Going Green is for Pets, Too

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A best-selling author, Diane’s “how to go green” books have collectively sold almost a half-million copies. Her most recent, Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World identifies the many ways that women can protect themselves and their communities by shifting their spending to the greenest products and services available.

Excerpted from Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World, by Diane MacEachern. Join our One in a Million campaign here.

When it comes to shifting your spending to greener goods, don’t forget the animals in your life. Because they live lower to the ground, they might be even more susceptible to toxic substances than people are. And often their food and toys sacrifice natural ingredients in favor of less healthy alternatives. Fortunately, whether you've recently added a new four-legged member to your family, or just want to treat your existing pet right, there are plenty of affordable, environmentally friendly products and supplies to keep your furry friends happy and give you another way to use your consumer clout to protect the planet.

Start with the fun stuff: toys! Don't spend a fortune on plush new chew toys your dog's powerful jaws could demolish in a few days. Shop yard sales and thrift stores for used rubber dolls or balls and stuffed animals that pooch will enjoy just as much as if they were brand new. When you do buy new, choose toys like those from West Paw's Zogoflex line that are tough, pliable, non-toxic and designed to be recyclable. An added bonus: they're dishwasher safe.

Also, check out West Paw's inexpensive Eco Bones, which are made of 85 percent re- engineered recycled IntelliLoft fibers that offer Fido astrong, squeaky and eco-friendly way to exercise his jaws while saving you money on the real bones you might otherwise buy every week.

Hemp Collars and Leashes. Hemp is a natural fiber that has been grown for the last 12,000 years in a variety of climate and soils without pesticides and herbicides. Hemp fibers are longer, stronger, more absorbent, and more mildew-resistant than cotton; they're hypoallergenic, 100 percent biodegradable, odor resistant and anti-bacterial, too.

Eco-Friendly and Comfortable Dog Beds. Dogs sleep at least 12 hours a day if not more, so ensuring they have the best bed possible is a must (and will keep them off the couch!). Beds made from natural materials such as recycled cotton, feathers, wool or kapok fiber offer a healthy 'green' alternative to the synthetics found in many conventional pooch pads.

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November 3, 2010
Note: This Perspectives Blog post is written by a Guest Blogger of DrGreene.com and is provided in order to offer a variety of thoughtful points of view. The opinions expressed on this Perspectives Blog post do not reflect the opinions of Dr. Greene or DrGreene.com. As such, Dr. Greene and DrGreene.com are not responsible for the accuracy of the information supplied. This post is used under Creative Commons License CC BY-ND 3.0.