What is “Zero Waste”?

Let’s start by getting to grips with what this philosophy is all about. 

Kathryn Kellogg, author of the Going Zero Waste blog, writes that zero waste is about the all-important R words:

“We reduce what we need, reuse as much as we can, send little to be recycled, and compost what we cannot.”

The other important R-word here is “redefining the system.”Changing the way we think, or perhaps don’t think, about what happens to the things we both buy and discard. Creating a more “circular economy” that mimics the efficiencies of nature's cycles.

With that in mind, here are some of the different wayspet owners are working to bring these R’s into their pet care routines. 

Food

• Vegetarian or Vegan dog foodscan reduce the resources needed to create our pooch’s meal of choice. Just be sure your vet approves their nutritional quality.

• Feeding your dog any vegetables that you don’t eat gives them a healthy snack or meal, whilst also reducing your own food waste.

• You can blend leftover fruits and veggiesto create pupsicles for hot weather.

• Bake your own treats to reduce plastic packaging.There are lots of simple 3 and 4 ingredient dog treat recipes (like these) you can use as a base. 

• Antlers make a great plastic-free chew,as they’re durable and long-lasting too. 

• Consider buying your dog food in bulk to reduce the shipping and packaging slightly.

• Or, find a dog food brand that offers compostable packaging,or brands like Open Farm that partner with Terracycle - which helps to send old food bags to get properly recycled. 

• Create your own dog food, including offcuts of protein from your local butchers or farmers market, and some extra veggies from around the house.

Bulking out our dog's food with extra veggiesmakes total sense to us, and reduces the cost of all that chow! But creating your own dog food is going to be a whole job in itself. While there can be a range of benefits in knowing exactly what your dog is eating, homemade foods are often actually devoid of critical nutrients. So it’s always best to check with your vet before beginning any kind of homemade diet for your dog. 

Before feeding your dog any of your extra veggies, just be sure that they are actually digestible for your dog, as some human foods can be toxic. You can find a comprehensive list of what’s good and what’s not goodhere. 

Supplies

• Where possible, buy second-hand suppliesfor your dog to help reduce waste in landfill. Especially for young puppies who grow out of things like harnesses quickly, you can find some great quality pieces that have barely been used. 

• Thrift stores also have lots of cuddly toys that can make good cuddle partners for your dog - just be sure to supervise and intervene if your dog decides to try and eat any of them!

• Donate your unused supplies (that are still in good quality) to your local shelter.

• For food and water bowls - metal, ceramic, or double fiber bamboo are good optionsthat can be recycled or composted once they are beyond repair. Etsy has some great options. 

• Similarly, bamboo or hemp toys (Etsy have good options) make a great addition to your dog's playtime, as they can be composted once they are used up. 

• Kong toys are hardwearing and can last a lifetime. Plus, they can serve multiple functions, so are another good addition. 

• You can now buy pet shampoo and conditioner bars on stores like Etsy, which reduce the packaging needed to keep your dog’s coat shiny. 

• Brushes made from hemp, wood or bambooare a compostable option for everyday grooming.

• If you’d prefer new over second-hand, you can buy leashes made from repurposed climbing ropesand other recycled materials from Ropes for Rescues.

Next time we pass a dog-friendly thrift store, we’ll definitely have a quick look around. 

Buying second-hand or gentle materials isn’t always ideal though, especially with certain supplies that need to be specially formulated for our dogs - like a harness.So we’ll be sticking to our golden rule: quality lasts. This is why we believe in TrueHarness and its ability to last a dog’s lifetime, helping keep them safe and comfortable, whilst avoiding unnecessary contribution to landfill - which poor-quality harnesses generally result in.

Dog Waste

We all know how important it is to pick up after our dogs,but there are a few ways to go the extra mile.

• Got a puppy that’s being potty trained? A reusable pee padis a great option to help reduce the amount of pads you get through. 

• If you are at home, check with your local state regulations as to whether you can simply scoop and flush your dog's poop. 

• If you are out on a walk, a newspaper is a great eco-friendly option. Ask family and friends for spares and follow this tutorial for how to create handy shaped bags from them. 

• If you need something more easily transportable, a compostable poop bag is your best bet. However, these only really work when actually composted, not thrown in the regular trash where they can’t break down properly. So it might be worth starting your own doggy compost heap, like this one. 

In the future, flushable poop bags might be the best bet we have for green doggy disposal. But right now, composting is the best option. A quick reminder that as dogs are meat eaters, we can’t compost their waste in any vegetable patches for health reasons.

So, zero waste pet ownership - is it possible? In theory yes, but it takes time, effort and a little more technology to get us there. Big brands can start to shift their packaging ethos, stores can start to sell supplies without unnecessary plastic and new inventions will help us discard our doggy waste in better and greener ways.