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Taking care of pets can have a surprisingly huge impact on the environment.
Cats and dogs get more protein from meat and fish than we do. According to a 2017 study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles, in the United States, they account for about a quarter of all calories consumed by animal products, and the carbon dioxide emitted through livestock production is equivalent to about 13 million cars. If they are plant-based, they will definitely be more environmentally friendly, but can we make this choice for species that have different dietary needs than ours?
Domestic cats are obligate carnivores-they need the nutrients in the meat to survive. Take the amino acid taurine as an example. Without it, cats will develop heart problems and become blind. Although these essential nutrients can be provided as supplements with plant-based diets, there is a heated debate between animal experts and vegetarians whether these are sufficient for cats.
On the other hand, dogs seem to be more adapted to an omnivorous lifestyle and can thrive on a diet containing more grains. Although this does not mean that we can simply remove protein.
Read more about the science of dogs:
A sustainable alternative is insect food from companies such as Yora in the United Kingdom, which sells high-protein dog food pellets made from ground fly larvae. Since insects are shipped all the way from Dutch producers, they are expensive and not completely carbon neutral, but with all the hype in insect farming, there may soon be more local suppliers.
This is not just about carbon emissions. For example, implementing a vegan lifestyle for your cats may cause them to become dissatisfied with the local wildlife, further harming bird and rodent populations. Research conducted by the Smithsonian Institute of Conservation Biology and published in the journal Nature shows that American cats have killed between 1 and 4 billion birds and 6-22 billion small mammals every year-this is wild The source of pain for animal lovers.
We should also consider all the dog-ear plastic pet toys that will enter the landfill, and the constant flow of beauty products that flow into the waterways from the pet store. Of course, humans use much more plastics and chemicals that pollute water than our pets use, but if we are committed to a sustainable life, then we cannot ignore what we provide for pets.
If you are a conscientious pet owner, there are many ways to reduce your pet's environmental impact. How about: Provide edible dog toys or recyclable wooden cat "trees" for cats to climb; research your dog grooming brand and switch to environmentally friendly products; insist on walking in the local green space instead of driving to the beach or A remote scenic spot?
A 2017 study found that 163 million dogs and cats in the United States alone produced the same amount of feces as approximately 90 million Americans. This is a lot of garbage in the dog box and garbage tray.
Recently, German researchers tried to estimate the impact of a dog on climate change during its lifetime, and the figure was about 7% of the impact of the average person living in the European Union. As part of the analysis, they tried to understand the impact of dog waste collected in small plastic bags and collected by garbage disposal agencies and when left on the street or in the park.
They found that the impact of dog poop on climate change is small, as long as the dog poop is picked up by the owner and collected from the dog bins on the normal route by the collection truck, rather than having to be cleaned up from parks and streets. A poop foundation.
Bottom line: at least if you have a dog and you can pick up poop, then do it. Although it’s much harder to stop your cat from messing up the neighbor’s petunias...
Read more about the science of cats:
Huh, frog? (Just kidding.) In fact, when it comes to pet food, small animals such as amphibians, reptiles, and spiders are generally considered better choices for the environment because they eat less, but they do consume energy in other ways. For example, through a heater, or a water filter in an aquarium.
Money.co.uk recently compiled an "Ecological Pet League" in which large dogs scored the worst, followed by ponies, horses and other sized dogs. The result is based on a score of eco-friendliness (out of five points) for a range of categories from food and excrement to heating/lighting and accessories-this is not a scientifically rigorous method, but it does give us some ideas.
Cats, fish, and reptiles perform slightly better than our canine partners, but are they at the top of the rankings? This humble tortoise scored high in all aspects and got extra points for having little impact over a long life cycle.
If the tortoise is not the cute fluffy ball you are looking for, then the best thing you can do is to choose a pet that suits your lifestyle and strive to be a responsible person for your pet and the planet.
Hayley is a popular science writer and (sustainably sourced) fish finger sandwich fan, living in Bristol, England.
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