole YouTube Video
(two) GREENER GRASS
What dog doesn’t love grass? Running, rolling, pulling it up (maybe that is just my dog), peeing, pooping, sleeping. Grass is dog heaven!
Standard grass requires a lot of water, mowing, weed removal, re-seeding and fertilizing with compost.
What if we could have lush, springy green grass with no mowing, no pee spots and very little watering? We wish!
Wish granted! Dog Tuff Grass delivers and was developed in Colorado.
(three) GREENER FOOD
According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations states,
The livestock sector plays an important role in climate change. It is estimated to emit 7.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq) per annum, representing 14.5 percent of all human-induced emissions.
So, eating less meat is one way humans can reduce our carbon footprint but what about our furry friends? Did you know that dogs (not cats) can thrive on well planned plant-based diets too? Dogs have different nutritional needs than humans so it’s important they get plant-based/vegetarian/vegan dog foods formulated specifically for them.
Learn more here and here and here and here.
(four) GREENER TOYS
Plastic toys—balls, stuffed animals, cheap squeaky toys—that a dog can shred in 5 minutes create a lot of pollution during production and shipping only to quickly end up in landfills and our waterways. Not so nice for our beautiful environment. Choosing instead, tough plastic toys that last longer and those made of recycled materials are better. Toys made of natural materials are even better.
*Elk antlers are a favorite of our dog and last a long time.
*Hemp rope for tug of war is great but if you have a chewer, store it out of reach after play or it will be shredded.
*Cycle Dog High Roller Ball from REI with a squeaker and made from recycled materials.
(five) GREENER BEDS
A comfy dog bed made from more natural and sustainable products instead of chemically created foam and polyester? Yes, please!
Molly Mutt has washable cotton canvas covers that can be filled with your old clothing, blankets, folded comforters or with Molly Mutt’s wool pads. They have lots of fun fabrics to choose from.
NaturoPet beds made from wool and organic cotton covers.
Avocado Organic Dog Bed is GOTS organic certified using natural latex and coconut husk with organic cotton liner.
Although they are difficult to spot on the street, we hope you are loving your dog super lucky green!
Jen Grauer 