Pet Sustainability Coalition Rallies Pet Industry for Earth Day: APPA and NAVC Team up to Amplify Earth-Friendly Impact

Starting on April 1, 2023, the Pet Sustainability Coalition will build upon the outstanding success of the first Earth Day Rally in 2022, returning for its second annual 30-day sprint to inspire 10,000-plus actions that lead to a better future for pets, people and the planet. With zero cost to participate, PSC will empower thousands of pet industry professionals to complete dozens of micro-actions that spread a united message of care and corporate responsibility.

The 2023 Earth Day Rally continues the multi-stakeholder engagement with support from its nonprofit partners Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA), IndiePet, American Pet Products Association (APPA), World Pet Association (WPA), Pet Food Institute (PFI) and the National Animal Veterinary Council (NAVC).

“Programs like the Earth Day Rally move everyone a step further on their journey toward a sustainable business model and lifestyle while also breaking down competition and tapping into our networks to inspire our largest group ever to take action,” said Caitlyn Dudas, Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Pet Sustainability Coalition.

APPA and the NAVC are amplifying their campaign support through a Matching Gift campaign by donating $1  for every completed action. The money raised from these Matching Gift Donors will be an unrestricted gift to PSC’s 10th Anniversary Fund. Because of this powerful support, the inspirational actions taken by the participants will translate into a healthier planet all year round by supporting PSC’s industry leading programming.

“APPA is extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work alongside the Pet Sustainability Coalition and other industry peers to elevate and enhance the pet care community’s commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly practices,” said APPA President and CEO Peter Scott. “At APPA, we feel it is our responsibility to be globally minded. It is serendipitous that this program is returning at a time when APPA and PIDA launched multiple sustainability measures during Global Pet Expo 2023 – from reducing waste to composting and more – that we will aim to grow each subsequent year. We look forward to seeing all that we will achieve together through these initiatives and during this year’s Earth Day Rally.”

PSC’s first Earth Day Rally in 2022 had more than 600 participants from the pet industry who came together and completed a total of 12,034 actions, far exceeding the original of 10,000. The Pet Sustainability Coalition member network is a force to be reckoned with, posting double-digit growth year after year through its highly engaged community of action-oriented sustainability professionals.

“The second annual Pet Sustainability Coalition Earth Day Rally is an exciting opportunity for the pet industry to build on last year’s extraordinary results and use its collective energy as a force for good. As the participating company’s employees engage in the challenge, they will become more aware of the many ways, big and small, that people can take meaningful action to combat climate change,” Stephanie Volo, Chief Impact Officer, Earth Animal.

Mobilizing the industry to take action this Earth Day at zero-cost for all participants is made possible by the generous sponsorships of Earth Animal and Stella and Chewy’s.

How to Participate

Everyone in the pet industry is encouraged to join in and become an “Earth Day Activator”. By joining a team or working on their own, activators will select from a hand-selected list of easy to moderate earth friendly actions that they can complete between April 1 and May 1. As they complete each activity, points are awarded, moving their team up in the leader boards and moving our industry closer to its 10,000 actions goal. Earth Day Activators can share, comment and post among their team and others to give high-fives and encouragement throughout the 30-day campaign. Learn more at Pet Sustainability Coalition.