The Happy Beast - Blog - Sustainability

Natalie Soonthornswad

Protect Wildcat Habitat: Take the 28-Day No Palm Oil Challenge!

28-day no palm oil challenge at The Happy Beast

In learning more about the wild relatives of our domestic cats (check out last month’s blog post, “Raising Awareness for the World’s Small Wildcats”), we discovered just how devastating the palm oil industry can be on the natural habitats of wildcats. This month, we’re taking a 28-day challenge to reduce palm oil consumption in our own lives. We know money talks, and so we’re choosing to discontinue purchasing products that contribute to the deforestation brought on by the palm oil industry.

Why? Palm oil is one of the most widely used vegetable oils in the world due to its versatility, and it’s found in all sorts of products – from foods like cereal, chips, peanut butter to dairy products, soaps, toothpaste, makeup, and laundry detergents (just to name a few.)

It is also one of the most devastating crops to the forests of Southeast Asia where half of the world’s small wildcat species make their home. There are few protections for the environment and wildlife in this part of the world so the palm oil industry faces little push back when it destroys forests and sets up massive operations.

As we explained last month, “because wildcats are apex predators, when we conserve their habitats, we are saving entire ecosystems and helping to preserve biodiversity.” Once you get into the news and research about palm oil, the problem can feel daunting and so we wanted to provide some practical steps that you can take to help.

The organization Say No to Palm Oil’s first recommendation is to take their 28-Day Palm Oil Challenge to identify and eliminate purchasing products that contain palm oil. The challenge is broken into four, 1-week periods, looking at a different category of products each week (pantry, fridge, bathroom products, and laundry products). We’ve already begun our challenge at The Happy Beast and would LOVE to have you join us. We’ve outlined each of the weeks below with products to avoid and healthy alternatives, including homemade recipes and DIY cleaners that are super easy to make and environmentally friendly.


WEEK 1: PANTRY

The FDA requires palm oil to be listed on the ingredient panel of packaged food. Be on the lookout for palm oil in the following items: Shortenings, cookies, crackers, cake mixes, icing, instant noodles, bouillon cubes, biscuits, gluten free breads, and almond and peanut butters.

Homemade Everything Crackers
This recipe is super simple and the crackers are done in about 15 min

Recipe from www.thekitchn.com

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, or a mix of all-purpose and whole grain flours
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp poppy seeds, 1 tsp sea salt


WEEK 2: FRIDGE

Be on the lookout for palm oil in the following items: Ice cream, non-dairy creamers, and margarines. And if you are a vegetarian or vegan and use “meat-free” or “dairy-free” products, it is especially important to read all the ingredients. We tend to assume vegetarian and vegan products are both ethically and environmentally responsible, but there are several dairy-free cheeses and milks that contain palm oil. For instance the popular So Delicious Dairy Free brand has several products that contain palm oil.

Homemade Almond Milk

Making milk seems really intimidating, but it’s actually quite fun and easy. Plus, it excludes thickening agents such as carrageenan, guar gum, and xanthan gum.

Recipe from www.thekitchn.com

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw almonds, preferably organic
  • 2 cups water, plus more for soaking
  • Sweeteners like honey, sugar, agave syrup, or maple syrup, to taste, optional


WEEK 3: BATHROOM

The FDA does not require palm oil to be listed in the ingredients for non-food products, so identifying it in bathroom products is a little tricky. Avoid anything with sodium lauryl sulfate and palmityl alcohol. Check out this list of palm oil synonyms and derivatives from the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University​. Overall, products like mouthwash, toothpaste, lotion, and skin care products can contain palm oil and are quite ubiquitous in our personal care products.

DIY Toothpaste

Recipe from: www.wellnessmama.com

Ingredients

  • About 1/2 cup coconut oil.
  • 2-3 Tablespoons of baking soda.
  • 2 small packets of stevia powder.
  • 15-20 drops of peppermint or cinnamon essential oil (optional)


WEEK 4: LAUNDRY

Household cleaning products frequently use palm oil for their foaming and emulsifying properties. Remember that it’s always important to read the labels, especially for those products promoting themselves as “green” or “natural.” For instance Clorox Greenworks, Method, Seventh Generation, and Simple Green cleaners all contain palm oil derivatives.

