apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

How about starting with the pet itself? With millions of cats and dogs every year being put down for no other reason than there aren't enough homes for them, the best thing you can do is adopt from your local shelter.

Why waste money on an expensive thoroughbred puppy when you can SAVE A LIFE? I'll never understand it. (Not to mention the deplorable, environmentally destructive habits of pet store puppy breeders!)

Homeless animal adoption is the #1 eco-conscious rule in action: take something unwanted and breathe new life into it instead of throwing it away.

Also, less passionate answer: in my house (with three dogs), we use old pillows and old towels for bedding. (No expensive pet beds.)

We use old towels, too, to cover the back seat when we're going int he car. (No expensive "car seat covers").

We use an old 4 quart pot with a broken handle for a communal water dish, and second-hand stainless steel bowls for food dishes (No expensive pet food dishes, no dangerous plastic pet food dishes.)

Toys are tennis balls for the boys and a twenty-five cent stuffed animal for the the one girl.

We buy food in bulk and put it in a second-hand storage container (any smaller garbage can with a lid will work, too). I'm thinking about switching to cooking for them, though.

Hemp harnesses and leashes all around, from Earth Dog.

The local butcher will give you discarded pieces of whatever for treats.