OH! Magazine - Australian Version December 2018 | Page 40
( PET HEALTH )
HOW TO REDUCE
YOUR PET’S
ENVIRONMENTAL PAWPRINT
Rufus & Coco shares new research findings from pet owners.
ew research from Australia’s most
awarded pet care brand, Rufus &
Coco has found that nearly half (49 per
cent) of cat owners are worried about
their pet’s environmental impact.
N
Surveying 1,647 cat owners across
Australia and the US Rufus & Coco
discovered that 41 per cent were
concerned about putting leftover or soiled
litter into the rubbish, which ends up in
landfill.
Alarmingly, the most commonly used cat
litters are those most harmful to the
environment. 32 per cent of Australians
and 65 per cent of Americans surveyed
use clay litter each week, and in Australia
paper (26 per cent) and crystal (21 per
cent) litters ran a close second and third.
With an estimated 3.9 million cats in
Australia, each using a minimum of 2kg
of litter per week, our landfills could
receive more than 400 million kgs of kitty
litter waste each year! For non-absorbent
varieties and non-clumping litters, weekly
usage could be as high as 4kg.
The survey also revealed that nearly half
(49 per cent) were unaware that clay and
crystal litters are mined from the earth.
Crystal litter causes more than ten times
the CO 2 emissions of other litters, taking
approximately five tonnes of coal to
produce one tonne of silica gel, making it
one of the worst litter products for our
environment.
40
OH! MAGAZINE ( DECEMBER 2018 )
Clay litter needs to be extracted from
strip mines and disposed of in landfill,
whereas organic waste litters which are
often residue from another organic
product or production process and can be
disposed of in green waste bins.
The strip mining process involves
bulldozing everything at surface level and
removing the topsoil down until the
mineral clay is reached. Environmental
destruction and local wildlife habitat loss
is just one consideration, alongside the
construction energy and fossil fuels used
to transport the clay. Clay is mined across
multiple states in Australia and the USA.
From food production and packaging to
cat litter disposal, our pets have a
significant carbon paw print.
Selecting a high quality litter with proven
absorbency also helps reduce footprint. A
better performing litter will see the cat
using far less on a daily basis – which is a
win for the environment and the pet
parent’s wallet.
‘When I launched Rufus & Coco ten years
ago I was looking for natural alternatives
for pets, but couldn’t find any great
brands in the market, so launched my
own. Today, one of our most successful
and award-winning products is Wee Kitty
– a natural litter made from corn, which
in small amounts can even be flushed
down the toilet, making it one of the most
environmentally-friendly litters available,’
says pet advocate and founder and CEO
of Rufus & Coco, Anneke van den Broek.
‘While nearly half of cat owners expressed
concern about the environmental impact
of their pets, the majority are still buying
the worst products for the environment,
many simply because they aren’t aware of
the impact.’
‘Buying durable toys, swapping out your
cat litter for an organic and biodegradable
alternative, choosing high quality, long-
lasting products, putting a bell on your
cat and keeping them inside at night are
just some of the steps you can take to
reduce your pets’ environmental paw
print.’
For more information visit
www.rufusandcoco.com.au