1. Use biodegradable poop bags and save the grocery bags for the recycling bin (or even better carry your groceries in reusable bags made from recycled plastic bottles). Millions of tons of pet waste are produced each year by pets in America alone and a lot of this poop-lution has been fossilized in plastic grocery bags that can take hundreds of years to degrade.

2. Use an eco-safe biodegradable cat litter such as Feline Pine or Yesterday’s News. Besides the impact clay litters have on our environment, most clumping clay litters contain sodium bentonite that may cause serious health problems for your cat.

3. Choose all natural pet food. Many of the foods at supermarkets and national pet store chains contain low-grade animal by products that aren’t fit for human consumption so why would we feed it to our pets? Organic pet food contains quality ingredients that are minimally processed without adding chemicals which is better for the environment and our pets.

4. Buy all natural or recyclable toys for your pet such as Planet Dog’s Orbee-Tuff Glow for Good ball. In addition to being recyclable, Planet Dog donates 100% of the sales from the ball to the Planet Dog Foundation whose mission is to support canine service programs.

5. Our favorite Earth Day tips for pets…buy a recycled pet. Right now, there are 272,808 pets on PetFinder.com that need a forever home. There are over 70,000 puppies and kittens born each day in the United States, so when it’s time to add a new furbaby to your family, please consider adopting from your local shelter or one of the many rescues in the DC area.

What are you and your pet doing to go green this Earth Day? Send us an email and let us know!

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The Arlington Pet Guru is written by Amanda Carlson, a professional dog walker, pet sitter, and pack leader of Amanda’s Pet Care in Arlington, VA. www.amandaspetcare.com