If you think you're going to cut your pup's hair anytime soon, it turns out there is more you can do besides just throwing it out. You can donate it to organizations that use hair to clean up oil! There are many other ways to help the earth too, if you do your research.

It is estimated that a 20 pound dog will leave a carbon “paw print” spanning 2.1 acres, which is twice as large as a someone that drives an SUV. So how does an eco-friendly owner go about reducing this giant paw print?

Store bought versus home made
Before tearing open that bag of dog food or taunting the dog with his favorite treats, think about sustainability. Are these packages able to be recycled?

Energy by any other name may not smell as sweet
The waste is scooped and ready for disposal, but instead of throwing it into the garbage, the owner tosses it into something called a Methane Digester. To learn more about this growing concept check out the Park Spark project

A blown winter coat could help the environment
All dogs shed. Brushing the dog will produce a couple bags worth of fur. Don’t throw all that fur away; donate to an environmental cause! Excess Access will gladly take the fur. It’s used for cleaning oils spills in bodies of water.

So besides these tips from I Heart Dogs, what other ways you can you and your doggy help the environment? Even though dogs are not benefiting our green earth, either are people!

Think of creative ways to recycle things that not only you're using but Fido uses daily too. And don't forget to make some healthy homemade treats for him. He'll love it!