DIY Cleaner

Recipe from: www.popsugar.com/smart-living/Homemade-All-Purpose-Cleaner-28495713

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Borax
  • 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide
  • 2 cups hot water
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Touch of Lavender essential oil (optional)
by
Natalie Soonthornswad
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Raising Awareness for the World’s Small Wildcats

I have a deep love for all cats, large and small, domestic and wild. They are fascinating creatures with instincts and physiques built for the hunt. It has been a long term goal of ours at The Happy Beast to support causes that go beyond the reach of our pet food industry. Taking care of our environment and all living creatures is the duty of every person on this planet.

When I recently read, “Out of the Shadows, the Wildcats You’ve Never Seen,”an article in National Geographic, I felt that it was important to take this opportunity to raise awareness for the plight of wildcats around the world and how industries like palm oil farming are threatening their habitats. I wanted to provide some of my additional research on the topic, and share how small, everyday decisions can have far reaching effects on preserving their habitats.

There are 31 known small wildcat species on Earth, which are broken into seven different lineages: the Caracal, Ocelot, Bay Cat, Lynx, Puma, Leopard Cat, and Domestic Cat. Small cats diverged from big cats (lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars) 11.5 million years ago and evolved with a number of unique characteristics. For example, one distinctive trait between big cats and small cats is that big cats roar while small cats purr.

Big cats have a flexible neck bone called a hyoid that allows them to stretch their larynx to roar. Small cats are unable to roar and purr instead because their hyoid bone is hardened. Interestingly, cheetahs and cougars, while large in size, are actually more closely related to small cats and they do not roar like the other big cats.

While small wild cats might have slight physiques in comparison to the big cats, they achieve great feats of strength by using their acute senses and reflexes. They have amazing muscular strength and flexibility and their jaws and claws are built to deliver precise bites that can kill their prey instantaneously.

Small wildcats can be found on five of our seven continents, and 14 of the 31 small wildcat species live in Asia. Unfortunately, this is a part of the world where wildcats are least understood and protected.. It comes as no surprise that the greatest threat is loss of habitat. In Asia, much of the destruction of their habitat is due to forests being converted into palm oil plantations.

Palm oil farming, production, and food products are complex topics, but I was shocked by how much something simple like my daily purchases could affect the health and well being of an entire ecosystem half-way around the world. Palm oil is used in a variety of different products from health and beauty supplies to everyday food products, but it’s also relatively easy to avoid by paying closer attention to labels on the products we buy. In addition, websites like “Say No to Palm Oil” provide a variety of ways to take action to reduce your impact and help make your voice heard.

Because wildcats are apex predators, when we conserve their habitats, we are saving entire ecosystems and helping to preserve biodiversity.

I believe strongly that we all have the ability to make a difference in the world through both small and grand gestures. Often I’ve found that the first step is educating myself. Below are a few additional links with more information to help us raise awareness and make a difference in the conservation of these beautiful animals.

  • Out of the Shadows, the Wildcats You’ve Never Seen – National Geographic photo expose and article that inspired this blog post.
  • Say No To Palm Oil – Resources, tips, and recommendations, including the 28-Day Palm Oil Challenge.
  • Wild Cats of the World by Luke Hunter – highlights the importance of wildcat conservation and how protecting them can be beneficial to us all.
  • Species Conservation Fund – The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund is a philanthropic endowment established to provide targeted grants to individual species conservation initiatives, recognize leaders in the field of species conservation, and elevate the importance of species in the broader conservation debate.
  • Panthera’s Small Cat Action Fund – The Small Cat Action Fund (SCAF) is a grants program established by Panthera intended to support in situ conservation and research activities on the many small cat species.
  • Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University​​ – Outline of Production: Palm Fruit to Product – Great, practical overview and guide on products containing palm oil
by
Natalie Soonthornswad
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Why We Love Local and USA Companies

Shop local at The Happy Beast in Lafayette, CO

USA! USA! USA!

