In addition to exercising more, losing weight, tackling debt, and eating healthier, living a more conscious and sustainable lifestyle makes the list of New Years’ Resolutions each year.
One strategy for those who want to reduce their environmental impact is to incorporate green practices and use more sustainable products for their furry friends. We’ve compiled a list of easy ways to help you and your pet go green in 2022!
Adopt Don’t Shop: Adopting from a shelter is about one of the greenest actions you can take. When you adopt, it’s kind of like recycling a pet! Do some research on shelters in your area that may have the ideal cat or dog for you.
Spay or Neuter Your Pets: In the U.S. alone, more than 70,000 puppies and kittens are born each day. Make sure to spay or neuter your dog or cat – it helps to reduce the number of animals that end up homeless or living in shelters.
For Non-Consumable Products, Buy Organic: Opt for organic bedding, and choose toys, leashes, harnesses, and collars made from natural materials that do not contain vinyl, phthalates, or BPA. Use eco-friendly, natural pet shampoos and cleaning products free from toxic chemicals whenever possible.
Choose Better Litter: Most cat lovers are not aware that traditional clay litters are usually made of sodium bentonite, a mineral that is strip-mined and not biodegradable. A 2017 report reveals that more than five billion pounds of sodium bentonite is mined each year just for cat litter, with the vast majority ending up in landfills—more than 125,000 truckloads each year. Consider switching to Catalyst if you haven’t already!
Use Re-Purposed Doggie Bags: Dogs will poop, and since you have to dispose of that poop, make sure to use biodegradable, compostable bags.
Buy Food and Pet Supplies in Bulk: Not only does this reduce trips to the store and frequency of online orders, it also significantly cuts down on the amount of packaging that ultimately ends up in the landfill. Pay attention to packaging materials and try to buy products packaged in recycled or recyclable materials.
Give Away, Don’t Throw Away: Animal shelters can make great use of old items that your family is no longer using. In addition to unused food, many shelters welcome gently used water dishes, leashes and collars, brushes and grooming tools, and beds.
Support Environmentally Conscious Manufacturers: Buy eco-friendly pet products, such as those made from recycled materials. The pet industry is responsible for around 300 million pounds of plastic waste per year in the U.S., according to an estimate from the Pet Sustainability Coalition, a respected non-profit organization dedicated to creating a more sustainable pet industry.
The nonprofit projects that at least 99% of all pet food packaging in the U.S. isn’t recycled. As a company that firmly believes that even small businesses can make a big difference in improving the planet, Catalyst Pet entered a partnership with rePurpose Global, the world’s first Plastic Credit Platform helping people and companies finance the removal and recycling of ocean-bound plastic waste. By making this commitment, every Catalyst purchase carries a Net Zero Plastic Footprint.
Most recently, we also received our Accreditation from the PSC, which enables pet companies to act on their sustainability claims and make their impact come to life.
By getting accredited, we’re able to show our customers, retailers and pet community at large how we’re protecting our planet while offering a high-performance product at the same time. The bottom line is that you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.
To become accredited, companies must complete a comprehensive third-party sustainability assessment, complete a formal verification of their assessment, and show annual improvement. The entire process helped us accurately benchmark our impact, revealing how we as a company are doing and how we can do better. To see a list of other manufacturers and companies that have successfully gone through the PCS accreditation process, visit petsustainability.org.
We wish you the best of luck in your 2022 resolutions and hope Catalyst Pet can help you make greener choices with your furry friends!
