Wondering how to celebrate the planet with your pet this Earth Day? Get prepared with these 10 ideas on how you and your pet can go green this month! Whether you already live an eco-friendly lifestyle or want to start being more eco-conscious, this is a great way to help our planet, one paw at a time.
Start By Going Organic with Your Pet’s Food
There are tons of reasons why choosing organic food for you and your pet is great for the environment. Here are just a few1:
- Organic food avoids synthetic chemicals, such as artificial fertilizers and pesticides, which harms the soil and underground water
- Helps preserve wildlife by keeping toxic chemicals out of the environment animals live in
- Fights against global warming because organic food encourages local distribution, resulting in less transportation, and therefore reducing carbon dioxide emissions
At Healthy Spot, we pride ourselves in carrying sustainable, organic food choices for your furry friend. Pure Dog Food is a wholesome and tasty brand your BFF will look forward to chowing down. This dog food is handmade with love in Los Angeles and proudly uses all-natural and organic ingredients. It’s gently cooked in small batches and fully balanced by a veterinary nutritionist, so you know your pet is receiving honest and clean nutrition without damaging the earth.
For cats, we recommend giving Smallbatch a try. This food comes from a family-owned company based in the Bay Area that is sustainably sourced with organic herbs and vegetables, hormone and antibiotic free meats and only pure supplements like organic kelp and bee pollen. They offer freeze-dried raw and frozen raw recipes where all the ingredients are free-range, pasture-raised and free of hormones and antibiotics to keep kitties healthy, their fur shiny and their personality full of life!
Always Use A Reusable Tote Bag
Did you know that California was the first state to ban single-use plastic checkout bags?2 Instead of asking for another disposable item, such as a paper bag that also produces a lot of waste, invest in a reusable tote bag! Reusable tote bags are usually made from canvas, woven synthetic fibers, or a thicker plastic that allows for countless uses. Many sustainable retailers, such as Healthy Spot, offer tote bags to encourage their shoppers to ditch the plastic and shop consciously.
This April, we are offering a perfectly designed Earth Day themed tote bag to show off your love for the earth and your pet. You can receive it for free with any $75 purchase at any Healthy Spot location. The best part? Bring it back between Sunday, 4/21 through Monday, 4/22 to get 10% off anything you can fit inside of it. Go green with Healthy Spot!
*Promotions valid in store for Healthy Rewards Members only. Limit one Healthy Spot tote bag per customer with a $75 or more pre-tax purchase. 10% off discount valid Sunday, April 21, 2019, through Monday, April 22, 2019, on a single transaction that includes items that fit inside the Healthy Spot tote bag.
Keep Your Cat Inside
How do cats that hang out in our backyards affect the environment? As cat moms and dads know, our little whiskered friends love to hunt small prey. If they see a small bird or rodent, they will most likely make it their next meal or bring it home to proudly show off what they did during their outdoor adventure.
Unfortunately, there is a clear link between cats and the decreasing bird population3. This is affecting the natural balance within the ecosystem which can ultimately cause the domination of a species over the other. To prevent this from happening, here are a few tips to reduce the impact of your kitty’s carbon pawprint:
- If your cat loves the outdoors, take them out only when birds and other prey species are the least active, such as the afternoon. The little critters that cats are most drawn to are very active in the early mornings and evenings, so keep them inside at that time
- Provide a screened porch, or “catio”, so they can experience the outside world in a controlled and safe environment
- Add a cat condo, also known as a cat tree, to your cat’s favorite room. This provides more play and climbing opportunities they would enjoy in the outdoors
- Keep them stimulated with play! Try out different style toys to keep them excited in the comfort of your home
- Bring the outdoors in by planting cat grass in a few pots so they can graze like they would outside
At Healthy Spot, we carry tons of goodies to keep your pet mentally stimulated and happy in the safety of your home. Visit us today and speak to our team members, who are also known as cat experts!
Pets love DIY Toys
Have an old t-shirt or towel hanging around the house? Instead of throwing it out, reduce waste by creating a toy for your dog or cat! Your pet will especially love it since these items are familiar to them because of your scent. Check out how to make a fun, engaging toy with any shirt by clicking HERE.
