Everywhere you look, pet food brands are promising to be eco-friendly, responsibly sourced, or better for the planet. But what do those claims actually mean, and how can pet parents separate meaningful sustainability efforts from clever marketing? Hosts Jordan Tyler and Dr. Stephanie Clark are joined by Allison Reser Hamburger of the Pet Sustainability Coalition and Paul Shapiro, CEO of The Better Meat Co., to unpack why sustainability feels so complicated. Together, they explore the tradeoffs behind ingredient sourcing, packaging, alternative proteins, and more while debunking common misconceptions about sustainability in pet food.

Show Notes

🌐 Check out additional resources from:

• Pet Sustainability Coalition: https://petsustainability.org/
• Better Meat Co.: https://www.bmcingredients.com/

🌱 Learn more about Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): https://ecochain.com/blog/life-cycle-assessment-lca-guide/

👚👕 Read more about greenwashing in the fashion industry: https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/CM-License-to-greenwash-online-reports-layout-final.pdf

🍔 ...and across the food industry: https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Feeding-us-Greenwash-final.pdf

🔍 Did you know you can access pet food ingredient definitions online? Peep Chapter 6 of the AAFCO Official Publication, which carries nutritional standards for dogs and cats in the United States: https://www.aafco.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025_OP_Chapter_6_enc.pdf

♻️ Tune in to our previous conversations about sustainability in pet care:

• Breaking the ‘Byproduct’ Bias: Rethinking Rendered Ingredients in Pet Food
• The Rising Tide of Invasive Species: How Pet Nutrition Could Be a Solution
• One Man’s Trash Is Another Dog’s Treasure: The Story of Upcycled Pet Food
• The Beautiful Story of Regenerative Agriculture: Does the Future of Pet Food Start with Soil?
• Looking for Love: Swiping Right on Sustainable Cat Litter
• Bug Appétit: From Ick to Innovation on Insect-Based Pet Food
• Is Recyclable Pet Food Packaging A Lie? Unraveling The Pet Industry’s Plastic Waste Problem

Episode Chapters

00:00 – Why Does Sustainability Feels So Complicated?

01:33 – Why We Don't Trust Sustainability Claims

06:06 – Sustainability Is All About Tradeoffs

07:09 – Greenwashing: Fact vs. Marketing

09:05 – Debunking Sustainability Myths in Pet Food

18:01 – The Future of Alternative Proteins

23:04 – Measuring Real Sustainability Progress

26:25 – Why Sustainable Products Often Cost More

33:04 – Remember: It’s About Progress Over Perfection

35:07 – How to Shop Smarter & Ask Better Questions

37:02 – The Future of Sustainable Pet Food

40:40 – Closing Thoughts & Stay Tuned!