Skip to contentEarth-Friendly Tips, Facts & Snacks!
Happy Earth Day! As members of Pet Sustainability Coalition, sustainability plays a huge part in our mission. Sustainability covers a lot of aspects that are important to us, including where our ingredients are coming from, our vendor relationships, and how our treats are packaged.
Sustainability isn’t just recycling and turning off your lights. It’s about understanding resources and using what you have without waste. It’s how you interact with other people. It’s family and neighborhood. It’s the way you conduct your business. Sustainable, eco-friendly business is always a community effort.
What does community look like to a New Englander? In New England, so much depends on proactively preserving our beautiful, healthy oceans. Polkadog values over two decades of local partnerships with neighborhood businesses, the NOAA and the Department of Agriculture, and multi-generational fishing families.
Here are five ways we’re practicing sustainability in our day-to-day:
Locally & responsibly sourced
Because we focus our energy on doing business with local vendors as much as possible, we reduce our need to ship raw materials across the globe.
Fun fact: we get all of the Peanut Butter for our treats from our friends at Teddie in Everett, MA!
1% to ocean clean up
Our Green Monstah bits and bones are some of our most earth-friendly, sustainably-sourced treats to date, and with your help we’ve already sold over 40,000 packaged Green Monstah treats (!!!) We donated a percentage of proceeds to Surfrider for ocean clean up.
Recyclable pouches
All of our pouches are printed locally in MA and are fully recyclable. Our pouches are made from 100% Polyethylene (PE) and are fully recyclable through store drop-off locations (see How2Recycle for participating locations)
Sustainable co-products
There are many parts of a fish that aren’t sold to local restaurants or markets. We take these “co-products” (like fish skins) and turn them into your pup's favorite sustainable snack! That's how our Cod Skins came to life.
Working with like-minded partners
Enter the partnership between Polkadog & Walden Local Meat: sustainable, single-ingredient, locally-sourced, grain-free treats. We slowly dehydrate these hand-selected Walden cuts at our fish pier kitchen into nutritiously delicious treats your dog will adore.
Here are five ways you & your pup can practice sustainability in your day-to-day:
Donate gently used items to your local shelter
Reduce landfill waste by donating gently used blankets, towels, and other pet supplies to your local shelter. One pup’s recyclables are another pup’s treasure!
Go green & garden!
Planting a pet friendly garden with fruits, veggies, herbs, and other pet safe plants is both sustainable and Mother Nature approved. Green beans, carrots, apples (no cores!) and pumpkin are just a few healthy dog treats that Mother Nature has to offer. Complete your pup’s backyard oasis by incorporating other pet safe plants, as they clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and many other air pollutants.
From shedding to bedding
Spring has sprung, and seasonal shedding is making its comeback! Brush your fur child outside, leaving behind their loose fur for the birds. Animal fur makes for a cozy nest for eggs and baby birds. Be mindful of pet fur that is chemically treated through topicals such as shampoos, conditioners, and flea and tick preventatives, as it is not safe.
Bulk up with Bulk Treats
An eco-furiendly way to treat your pup to their favorite snacks is to buy in bulk. It will not only reduce the amount of packaging waste, you’ll order less frequently too, cutting down on the environmental impact of fuel-related carbon dioxide emissions from shipping.
Make the most of your nature walk
Grab your leash and a garbage bag and head to your local park or hiking trail for a nature walk with your pup(s), discarding any trash you find along the way!
What makes our sustainable treats so earth-friendly?
Clams are one of the most sustainable protein sources in the ocean. Low impact and delicious, they're a perfect ocean friendly snack!
The Green Crab and Kelp are what make Green Monstah one of our most sustainable treats. Green Crab is one of the most invasive species in the marine environment and kelp farming provides job opportunities in the face of climate change as well as improves the health of our oceans. Both contribute to restoring balance to natural ecosystems.
The idea of using the whole fish is what makes our Cod Skins a sustainable treat. Additionally, the cod we use to make these crunchy sticks is caught in season by local fishermen on small boats in Alaska.
Happy Earth Day and happy treating!