Pet Bloggers Announce 2016 Zero Waste Project Results
Do you recycle? As pet bloggers or social media enthusiasts in general, is there anything you consciously do in the course of your day to recycle, upcycle, or otherwise cut down on the waste created in your household?
Imagine then, the massive undertaking it might take to significantly reduce the amount of waste produced at BlogPaws yearly Conference. BlogPaws, Only Natural Pet, and the Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) recently embarked on their second zero waste initiative during the BlogPaws Pet Blogger and Social Media Conference held in Chandler, Arizona, for three days in June.
Looking Back and Moving Ahead
In 2015, PSC, Only Natural Pet, and BlogPaws aimed for an environmental goal to divert 65 percent of event waste from going to the landfill. Results were outstanding, creating a waste reduction achievement of 78 percent! Impacts of this effort are likened to saving the amount of carbon dioxide released by driving 1,800 miles, or the same amount of energy generated by a hamster running on a wheel for over 3,000 years!
By the numbers, the 2015 partnership reduced waste by diverting:
- 1,320 pounds of recycling.
- 380 pounds of compost.
- 62 percent reduction of paper for conference schedules.
In 2016, could the bar be upped even higher for even more of a reduction in waste? The results are record breaking!
Combined efforts at the BlogPaws Conference focused on achieving as close to a “zero-waste” event as possible, one that reduced the environmental footprint of the conference by diverting waste from the landfill, and by educating conference participants about waste issues related to the pet industry.
Caitlyn Bolton, Executive Director, Pet Sustainability Coalition reports that this year at the BlogPaws Conference, we hit a 95 percent diversion rate. She also says we collected much more of the waste than we were able to last year — about 3 times more!
This news is so huge, and here’s why.
Talking Trash is Suddenly Sexy
Talking trash not always sexy, but the PSC, ONP, and BlogPaws have brought sexy back. Of particular note are the compost results. By collecting the kitchen organics and coordinating with event staff to capture all the leftover food, five times more compost was collected over 2015 and twice as much recycling at the Sheraton Grand Wild Horse Pass.
When we asked attendees how important our zero waste efforts were last year, 75% said that they were important or very important to them.
Here’s what Only Natural Pet’s Jay Pusey has to say about the going green initiative and why it rocks:
Reducing Waste in Your Own Household
In a blog post for BlogPaws, Nose-to-Nose finalist for 2016, Jessica Williams, shared, “I challenge all of you to think more about your pet and the one little change you can make to reduce the impact they have on the environment. What is one thing you could commit to between now and the BlogPaws conference in May?”
Be sure to read her post on how Pet Owners Can Be More Environmentally Friendly.
Also you, can:
- Check out your pet’s bedding and toys: Steer clear of plastic and synthetic products. Instead look for products containing natural fibers such as organic cotton or hemp as well as products made from recycled goods.
- Clean Up Pet Waste: Leaving pet waste on the ground increases public health risks by allowing harmful bacteria and nutrients to wash into the storm drain and eventually into local waterbodies.
- Reusable Water Bowls: When traveling or just for a jaunt around the neighborhood, I carry a collapsable water bowl for my dog.
- Switch from store-bought chemical cleaners to allergy-friendly, non-toxic substitutes: If your pet has environmental allergies, those can be triggered even indoors by the allergens you and your pet bring inside.
The entire Only Natural Pet Team was excited to be involved with the 2016 BlogPaws Conference for the second consecutive year and already looking forward to 2017 in Myrtle Beach. Early bird tickets for BlogPaws 2017 are on sale now.
BlogPaws hosts a yearly pet-welcoming conference featuring largest professional network of pet bloggers and social media influencers online.
The Pet Sustainability Coalition strives to be the leading organization for sustainable advancement in the pet industry. They promote creative collaboration throughout the pet industry that prioritizes business minded solutions for sincere environmental improvement. Learn more here about Pet Sustainability Coalition.
How do you help reduce human and pet carbon pawprints?
