Pet food bags and their packaging are garbage that no one thinks they have a lot of. As the pet parenting trend grows, the amount of this type of garbage grows as well. That’s when GREEN ROAD comes to revive this garbage!

GREEN ROAD, Garbage makes merit, is a project developed by Assistant Professor Dr.Wetchsawan Lakart, an instructor at the industrial technology department, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University. It was developed to deal with the issue of plastic. Dr.Wetchsawan, also known as Dr.Pow of GREEN ROAD began this program ten years ago. He wanted to impress his children by taking them to the beach for the first time, but when they arrived what they found instead of beauty was trash that was seen to be streaming over the sea.

After he returned from the sea, Dr.Pow knew that he needed to find a solution to cope with the pollution and help save the environment.

Dr.Pow assumed that, because plastics are petrochemical products, like asphalt, they might be used in road building. He put this idea to the test by melting LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) plastic bags, such as cold food bags and plastic carrier bags, and mixing them with asphalt. When used to build roads, the substance enhances road stability by 300% when compared to standard materials. It lowers the annual cost of road maintenance while simultaneously recycling a large amount of plastic garbage.

Dr.Pow expands his recycling technique from GREEN ROAD to other products. For example, cat-shaped bricks and dinosaur-bone benches made from pet food packages, a desk and chair made from bottle caps, and other items made from various types of plastic. This is how Dr.Pow resurrects all the lonely one-time-use plastic trashes.

The difficult part of recycling these plastics is that they require different processing methods. The one and only way to make things easier is to sort plastics appropriately.

For people who want to limit their use of plastics, sorting your waste and sending it to relevant organizations that can process them will be a more effective way to substitute your daily usage of plastics.

GREEN ROAD is funded and supported by many private and public organizations, to deal with plastics correctly. They are in charge of many roads across Thailand. Also, they’ve recycled products and supplies to donate to places like temples, schools, public parks, hospitals, etc.

Everyone can support this project, GREEN ROAD, Garbage makes merit, by sending them your well-sorted plastic waste. So that they can efficiently process and make multiple different products from that garbage, giving them a new life and purpose.

Send your plastic trash to

GREEN ROAD Project,
148/3 Moo 19, Makhuea Chae Subdistrict, Muang District,
Lamphun, Thailand 51000 Tel. 0886843104

For more information, follow the GREEN ROAD project on Facebook Fan Page: GREEN ROAD

Special thanks to GREEN ROAD for all the beautiful pictures!

?? MyFriend, your pet's app. Where pet parents can find all services and content to take better care of their best friends!

References

• https://ngthai.com/sustainability/36508/dr-pao-green-road/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6HqPrRzx-Q&ab_channel=Thinkingradio
• https://www.facebook.com/greenroad.enterprise

Each cat has their own preference when it comes to food, some love fish, some love chicken. Mass market industrial food might not be appetizing sometimes. ? It’s time to make your master happy, cat slaves! ✊✨

These 4 steps are very easy, super organic and nutritious. You can also save it for 3 days (72 hours) after preparation! ? Our recipe includes the essential nutrients that cats need daily; proteins, fibers, good fats, carbs, vitamins and minerals. Now you’re good to go! ?

? Step 1

Choose 3 oz. (85 g.) of protein (Chicken, Meat, Pork, Tuna, Salmon or Egg). Boiled or steamed without seasoning.

? Step 2

Choose 2.9 oz. (80 g.) of carbs (White rice, Brown rice, Oat, Potato or Sweet potato) Boiled or steamed without seasoning.

? Step 3

Choose 1 oz .(28.35 g.) of vitamins and fibers (Broccoli, Carrot or Pumpkin). Boiled or steamed without seasoning.

? Step 4

Add 1 tablespoon of healthy fats (Olive oil, Sesame oil). 

Chop, blend or mash all of these ingredients together to make it easier for your cat to eat ? You can adjust the recipes in accordance to your preference and convenience. Now we have homemade, cooked food with lots of love for your little master! ??

?️ Don’t forget to tag @myfriendyourpetsapp on Instagram when you try the recipe!

?? MyFriend, your pet's app. Where pet parents can find all services and content to take better care of their best friends!

Reference

• https://www.hepper.com/homemade-cat-food/

No one can deny that vegetables and fruits are good for your dog’s digestion, plus it’s a good way to help them lose weight. ? But to make them eat fruits and veggies, that’s not an easy task! Even some of us hoomans are not a fan of veggies, can’t imagine that it’s much different for dogs! ?

Not to worry, we’re here with tips that will help pawrents convince your dogs to eat fruits and veggies. After you’ve followed our tips, your paw friends might prefer green to their favorite meat dish! You can thank us later! ❤️

? Little by little

Our pooch friend is well known for their amazing sense of smell. Even if there is a very tiny change in their meal, they’ll know. To start, introduce fruits and veggies to them in a very small proportion, so they’re ease into it. Start increasing the amount later, slowly, that’s the best way for them to get used to it.

? Give them greens when they’re hungry

Us humans are less picky about food when we’re hungry, right? So are our dogs! You can take the opportunity after they’re awake or after they’re back from walking to cool their hunger down by giving them fruits and vegetables. Ten points to hooman for this match!

