schederpets

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Pets have been around since man first began hunting and gathering. But only recently have they begun being seen as a sustainability problem. According to the Humane Society there are over 77.5 million dogs as well as 93.6 million cats in the US today ("U.S."). With the human population at about 310.5 million people this is about 1.8 people per pet (Census). Now although these pets do not consume nearly as much as we do, even without this huge number of pets they would be a sustainability problem. The waste from our pets is more than just their feces. Their food, toys, vet visits, parks, and the advertising behind all of it needs to be incorporated into their carbon pawprint.

I was surprised to discover that dog feces does in fact have a relatively large environmental impact. Not only does it stink and cause inconveniences when not picked up, but it also contains large amounts of dangerous bacteria. A study done in Seattle, Washington shows that almost 20 percent of all the bacteria in various water samples was from dogs. Both the droppings from cats as well as from dogs can contain parasites and worms. Because of this the best way to dispose of pet waste is to flush it down the toilet. This way the bacteria, worms and parasites all get removed properly in a sewage treatment plant. Burying the feces also works, but should not be done near streams or ponds (EPA). The amount of waste that dogs excrete is astounding. Every year 10 million tons of dog poop is put into our waste cycle. In some cities, as in San Francisco, dog poop alone makes up 4% of the city’s total residential waste. Cat feces is a bit better than their dog counterparts. Cats only produce 2 million tons of litter in the United States per year, but their litter is mostly not biodegradable and therefore only takes up landfill space (Keith).

The sustainability of owning a pet is once again put to the question when one looks at the impact that their food has on the environment. Dogs require more food per pound than humans do. An 80-lb dog consumes as many calories as a 120-lb woman would (Korn). To supply these calories land is needed to grow the food or raise the animals. Trucks are needed to transport all of it. Factories are needed to change the fresh food into pet food and then pet stores are needed to sell it. In his paper Vale, a New Zealand professor, estimates that the land required to feed all of the dogs and cats in the United states would take up one and a half times the land of New Zealand (Korn). In England somewhere between a quarter and a half of the cats and dogs are obese (Hickman). There is no reason for this, it is simply being wasteful and is not healthy for the pet.

Pampering our pets is another issue that has become more of a problem in the last decade or so. With the increase of gourmet pet foods, pet clothing, grooming and pet toys came an increase in pollution. The packaging that comes with these products is atrocious and many of the products are not even needed. Dog clothing is a waste of resources. Dogs have coats to keep them warm, they do not need clothing to make them “fashionable” and even if ones dog needs more than just their fur to keep them warm, maybe a dog more fit for the climate would have been a better purchase.

Although the best way to solve this sustainability problem would be to eliminate pets from the modern household, it is by no means a reasonable solution. We should be aware of the impact that our pets have on the environment and think twice before breeding more. Look to adopt a pet rather than to buy one from a breeder. Using biodegradable bags to pick up dog poop is a small but easy step towards sustainability (Keith). Sticking to regular kibble instead of gourmet pet food would help the environment, as well as feeding your pet the proper amount of food (Hickman). If you are looking for a healthier food solution for your pet, buying locally and making the food at home is another viable option. Although it is more expensive by buying locally and making it at home one can save a lot of waste carbon dioxide that would have been released in the process of transporting and manufacturing the food someplace else (Hickman). When buying pet toys or other pet products find something that will last. Get a slightly more expensive chew toy so that it lasts longer and you go through less material. Buying pet products that have less or biodegradable packaging is another step to making your pet more sustainable.

As of now a medium sized dog has the twice impact as building a new Toyota Land Cruiser and driving it 6,000 miles a year (Stokes). This is more than some people in third world countries. For example, in Vietnam the ecological imprint of the average citizen is 1.8 hectares, while that of the average British dog is 2.07 hectares (Hickman). This simply goes to show how many resources our pets consume that could be better used in other parts of the world. We can bring change about quite easily though. Buy smart and dispose smart and we will soon find the impact that our pets have on this planet diminished.

EPA. United States. Office of Water. // Managing Pet and Wildlife Waste to Prevent Contamination of Drinking Water //. // Opac.lib.rpi.edu //. 15 Sept. 2005. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. 

Hickman, Leo. "Britain's Problem with Pets: They're Bad for the Planet | Environment | The Guardian." // Guardian.co.uk //. The Guardian, 13 Nov. 2009. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. .

Keith, Christie. "The Environmental Impact of Pets." Editorial. // SF Gate // [San Francisco] 13 Nov. 2007. // Featured Articles From The SFGate //. 13 Nov. 2007. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. .

Keith, Christie. "The Environmental Impact of Pets, Part 2: What You Can Do." // SF Gate //. 21 Aug. 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. .

Korn, Peter. "The Real Poop on Dogs, Pet Owners." // Portland Tribune //. 10 June 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. .

Stokes, Paul. "Pet Dogs as Bad for Planet as Driving 4x4s Book Claims."//The Telegraph// [London] 23 Oct. 2009. // The Telegraph //. 23 Oct. 2009. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. .

Census Bureau. USA. Population Division. // Census Bureau Home Page //. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. .

"U.S. Pet Ownership Statistics." // The Humane Society of the United States //. The Humane Society. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. 