By John Stossel For Fox Business

Environmentalists constantly tell us we must do more to reduce our “carbon footprint.” If we won’t do it voluntarily, they want government to force us. Hence the ban on incandescent bulbs, car fuel economy rules, etc.

Next up on that list? It could be limits of what kinds of pets you may own. Or maybe new requirements as to what you must do with your pet when he dies. CNBC reports that two New Zealand-based professors, Robert and Brenda Vale, published a study that shows that owning a medium-sized dog has the same ecological impact as driving 6,000 miles a year in a 4.6-liter-engine SUV.

Don’t worry, though. They aren’t going to come after Lassie just yet. They say they don’t want to ban dogs or limit what types you can own. Instead, the authors recommend this:

[P]et animals may be usefully “recycled”, by being eaten by their owners or turned into pet food when they die…

“Issues about sustainability are increasingly becoming things that are going to require us to make choices which are as difficult as eating your dog. It’s not just about changing your light bulbs or taking a cloth bag to the supermarket,” [Robert Vale] said…

Save the planet. Eat your dog. Give me a Break.