? Favorite dish and a plus one

No dog can resist their favorite dish in front of them! Adding cooked veggies in their beloved chicken dish or mixing fruits in with their favorite treats, these are such great strategies! 

? Prepare fruits and vegetables the right way!

Dog’s digestive systems are not as good as ours. Reducing the size of food will make our paw friends’ tummy happier, like blending fruits, mashing, or slicing cooked veggies into small pieces.

Lastly, keep in mind that dogs are omnivores that can have both meat and vegetables but there are some greens that they cannot have. Some vegetables and fruits such as asparagus, onion, mushroom, grapes, and peaches, are toxic or bad for your dog’s digestive system. Always research what to give to your dogs first and consult with the vet for a diet plan. Best of luck! Go Green!

?? MyFriend, your pet's app. Where pet parents can find all services and content to take better care of their best friends!

References

• https://www.petplay.com/blogs/tips/how-to-incorporate-fruits-and-vegetables-into-your-dogs-diet
• https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/fruits-vegetables-dogs-can-and-cant-eat
• https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/what-are-safe-fruits-for-dogs-to-eat

Pet’s health is a BIG DEAL. Not only are they very good at hiding pain, but they also can’t tell us what’s wrong. Many times, we only find out something isn’t right when their symptoms are already getting worse. Especially cats that are really hard to tell if they are in pain or not.

For this reason, PrettyLitter, a tech-startup company, has researched and developed cat litter that can monitor a cat’s health. PrettyLitter product will change its color by chemical components in a cat’s urine, each color tells each risk of diseases.

Normally, PrettyLitter is a white silica crystal. If your cat is healthy, it will be in yellow to an olive shade when absorbed in urine. If your cat has some health issue, it will change to other colors as follows.

• Dark green to blue: There is a high level of Alkaline in the cat’s urine. It means a higher risk of struvite stone formation in the bladder or some bacterial infection.
• Yellow to orange: Your cat’s urine is acidic. It can be a sign of many diseases, such as kidney disease, kidney tubular acidosis, metabolic acidosis, urinary tract infection, and calcium oxalate crystal formation.
• Red: It shows bladder inflammation, stones, cancer, urinary tract infection, and renal hematuria.

You can check your cat’s litter color daily. However, PrettyLitter is not a health report from the vet. It is another tool to track your cat’s health, so you will know when to take your feline friends to the veterinarian.

PrettyLitter is not commercially distributed in Thailand yet, and the best thing to do would be to take your pet for health checkups regularly. ?

Thank you for the pictures from prettylitter.com

Reference

• https://www.prettylitter.com/

☀️ June’s summer air drains energy from you and your pets, right? Let’s celebrate pride month with a cold and refreshing Rainbow Smoothie! ?️‍?? 100% guaranteed that your pets will love it and even you would want to try one!

❤️ Ingredients for the Red layer

• 1 frozen banana
• ½ cup of frozen raspberries
• ½ cup of frozen strawberries
• Water for blending

? Ingredients for the Orange layer

• 1 frozen banana
• ½ cup of frozen peaches
• 1 small orange
• ¼ cup of frozen mango
• Water for blending

? Ingredients for the Yellow layer

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1 cup of frozen pineapple
• Water for blending

? Ingredients for the Green layer

• 1 frozen banana
• A handful of spinach (or more)
• 1 cup of frozen kiwi
• Water for blending

? Ingredients for the Blue layer

• 2 frozen bananas
• A handful of butterfly pea (or more)
• ½  cup of frozen blueberries
• Water for blending

? Ingredients for Purple layer

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup of frozen mixed berries
• Water for blending

*Some dogs or cats may have Lactose intolerance to dairy products. ?? But if your pet doesn’t, you can add Greek yogurt (no sugar added) or low Lactose product, such as goat’s milk, almond milk, or lactose free milk in the smoothie.

? Instructions
Blend each color ingredients until smooth then pour the smoothie into a glass or bowl, one by one. You can make Rainpaw Popsicles by pouring smoothie into popsicle mold, keep it in the freezer for a long time. If you feel like six colors are too much, making one color at a time is also good!

?? MyFriend, your pet's app. Where pet parents can find all services and content to take better care of their best friends!

Reference

• https://thefirstyearblog.com/rainbow-smoothie/

Why would my pet friends need to eat insects?

This may have been your initial thought when you heard about insect-based pet food. It’s not strange to ask! Other than the deep-fried worms and insects in Thailand's night market that we’re used to, these little insects can be nutritious for our pets too.

What are the advantages of feeding insect-based pet food?

In the past few years, food science and technology have developed pet products, using insects as the source of protein. Insects like crickets, mealworms, and black soldier flies will be processed and blended with other nutritional substances to produce pet food or snacks. These insect-based pet foods also allow you and your compawnions to help the environment!

Sustainability

Even though we have an environmental crisis, the traditional pet food industry still needs a massive amount of energy and resources, creating more pollution to this planet. There are also ethical problems with farm animals. Insect-based pet food, on the other hand, can help with these concerns. Insect farming does not require a lot of area or energy. It emits less Methane and Ammonia. The environmental benefit is the number one advantage of insect-based pet food.

