Going Green – It is good for the planet and your pets to be eco-friendly

Angela Terry is a green campaigner, consumer expert and environmentalist. She explains how you could take simple, practical steps in order to help save the earth. Follow @ouronehomeVisit & Sharehttps://onehome.org.uk/Get more information.

Lockdown witnessed a dramatic rise of pet ownership.

According to the PDSA’s 2021 survey, there are 9.6 Million dogs and 10.7 Million cats in the UK.

They produce a lot of carbon dioxide.

It is a great idea for your pet to have a smaller carbon footprint.

Pet food has the greatest environmental impact.

Most of the meat is made from by-products from intensively-raised animals.

Pets are responsible in large part for the greenhouse gas emissions associated with global meat production.

An area twice as large as the UK is used each year just to make dry food for the world’s cats or dogs.

A growing number of eco-friendly pet food products are available.

Yora sells cat and dog food made from specially-reared ingredients, while Lovebug makes insect-based catfood.

These grubs and bugs are more nutritious than cows, sheep, or chickens. They also require less land, food, and water.

Their meat is good for pets with allergies. Research shows that chicken, beef, and dairy are the most common allergens in dogs, while cats have beef, fish, and chicken.

Some eco-conscious pet owners opt for super sustainable plant-based foods, especially for their dogs, who are omnivores just like us.

Benevo, Omni, and Hownd are some of the brands.

You don’t necessarily have to make these foods every day. Perhaps you only need to do them a few times per week.

Before making any changes to your pet’s diet, always consult your vet.

More cats and dogs mean more poo, which is not good news for the environment.

It is important to consider how you will dispose it.

It’s not a great idea to dispose of dog waste in a plastic bag.

It is preserving organic matter in environmentally harmful plastic and then sending it back to landfill where it cannot decompose.

You can purchase compostable bags. Make sure to choose bags made from cornstarch as they don’t contain harmful microplastics. Reusing plastic bags from your own kitchen can help you save money.

There are biodegradable cat litters available. Natusan is made of wood byproducts from sustainable forest rather than clay. It doesn’t biodegrade well and can cause deforestation, habitat loss and habitat destruction for wildlife.

London Fashion Week begins February 18, 2018. British designers are at the forefront in eco-conscious fashion.

Vivienne Westwood, fashion legend, advocates avoiding excessive consumption and purchasing high-quality, sustainable clothes.

Also available are organic cotton, low-impact coloring and sustainable fabrics such coir made from coconut shells and nettle-based products.

Stella McCartneys brand is all about luxury eco chic. Her fur-free and leather-free designs use recycled fabrics and forest-friendly viscose.

Switch single-use plastic coffee pods to refillable aluminium coffee pods in your coffee machine

It is a good environmental decision that plastic coffee pods don’t cause any adverse effects on coffee taste.

Because of people’s concern about the environment, plant milks are experiencing a phenomenal growth.

Research from analysts Nielsen shows that their UK sales have soared by 107 per cent in the last two years and are now worth 278m.

However, they don’t all have equal eco credentials.

Almond milk has a mild, sweet almond flavor and a thick, creamy consistency.

It is a wonderful source of vitamin E as well as calcium.

It is not the best option for the environment.

Almonds require a lot water to grow. 80% of almonds are grown intensively in California, which has experienced severe drought in recent years.

Coconut milk is the lightest and most refreshing plant-based milk. It has a sweet taste.

It’s gluten-free and a great addition for smoothies and curries.

Coconuts are difficult to grow because they come from exotic climates.

Farmers are often underpaid for their efforts and global trade often diverts food resources away from local communities.

Coconut milk is a great choice if you are a coconut milk lover.

Soya milk is considered the original plant-based milk and has been used for hundreds of years.

It is light and versatile, making it a great source for vitamin D and B2. Growing soy requires little land and very little water.

It does not produce high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. However, soya-related deforestation is a problem in some key soya-producing countries, including Brazil and other countries in Amazon basin.

Make sure you choose milk with Round Table on Responsible Soy certification (RTRS).

Oat milk is a popular dairy alternative. It is creamy, can be poured by the glass, and works well in baking.

Oats are also a great source for vitamin A and vitamin D. They can easily be grown in the UK and do not cause water shortages. Organic is even better.

It is also important to note the eco-friendliness of all plant-based milks over dairy milk. It all comes down to the cows.

There are approximately 264,000,000 dairy cows worldwide at any given moment. They are dependent on large quantities of water, land, and food. They also produce methane gas that can be up 34 times more hazardous than CO2.

Global methane emissions are 27% due to methane from animals raised for food.

It is better to stop and start your car than leave it idle. True!

A running engine can damage the climate and human life.

Royal College of Physicians estimates that air pollution is responsible for 400,000 deaths in the UK each year.