Recycling is great for the environment, for you, your wallet and even…your dog? That’s right, recycled rubber tires, materials and their byproducts will make your pet happier, healthier, and even bring the two of you closer together. How is all that possible? We’ll show you 4 easy ways.
1. A Tire Sandbox for Fun with Fido
Sandboxes are always fun! You may find your pet enjoys practicing his digging skills, laying in it during cool evenings, or even making it his own glorified litter box. (If Fido does use it as his own personal restroom, make sure you keep the kids away.) To make a simple sandbox with a large tire, find a spot in the yard that offers some shade to prevent sunburns, especially if your pet has a short coat or light skin underneath. An area underneath a large tree is ideal.
Ensure that the ground is level (dirt or grass is fine); if you’re putting the sandbox on dirt, try laying down a thick tarp to keep weeds from coming up in the future. Next, roll a large tire over (make sure it’s cleaned out), lay it out, then dump in your sandbox sand.
2. Fido’s Fur: A Worthy Compost Contribution
Have you always wanted to get started with a compost pile but don’t have the money for an expensive compost tumbler? Use a couple of tires and get your pet involved in the process! Just stack a few big tires directly on top of each other in the backyard, making sure they’re in a spot that is out of the way but not an inconvenient trek from the kitchen. The rubber will create heat during the warmer months, making for great compost year round.
Any time you give your dog a good brushing out, save the fur/hair in a small container (an empty tissue box works well). When the box is full, simply toss the hair into the compost heap. Both pet and human hair is mostly nitrogen, which is an essential component to a great compost pile.
3. A Walk Outdoors with Fido at Your Side
This tip makes sense on multiple levels: utilize pet food and dog care companies that are within walking/biking distance of your home, then head on over with Fido at your side. Spending all day driving all over town to just get your pet’s hair groomed, his nails trimmed and his favorite bag of dog treats from the specialty store is not doing the environment any favors, let alone your impending headache.
You can usually find a strip mall or business centers that act as a ‘hub’ for all the basic errands most people run on weekends. Walking to these places will not only clear your head, but will keep your pet happy, too.
4. A Smooth Ride for Fido on the Open Road
If you own a vehicle, you and your dog should appreciate old tires. Crumb rubber has literally been used to pave the way for drivers for a long time now. Rubberized asphalt highways last longer than their asphalt counterparts. Not only do they provide a smoother ride on the way to the dog park, they even use less paving material than traditional asphalt. Thanks to the technology that allows for recycling of old tires, drivers enjoy less time navigating around cracks and potholes and more time being safe every single day.