Why Your Dog Should Go Green

A few years ago, New Zealand authors Brenda and Robert made headlines for their assertion that dogs and cats were harder on the environment than SUVs. They contend that the carbon “pawprint” of our pets is more than twice that of your average gas-guzzling vehicle. It’s not fair to blame dogs for climate change or pollution – but we can get into a more green routine when it comes to our pets. The following eco-friendly pet supplies are ideal for earth-loving dogs, who emit many things but never as much carbon as an SUV.

Honey Dog Bamboo Collar. This collar is so green that your dog would eat it if he were a herbivore. It is made with a 100 percent organic bamboo ribbon and 100 percent undyed organic bamboo webbing. It is hypoallergenic so it won’t bother your dog’s skin, antibacterial, biodegradable, and breathable. There are no pesticides, insecticides, or fertilizers used in the making of this fiber.

This delightful collar features honey bees and dogs with bee wings to raise awareness of Colony Collapse Disorder, which has inexplicably killed a large percentage of honeybees around the world. Since bees pollinate about 1/3 of the world’s food, this is a big issue.

Love Dog Bamboo Harness. This adorable harness is a chic accessory and a great way to support pet adoption and spaying and neutering programs. Wagging Green, the company behind this harness and a complete line of great collars (like the Honey Dog!), donates 5 percent of the profits to these programs to help homeless animals.

Natural Cotton EcoHip Dog Collar. Made from organic cotton, this great collar is durable and strong. And funky. It has two layers of cotton webbing in complementary colors and great fringe edging. Five percent of the profits from this collar help fund green projects.

These and other great eco-friendly products are not only fabulous and stylish – though they really are! They also have a conscience; whether helping the environment or animals, your purchase is doing something to pitch into the greening up of the world.