Thursday, December 20, 2007

Sit! Stay! Save the Planet!

I was in Harris Teeter tonight and saw these:

Newman's Own Organic Dog Treats and Lassie Natural Way Jerky Strips. So which treats endorsed by a washed up actor would your dog prefer?

I shouldn't make fun of them too much. While I don't know how many health benefits there could be in avoiding the buildup of pesticides and other chemicals in a relatively short-lived animal like a dog, there are definitely environmental benefits to be had.

The
sheer volume of pet food produced in the U.S. each year is staggering:
In the U.S. about 300 manufacturers produce more than 7 million tons of pet food each year, one of the largest categories of any packaged food. Pet owners can choose from more than 3,000 different pet food products, including the dry, canned, and semi-moist types, as well as snacks such as biscuits, kibbles, and treats. In the 1990s, this $8-billion industry feeds America's 52 million dogs and 63 million cats.
Organic pet food may seem frivolous at first glance. But wouldn't producing that 7 million tons of food organically without chemicals or pesticides help the environment just as much as organic human food?

3 comments:

  1. Hey man, you got a good shout out on the front page of Daily Kos, http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/12/21/225746/70/710/425415, just saw that, cool stuff!

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  2. You should check out people's bona fides before you trash them with snark like "washed up actors." If you had done so perhaps you wouldn't seem so ignorant right now.

    Paul Newman is an Academy Award winner who has starred in huge blockbusters and a string of hits spanning several decades. He chooses not to act these days. Besides being one of America's greatest living artists, Paul Newman is a philanthropic hero.

    Paul Newman and the Newman’s Own Foundation donate all profits and royalties after taxes for educational and charitable purposes. Paul Newman and the Newman’s Own Foundation have given over $200 million to thousands of charities worldwide since l982. The Newman's Own Foundation makes grants to charities within the United States and abroad.

    In addition to the hundreds of millions he has selflessly raised, Paul Newman has been an environmentalist for decades and has long supported the work of his friend Robert Redford.

    There's nothing green or sustainable about taking dumbass shots at people who have accomplished tremendous deeds and given back more than most people ever dream of.

    It makes you seem like a small timer and a loser, and someone not worth listening to.

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  3. Allow me to respond to your 197 words with just six:

    It was a joke. Lighten up.

    ReplyDelete