With the green movement growing, chances are you have made – or are considering – changes to your lifestyle to help make our environment more sustainable. But have you thought about your dog’s lifestyle?

Is he doing his part to help the environment? There are a number of ways you can reduce your pet’s ecological pawprint. Here are five changes you can make today to help you and your dog go green together.

Dog poop presents a number of challenges for the eco-conscious. When plastic bags are used to pick up dog waste, they are usually sent to landfills, where they remain for hundreds of years. Plastic bags can also injure or kill wildlife. Dog waste that isn’t picked up washes into waterways and groundwater, releasing toxins and contaminants into the water and affecting local habitat.

Fortunately, there are now several solutions to these challenges. Eco-friendly, biodegradable bags are sold at many pet stores and on-line. These bags are often corn-based and can biodegrade. However, they are not always a perfect solution. Because they need exposure to oxygen in order to biodegrade, if the bags are buried too deep underground in a landfill, they won’t be exposed to enough oxygen to break down. Another alternative is to flush dog waste in a toilet, using flushable bags made from polyvinyl alcohol, which dissolve in water. A product called the Skooperbox, which can be purchased on-line, is another alternative. It includes a paper scooper, containers and a carrier, all made from recycled and biodegradable materials.

For the committed environmentalist, there is also the option of composting dog waste at home. Compost systems designed specifically for dog waste, such as the Doggy Dooley®, are small septic tanks that can be installed in backyards. They use enzymes and good bacteria to break down waste, and are advertised as being sanitary, odourless and easy to use. The compost produced from the system cannot be used in gardens that grow edible plants, however, because of the risk of disease.

There are no perfect solutions to the problem of dog poop, but it is possible that dog waste could be routinely used to produce energy to run industry or households one day. A San Francisco waste management company hopes to eventually use a methane digester to harvest energy from dog waste.

“The project offers several benefits,” says Norcal Waste spokesperson Robert Reed. “Not only could you harvest energy, you would reduce [dog droppings] from city parks and dog runs. That will protect public health and reduce the amount of dog droppings that rains carry into the soil, street runoff and waterways.”

Many dog foods and treats on the market now contain natural and organic ingredients. Foods that have not been highly processed have a smaller ecological footprint because less energy has gone into making them. Organic foods are grown or produced without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, making them friendlier to the environment. A variety of natural and pesticide-free grooming products is also available.

A couple of basic principles can be applied when trying to purchase greener products for your pet. Products made closer to home reduce the environmental costs of transportation, and products made from quality, durable materials do not have to be replaced as often.

“Buying local products reduces emissions and fuel consumption from transporting products from manufacturers to consumers,” says Paul Ryu, owner of Timmie Doggie Outfitters, a boutique in Toronto with many eco-conscious customers. “Customers will pay a premium for not just green products, but products that are good for their dogs,” says Ryu.

Eco-friendly products, available on-line and in some pet stores, include collars, leashes and toys made of hemp or organically-grown cotton, dog beds made from recycled plastic soda bottles, and toys made from recycled rubber or recycled fire hose cloth.

Dogs need to let loose and run, but when they’re off leash in a natural area they can have a negative impact on the local habitat of other animals and plants, especially when they chase, stress and sometimes kill wildlife, or when they leave their waste. Obviously, keeping your dog on a leash in environmentally sensitive areas can solve this problem. Fortunately, many cities and towns now have designated and fenced off-leash dog parks that limit the impact dogs have on local environments.

To avoid the manufacturing, processing and transportation that go into bringing most products to consumers, think about what you can provide for your dog from items you already have at home. Can you create a safe dog toy from scrap materials you have at home? How about building your own dog-waste compost system? You can do a quick search of the Internet to find instructions on making your own doggy compost.