Eco-friendly pet firm Beco is asking Britain’s 10 million dog owners to join it in helping to protect the planet.
It says that during the covid-19 lockdown, air quality improved, pollution eased and people began to appreciate green spaces – but threats from global warming and plastic pollution continue.
Now it has come up with a ‘5-Step Green Guide’ to help the environment and also promote the UK’s ‘green’ economy, which has been valued by the Office for National Statistics at £40m.
The steps are:
Step 1: ‘Wage war on plastic waste’
Every year eight million tons of plastic end up in the ocean. Beco says that last year alone, the company’s worldwide dog-toy sales used recycled, shredded plastic from 1.7 million plastic bottles that might otherwise have ended up in the seas and it’s urging consumers to cut down on single-use plastic as much as possible.
Step 2: ‘Care about poop’
British dogs produce more than 1,000 tonnes of poop every day, causing owners, local councils and parks major disposal challenges. Beco poop bags are degradable or home compostable and packaged in recycled cardboard. Beco asks British dog owners to dispose of poop responsibly.
Step 3: ‘Investigate ingredients’
People care about food sourcing and quality ingredients for family meals, and Beco believes dogs deserve the same. Beco’s dry and new wet dog food contains only certified ethical and sustainable ingredients that support the environment.
Step 4: ‘Enjoy more exercise’
While observing social distancing, walking daily with your dog helps them stay fit and healthy and also boosts your own mental and physical wellbeing after lockdown.
Step 5: ‘Prioritise packaging’
The UK produces more than 170m tons of waste a year, much of it food packaging. Beco makes its packaging out of materials such as recycled cardboard and PLA, a biodegradable plastic from plant-based renewables. It is urging consumers to prioritise environmentally friendly packaging and hopes fellow manufacturers also take note.
Beco founder and MD George Bramble said: “We’ve devoted the past 10 years to creating the most sustainable products known to dogs. Now, there are many growing existential threats to our environment, it’s time to care for our planet just as much as we do our dogs.”