Hypoallergenic

Most pets are excited when they see food. But for some reason, dairy meats are one of the most common allergies for pets. In the pet food world, there are many hypoallergenic products to choose from. Insect-based pet food or treats could be great alternatives too!

More than just Proteins

Little insects that were processed to make pet food are full of proteins. They are also high in fat, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins.  The amount of these nutrients varies depending on the type of bug. They are just as healthy as other types of meat.

Giving your pet insect-based pet food would be great for both your pet's health and our planet. Even though there are a few produced or imported brands in Thailand, we believe that our dear pet friends will have more alternatives when it comes to food in the near future!

References

• https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/dec/28/why-feeding-your-pets-insects-could-become-all-the-buzz
• https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/what-insect-based-pet-food

Treats with no tricks! What are the benefits of healthy pet treats? Treats aren’t just meant to be given to your fur babies as rewards for being good, but it should also be beneficial to their health! If fed with the right amount and balanced with usual meals, treats are good for your pet's health and clean their mouths and teeth. This way, your beautiful baby will really be rewarded!

If you’re looking for some treats for your little fur friends, we have not only one, but five Thai-local healthy pet treats for both dogs and cats! Every shop uses human-grade ingredients, no additives or any preservatives.

BOO&KO IG: @boo_and_ko
Pet treats that are high protein, low fat, and low sodium for all pawrents who want to maintain their pet’s weight. Boo&Ko dehydrates ingredients in low heat to retain smell, crunch, and natural taste. They also have cat and dog treats available in more than 100 shops across Thailand!

Nudie Treats IG: @nudietreats
Gluten-free bone-shape baked sticks that dogs favor! They have four flavors to choose from: blueberry banana, coco banana, pumpkin turmeric, and spinach brown rice. They also have little sunbaked fish that your cats will love. Sprinkle it on top of their meal or eat as snacks - it’s good both ways!

HAPPY PAWS IG: @happypawsth
Heart-made treats from dried meat, veggies, and fruits. Various types of cookies that all dogs and cats can enjoy. They also go to pet events regularly and provide other pet supplies too. If you would like to shop for more supplies for your pets, then follow this shop!

bake n' bark IG: @bake.n.bark
Made-to-order homemade treats to guarantee freshness when it gets to your baby’s paw! Their main menu is dried meat with rosemary and dried toppings sprinkled on top to increase cravings and nutrition. They also have doggy cereals in adorable packages that look exactly like the human ones! Now is a good time to make a human error and pick up the wrong box for your pets!

kitazawa IG: @kitazawa_store
Japanese minimalism-style treats that are full of benefits. Not only do they have crunchy dried fish snacks for cats, but they also sell several flavors of kibble toppings that can increase appetite, cleaning products, and hair spray. Shop for all in one place!
 

While we hoomans have many diet choices according to each individuals' lifestyle pets also now have many choices as well! These diets are cultivated for our paw friends’ good health and/or to fit the lifestyle of their pet pawrents, those of whom are the ones choosing what they think is right for their babies.

One of these popular diets is the Raw-Meat Diet Pet Food, also known as “B.A.R.F.” (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) in Thailand. Due to the increasing popularity, many small business owners are making and distributing B.A.R.F. from their backyard. People believe that non-processed, natural raw food is more beneficial to the health of their pets. They believe that it helps with the digestive system, weight control, odor issues, and provides a healthier coat and skin. If you are cooking it by yourself, you will be able to control the nutrition and ingredients.

However, there are several research pieces that prove that feeding B.A.R.F. to pets has potential risks to the pets themselves as well as to hoomans.

In 2018, Paul Overgaauw, veterinarian and visiting researcher at Utrecht University, Netherlands, reported that feeding a raw-meat diet to pets is risky to the pets themselves, but even riskier to the human bodies because pets can be carriers of pathogens, and that can cause diseases in humans.

B.A.R.F.’s production process could contain cross-contamination in the ingredients and containers during food preparations as well as in the cleaning process. By examining 35 frozen pet foods from 8 brands in the Netherlands, researchers found that in 14 out of 35 products examined (40% of all products), there are high levels of  E. coli, more than what humans can consume. This causes diarrhea. There are also Listeria and Salmonella, bacteria that have been causing illnesses in the human body for a long time. In addition to this, there are Sarcocystis cruzi which are protozoa that are harmful to farm animals, and also Toxoplasma gondii, parasites that might cause illness in cats and humans.

The standard of meat production process, as well as the slaughterhouse in Thailand, is not as good as the European one. Most brands produce homemade B.A.R.F, in Thai tropical weather. They are not audited by the Department of Livestock Development of Thailand. So, there are high chances of your pets getting infected from contamination. Also, some of these B.A.R.F aren't even healthy in terms of the combination of nutrients. Selecting good pet food should be considered based on sanitary, safety, and complete nutrition. ?

References
https://time.com/5101066/raw-meat-pet-dangers/
https://www.baanlaesuan.com/174622/pets/food/bone-and-raw-food
https://rawznaturalpetfood.com/barf-diet-for-dogs/