Can Walking Dogs Help the Planet?
Image via: Monster Minders
When you work at Monster Minders it can. Besides cleaning up garbage (poop), getting physical exercise, and making a little Vitamin D from all the sun exposure, leaving your pooch with Monster Minders allows you one more opportunity to help the planet without doing any work.
Image via: Monster Minders
Husband and wife duo, Carrie and Lindsay Maria, both environmentalists in previous jobs, quit to open a dog walking business. Seems simple enough - plenty of people do the same sort of thing to get out of the rat race, set their own schedule, get their life back, etc. But walking dogs wasn't good enough for these two, who both wanted to encourage customers to do just one more thing to help the planet.
So they brought a little energy into the business deal. Wind energy. For customers that agree to purchase wind energy through PECO (Philadelphia's Electric Company), they get discounts on their dog walking service and Monster Minders will match the same donation to Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). The Maria's called this program their Wind Energy Challenge and over the last year clients collectively saved over 50,000 lbs of carbon dioxide emissions by joining the program. For customers on the fence about joining a green energy program, or for those completely unaware that something like this exists, the Wind Energy Challenge gives people an extra incentive to give it a try.
Just because customers are choosing to go green, is Monster Minders doing anything to green its business? Actually yes, all materials are printed on recycled paper, and most workers take bikes or scooters to client's homes, if they don't walk there. If you're in the Philadelphia area, you can find out more about Monster Minders online and even if you're not a pet owner, you can still join their challenge online at :Monster Minders
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