Decrease your pet's carbon paw print with eco-friendly foods, furnishings and more

In a city where it seems like there is a reusable grocery bag on everyone's arm and a recycling bin on every corner, using a plastic bag to clean up your dog's waste, or filling the cat box with non-biodegradable cat litter, just doesn't make sense. You find ways to reduce your own carbon footprint, so why not do the same for your dog's, um, paw print?

One way to clean up your pet's environmental act is to use a natural cat litter like Swheat Scoop, available at Bark Natural Pet Care and Crown Hill Pet Supply in Ballard. Swheat Scoop is made of naturally processed wheat, which neutralizes odors and clumps together for easy scooping -- without chemicals and clay, which have been linked to feline health problems.

You can't compost cat waste or soiled litter, but if you line your litter box with biodegradable pan liners you can use them to dispose of the dry litter that doesn't get scooped out during cleaning. BioBag liners (available online at Amazon) are made of non-genetically modified corn and are 100 percent biodegradable and compostable.

When it comes to disposing of your dog's waste, it doesn't make sense to use plastic bags (which take decades to decompose) to get rid of something that is naturally biodegradable. BioBag and Spike both make corn-based dog waste bags that are compostable and biodegradable. BioBags are available at Goods for the Planet, and Spike's bags are sold at Urban Beast in South Lake Union.

If you're keeping things green on the elimination end (no pun intended), then you should make sure the food going into your pet is eco-friendly too. Darwin's Natural Pet Products delivers freshly prepared dog and cat food directly to homes throughout Seattle. Made from human-quality, organic vegetables and natural, free-range chicken, turkey and buffalo, the food is delivered raw, but can also be cooked.

"We are what we eat, and so are our pets," says Cheryl Gordon, marketing director for the Northwest School of Animal Massage. "Just changing your dog's diet to help keep them lean reduces pet food waste, makes them healthier and reduces their carbon footprint."

Gordon says that if you prefer not to provide your animals with a raw or home-cooked diet, then you should look for the best human-grade dry and wet foods available by reading labels and knowing what is in your dog or cat food.

Local shops like Crown Hill Pet Supply, Petapoluza and Bark Natural Pet Care have a variety of natural and raw products from companies like Karma Organic, Innova and Canidae. Check with your veterinarian to decide on the diet that's best for your pet.

Even while he's sleeping, your furry friend can go green, with Big Shrimpy beds for dogs and Marmalade lounging furniture for cats -- both Seattle-based companies. Big Shrimpy's beds are made of a water-resistant packcloth and have an interior odor- and water-resistant cushion made of recycled fiber.

Marmalade uses a different type of eco-material for its products -- cardboard. Local designer Brandon Bise wanted to create a modern, aesthetically pleasing cat lounger/scratching pad/bed out of renewable resources, and he's done just that with the wave-shaped Cheeky Chaise, the infinity-symbol-shaped Sweet Lounge, and colorful and mountable Wallflower.

Available at Urban Beast, the products are made from recycled cardboard sandwiched between end panels composed of compressed sawdust from scrap lumber. The products last one to two years as a scratching pad, and indefinitely as a bed. Once you're ready to toss them, they are completely recyclable.

For more information about supporting your pet's health in an eco-friendly fashion, visit the NWSAM Web site in September, where you'll find an e-book filled with tips and resources.

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