Janice Brown

Founder and Editorial Director

Due to the nature of my job, I’m surrounded by animal lovers on a daily basis. But in my other social circle, I do encounter the occasional human who thinks that furry, four-legged “beasts” belong in the wild, not lounging on the living room sofa and certainly not curled up in our beds.

That is a foreign concept to me. We animal people are so in love with our pets that it’s as if we cannot see the dog hair decorating our clothes, smell the pee-soaked carpeting, or hear the incessant barking.

It made me start really thinking about some of the other differences between the two points of view.

In my opinion, there are lots of reasons why people who love animals are cool. We are caring. We are patient. We are playful. We can go with the flow. We live to love and be loved. And we are compassionate.

Having recently been at the Global Pet Expo in San Diego and walked the floor among all the amazing products, it is very clear that the pet industry has made the connection that people who love animals also care about the environment. Products such as holistic food, organic treats, all-natural grooming products, recycled toys and bedding, biodegradable poop bags, and even environmentally friendly cat litter were in abundance. It was truly exciting to see so many businesses committed to not only high-quality products, but also focusing on giving back to the planet.

For me, using green products is only one of the ways I can do my part. The most impactful earth-friendly choice I made was actually a matter of life and death; it was the act of rescuing all of our pets. I believe that giving an animal a second chance is an act of love, kindness, and respect. It sends the message that this animal’s life is worth something and that it is not OK to simply “dispose” of her, like we do with other items when they no longer serve us. It is the humane, compassionate, and generous thing to do.

My motto for this year’s green issue: Recycled pets rule.

Jason A. Heidemann

Executive Editor

I live across the street from a Whole Foods Market. As you can imagine, I’ve become an addict. How could I not? When you live so close to a supermarket that you can literally see its produce from your living room window, it makes it pretty much impossible to shop anywhere else.

As many of us know, Whole Foods has a solid track record when it comes to eco-friendliness. It supports local growers whenever possible, stocks cage-free eggs, uses biodegradable containers in its hot and cold food bars, and beginning April 22—Earth Day—will phase out its plastic grocery bags. Yes, it’s expensive to shop at Whole Foods (I may as well have my paychecks redirected to its accounts), but it does keep me mindful of ways in which I can make better choices. But this grocery chain is not the only one inspiring me to make a difference.

What we discovered while putting together our second annual green issue is that lots of pet-friendly businesses have made substantial efforts to “go green.” For example, we discovered a pet bakery in Indianapolis that has switched to using energy-saving light bulbs, a pet shop in New York that was constructed entirely free of urea-formaldehyde plywood and with bamboo flooring, and a pet-bed manufacturer in Denver that uses recycled stuffing made from plastic bottles.

I thought this was all pretty inspiring, and it made me wonder: Is it possible that people who have pets have a greater awareness of and compassion for our planet than those who don’t? At the risk of overreaching, I’m going to suggest that when you nurture relationships with animals—who are by nature good environmental ambassadors—you can’t help but better connect with your surroundings.

There are many ways you can acknowledge Earth Day. You can plant a tree, ride your bike, or recycle your copy of this magazine (or perhaps all three!). Just don’t forget to hug your pets; they are reason enough to continue investing in our planet.

Happy Earth Day—