Mar 15, 2007

A Pet Cause Celebre; The Eco-Faithful Lap Up Green Items for Dogs, Cats, FishBy Jura KonciusWashington Post

Pet Essentials opened eight years ago in a small space on 14th Street NW, with the pledge to sell only natural and holistic products for the dogs, cats, ferrets and tropical fish of the U Street corridor: fewer chemicals, no dyes, no animal testing. At first business was tough, because it was hard to find a lot of environmentally friendly or certified organic products, and prices were significantly higher.

Little did the owner know that the green tide of ecological awareness and sustainable living would come sloshing into the world of pets, creating a national hunger for corncob-based cat litter and paw-friendly biodegradable ice melters.

These days, regular customers include officers from the D.C. Police Canine Patrol unit who stop by and spend their own money to get their dogs additive-free food. D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) picks up veggie chews for his dogs Roger, Dodger and Guapo. “They have never eaten meat in their whole lives,” Graham said. “They are about as green as you can be for white Westies.”

Next month, a new sign is going up, changing the name of the store from Pet Essentials to GreenPets. Owner Linda Welch plans to open six new GreenPets in the Washington area in the next 18 months. “There has been a huge upsurge in the market,” said Welch, who also has an online business, GreenPets.com. “My customers understand that if they feed their pets healthier, they will live longer.”

Green is one of the hottest buzzwords in business today. Industry estimates of the total spent on environmentally conscious goods and services in the United States are upward of $209 billion. Manufacturers are racing to slap green labels on every conceivable product, whether floor cleaners, cars, foods or fleece jackets. (Figuring out all the greenspeak and eco-certifications can be confusing, so beware of dubious claims.) With high-profile spokesmen such as Al Gore and no end to high energy prices, a saving-the-earth designation is as much a part of a purchasing decision as color and price.

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