Recycle Your Pet’s Water
Did you know that each American uses an average of 88 gallons of water a day at home?4 This is excluding pet owners who need to constantly keep their pet hydrated and clean. Rather than throwing out your pet’s untouched water down the drain, give your house plants life with it! This is an easy habit to implement, especially since the water is already in a bowl you can simply pour over your greenery.
Shop Local
How does shopping at a locally owned business help the environment? To start off, they require less fuel consumption and air pollution to keep shelves stocked compared to larger chain businesses.
Healthy Spot currently has 15 locations in the Los Angeles region and 1 opening in San Francisco this spring. As much as we want to inspire healthy pet lifestyles all over the world, we are aware of the carbon footprint this may have. To reduce it as much as possible, we’ve chosen to place our stores in larger neighborhoods to encourage walking while also being near mass transit to reduce driving needs. Being part of a neighborhood brings us pride and joy since we also get to see familiar faces, both human and furry! Finally, this also gives us the opportunity to support community groups, such as our Rescue Spot Round-Up partners, and other non-profits and events. Being part of a community is integral to us and part of our mission here at Healthy Spot.
Visit us at any location and you’ll probably see many brands you won’t find in larger chained businesses. We make it a priority to support sustainably sourced brands that create their goodies with the help of local farms, artists and producers. Here are a few brands we carry in store that are all handmade in Southern California:
- BTW Ceramics – Porcelain food and water bowls made in Los Angeles, where no two pieces are identical
- Beast & Babe – Collars and leashes made in Venice created with craft limited run collections using vintage or artisan fabrics to reduce waste and support ethical craftsmanship
- Honey Paws Studio – Apparel and accessories created by founder, Rachel, in Los Angeles
- Trax-Ties – Bow ties and bandanas individually handcrafted in West Hollywood
The next time you visit your local Healthy Spot, ask about any of these brands and shop small and local today!
Go Natural with Your Pet’s Grooming
Like in grooming products for humans, many pet shampoos and conditioners are filled with unnecessary chemicals. Want to go a more natural route? Our Signature Spa Collection includes 3 shampoos and a conditioning spray that are eco-friendly, completely vegan, non-toxic and free of any chemicals or preservatives. This entire collection is used in our Grooming Salons at all our locations, so pet parents can feel reassured their fur babies are getting squeaky clean while helping the environment by supporting non-toxic products that don’t have a negative effect on the environment.
Interested in our grooming services? Call your local spot to book an appointment!
Recycle Your Pet’s Fur
Spring cleaning is here! When you start cleaning your home, you are going to realize how much fur your dog or cat leaves behind on the floor, the couch and pretty much everywhere else. Instead of collecting it and simply throwing it away, here are a few ways you can recycle your pet’s fur:
- Add it to your garden or potted plants! Like hair, fur is full of nitrogen that helps plants and flowers grow
- Toss it outside where you know birds like to hang out. Birds will scoop it up to build their nests and keep them warm in the colder weather
- There are some non-profit organizations like Matter of Trust that accept fur to help clean up oil spills
Which one would you try?
Donate Your Pet’s Food, Beds, Blankets and more
Did you know pet food kibble is still edible 6 months after its expiration date? If you’re not comfortable feeding your furry friend this, donate it instead! Whether it’s close to its expiration date or has recently passed it, drop it off at your local animal shelter and help feed hungry pets as they wait for their furever homes!
Have gently-used blankets, beds and towels your pup doesn’t use anymore? Help a pet while giving these items a new purpose by dropping them off at any of the following Healthy Spot locations:
- Santa Monica,
- West Hollywood
- Marina del Rey
- Studio City
- Topanga
- Long Beach
All items donated go to the wonderful rescue organization, Operation Blankets of Love. They are known as one of the first groups to send supplies for disaster reliefs and recently helped displaced animals from Hurricane Harvey, the earthquakes in Mexico, and the fires in Northern and Southern California. Make a difference by donating today!
Go Big or Go Home!
Save time and the earth at the same time by bulking up! The next time you are at the grocery store or at Healthy Spot, check out items that come in a bigger quantity. Instead of buying that small bag of ZIWI your pet loves so much, buy the biggest bag available. This helps you skip the second monthly trip, ultimately helping reduce emissions as well as saving you time to cuddle your pet!
It’s time for change – start with the way your pet affects the environment. For Earth Day 2019, go green with these 10 small and easy changes and help protect the planet today.
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