The foundation of our business is based not only on the love we have for animals, but on the love we have for our planet and our local community.

We are fortunate that our community culture strongly encourages people to support local and environmentally-friendly options for everyday needs. In fact, Lafayette is one of the top 50 cities in the nation recognized for its environmental and sustainability efforts. We echo these efforts in our search for brands who share these values and incorporate them into their company mission statements.

Mother Earth Love

The companies that we feel provide the healthiest foods for our animals are also the most environmentally-friendly, sustainable and ethical producers – and most of them hail from the good ol’ US of A.

Local Economy Love

When we support our local economy and buy products made in the US, we increase demand for domestic sourcing and services which requires more local jobs. Local workforces tend to spend more money in their own economy, which further increases demand.

Buying locally made products and choosing to spend money in local businesses benefits our economy by:

  • Creating more jobs
  • Increasing tax revenue
  • Decreasing pollution from imported goods
  • Encourage sustainable practices that support the health, environment, and economy of our local community.
by
Matt LeBeau

PACE Sustainability Certification (Part 2)

Our Journey Toward Greater Sustainability (Part 2) - PACE Certification

Earlier this month, The Happy Beast received sustainability certification in waste, water and energy efficiency through Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE). In partnering with PACE, we’re joining a community of businesses that:

  • Are dedicated to the community in which we live
  • Care about our customers
  • Pursue more sustainable practices to support the health, environment, and economy of our local community.

Our PACE certification in waste diversion and water efficiency demonstrates our high level of environmental performance. PACE’s certification performance criteria are based upon and consistent with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria as well as EnergyStar Building certification. To achieve certification, we demonstrated:

  • Waste Certification: Diversion of at least 70 percent of waste stream away from the landfill. (Our diversion rate is 87%!)
  • Water Certification: Water savings of 20 percent better than usage predicted by current code. (Our savings is 21%!)

We’re making some great strides in sustainability certification and will continue these efforts throughout 2015 and 2016. You can read our Part 1 blog post to see where we started, or check out our progress-to-date below.

The Happy Beast: Steps to PACE Certification
(Audit conducted: May 15, 2015 | Last updated: September 15, 2015)

  • Water: CERTIFIED (Gold)
    • Install low-flow faucet and dog wash sprayers: COMPLETE
    • Install additional drain screens for dog washes: COMPLETE
    • Install water efficient toilet: COMPLETE
    • Install dual-flush toilet conversion kit: Pending
  • Energy: CERTIFIED (Silver) 
    • Update thermostat programming: COMPLETE
    • Use smart power outlet strips: COMPLETE
    • Use sleep mode for all computers: COMPLETE
    • Install Energy Star certified washer and dryer: COMPLETE
    • Upgrade all remaining lighting to LEDs: COMPLETE
    • Install occupancy sensors in bathrooms: Pending
    • Upgrade to energy-efficient water heater: Pending
  • Waste: CERTIFIED (Gold) 
    • Establish composting and recycling, including packaging film plastics: COMPLETE
    • Provide reusable shopping bags and $.10 bag credits (stop by the store to get yours!): COMPLETE
    • Divert over 70% of monthly waste stream (recycling, compost, plastics, and trash): COMPLETE

 

by
Matt LeBeau
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Our Favorite Eco-friendly Pet Products

As part of our ongoing efforts toward greater sustainability, we’re always searching for the best environmentally-friendly pet products. After rigorous product testing (thanks Loki!) and careful consideration, we’re super excited to be expanding our selection of eco-friendly products, including toys made from natural and renewable materials, durable bowls that can be composted, and collars made from recycled water bottles. Read more about some of our favorite brands or stop by the store to check them out for yourself. We’re sure that your pet (and the planet) will thank you.

Throughout August, you can also save 10% off Planet Dog, EarthDog, Aussie Naturals, Lupine and CycleDog!

