The environmental impact of our furry family members is bigger than you might think. There are over 500 million pet cats and dogs in the world which are responsible for eating an estimated 20 percent of the world’s fish and meat – that equates to nearly 64 million tons of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere annually.
With that being said, could insect-based pet food be the answer?
In a first for the UK, pet food brand Yora is now offering what it claims to be “the world’s most sustainable pet food” which uses grubs as its primary protein source. The insects are raised on a special mix of clean recycled vegetable waste that would otherwise go uneaten, and they’re incredibly quick and efficient at converting this food into useful fats, proteins, and minerals.
The company also claims that these grubs need just 2 percent of the land and 4 percent of the water to produce each kilogram of protein, meaning they generate 96 percent fewer greenhouse emissions than farmed meat or fish. Perhaps now, with such sustainable alternatives to pet food, owners can make more informed, ethical decisions when it comes to the well-being of their animal companions and that of our planet.
This story was one of the best from 2019, and we are happy to include it in our “12 Days of Optimism” as we welcome in the new year! (edited for january stories)
