Several years ago, I spent time defining my mission, my vision, and my values–for life and for this space. One of my top goals in every category is to live an environmentally-responsible life. I’m certainly not perfect, and I don’t think perfection is ever a realistic goal. That’s why I aim for eco-consciousness: making decisions purposefully with my impact on the environment in mind.
All this includes the pets, too, of course.
As I started researching the zero-waste movement, I quickly realized a couple big things: First, there are a lot of incredible people out there teaching incredible lessons on how to live a more environmentally-responsible life, and I’ve gleaned so much information from YouTube and Instagram zero-waste pros. Second, it’s sort of a judgmental community. Not everyone, of course, but in many places around the web, as you research zero-waste, there’s this feeling like if you can’t do it all, be perfect, keep all your waste for a year in a mason jar, go vegan, upcycle everything, etc. etc. than you’re just not good enough.
I absolutely do not agree with that.
I truly believe every little bit counts. As I researched, I implemented lots of easy changes: I stopped asking for a straw at restaurants, I purchased coconut oil in glass jars instead of plastic, I figured out how to DIY my own cleaning products (for way cheaper, btw, than store-bought… see the end of the post on how to get your hands on some recipes and cleaning hacks…), and so on.
Every little bit counts.
But, as I started to implement small changes for me and the herd, I realized there was a big gap in available info for pet people who are interested in more sustainable pet care. So, I started taking notes and then I realized… I have enough notes for a whole lot of blog posts! And not only that… I have enough notes for a whole ebook!
Earlier this year I teased a project I was working on and, well, it’s here!
I’ve created an ebook called The Zero-Waste Pet, and it’s full of useful, practical info along with a lot of nonjudgmental advice on how to cut down your pet’s “carbon pawprint.”
It’s in the editing stages now, and I plan to launch it officially on Earth Day, April 22.
Leading up to the launch, I’m going to host a 7-day email challenge with one actionable tip per day, culminating with the book launch (and a discount code, obvs, for everyone who’s completed the challenge)!
I’m also creating a ton of freebies to go with the book, like a checklist with daily reminders, DIYs, and a corresponding resource page that’ll have everything you’ve ever wanted to know about eco-friendly pet products, along with my preferred resources.
This project has been a long time in the making, and I seriously can’t wait to release it!
Between now and then–it’s about a month away–I’m wondering a few things from you guys:
- What would be most helpful to you to learn about zero waste and pets?
- Are there any upcycles, DIYs, or recipes you’ve been looking for but just can’t find?
- Do you have any tips or tricks on how you’ve made your pet care more sustainable?
I’d love to learn from you and be able to answer your questions in the comments!
If you’re interested, sign up here to secure your spot in the 7-day challenge and to be the first to know when the book is officially up for sale! Freebie Alert: For signing up, you’ll also get a 9-page ebooklet of pet-safe cleaning tips, tricks, and recipes in your inbox!