Toys

  • Beco Pets
    • These guys use natural, recyclable or renewable materials whenever possible. Their rubber toys are biodegradable and made from material that contains rice husks, which is a by-product of rice farming. Beco plush toys are also stuffed with material made from recycled plastic bottles.
  • Planet Dog
    • Planet Dog’s Orbee-Tuff toys are 100% recyclable and made in the USA from 20-100% recycled material. The company uses minimal packaging to reduce waste and emissions from shipping. Since their toys are so durable, they also rarely need to be replaced, which means less waste in landfills.
  • Aussie Naturals
    • This great company reduces their carbon “pawprint” by using natural materials like jute, wool, cotton, coconut fiber, natural gum rubber and leather.
  • CycleDog
    • Another favorite, CycleDog collects used bicycle tires from around the country and re-purposes them into super tough toys that squeak and float. That’s some amazing up-cycling!

Collars

  • LupinePet Eco Collars
    • These stylish collars are made from recycled plastic bottles and are amazingly soft! The collars are machine-washable and durable, but if anything happens to yours, Lupine will replace it for free – no questions asked!
  • Earthdog Hemp Collars
    • Earthdog chose hemp because it requires less water than any other fiber crop and the plants improve soil health and absorb CO2 during photosynthesis. That’s some powerful stuff – kinda like these collars!

Bowls

  • BecoBowl
    • The biodegradable BecoBowl is made from natural bamboo resin, which means that these bowls will stand up to dogs and the dishwasher for years to come. When it comes time to replace your bowl, just toss it in the compost bin instead of the landfill.

Poo Bags

  • Earthrated Poo Bags
    • Dog waste is an environmental hazard, so it’s important for us to clean up after our dogs. This almost always requires plastic bags, so we searched for the most responsible ones. We like Earthrated’s Poo Bags because they contain EPI, a chemical that breaks down plastic in the landfill. If you live in a city that accepts pet waste for compost, try their vegetable starch-based biodegradable bags.
by
Matt LeBeau

Our Journey Toward Greater Sustainability (Part 1) – Making a Pawsitive Impact

We’re excited to announce that we’ve started working with Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE) to conduct a sustainability audit and provide recommendations to help us measure and improve our use of energy and water resources while reducing our overall waste stream. Like all PACE Partner businesses, at The Happy Beast, we’re committed to supporting a strong local economy, implementing environmentally sustainable practices, and demonstrating leadership in our community. We’re extremely proud to have already achieved our water usage certification, but we’re still working toward our energy reduction and waste diversion goals. We’re including a list of the steps we’re taking below, but please let us know if you have any other ideas or suggestions. We want to share these goals and achievements with our customers at every step and we always welcome your feedback.Partners for a Clean Environment | The Happy Beast

If you’d like to to learn more about what sustainability steps you can take for your business or home (and what rebates may be available) please contact PACE or Eco-Cycle for more information.

 

The Happy Beast: Steps to PACE Certification
(Audit conducted on May 15, 2015)

  • Water: CERTIFIED
    • Install low-flow faucet and dog wash sprayers: COMPLETE
    • Install additional drain screens for dog washes: COMPLETE
    • Install water efficient toilet: COMPLETE
    • Install dual-flush toilet conversion kit: Pending
  • Energy: Work-in-Progress
    • Update thermostat programming: COMPLETE
    • Use smart power outlet strips: COMPLETE
    • Use sleep mode for all computers: COMPLETE
    • Install Energy Star certified washer and dryer: COMPLETE
    • Upgrade all remaining lighting to LEDs: Pending
    • Install occupancy sensors in bathrooms: Pending
    • Upgrade to energy-efficient water heater: Pending
  • Waste: Work-in-Progress
    • Establish composting and recycling, including packaging film plastics: COMPLETE
    • Provide reusable shopping bags and $.10 bag credits (stop by the store to get yours!): COMPLETE
    • Track monthly waste stream (recycling, compost, plastics, and trash): Pending
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