Mars Incorporated, a renowned global leader in pet care products, confectionery, snacking, and food, has wrapped up its SWAP Year 4 campaign with a flourish in collaboration with Chiang Mai’s local government. The grand finale? The inauguration of a brand-new dog park, brimming with sustainable, pet-friendly features, right in the heart of Chiang Mai.
The SWAP Year 4 campaign was a revolutionary initiative that inspired pet parents to return empty packages of Mars Petcare’s popular brands like PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, IAMS™, CESAR®, SHEBA®, and TEMPTATIONS™, along with plant-based cat litter from the CATSAN™ brand, for recycling. This drive not only protected the environment but also delighted participants with a series of lucky draws boasting prizes worth over 2.4 million baht. The remarkable response saw over 840,000 bags transformed into a treasure trove of practical and eco-friendly products, including bone-shaped benches and whimsical blocks in the shape of cats and paws. These delightful creations now embellish the newly-opened dog park, crafting a charming, fun-filled haven for pets and their humans to frolic outdoors.
In addition to these artistic installations, the initiative proudly introduced dog agility equipment, more pet-friendly amenities, and thoughtful signage that underscores responsible pet ownership. These efforts highlight Mars Pet Nutrition’s dedication to nurturing eco-friendly and pet-welcoming communities through its groundbreaking Better Cities for Pets program. The new park stands as an idyllic playground where pet parents and their furry friends can forge stronger bonds amidst nature’s embrace.
Thanks to the invaluable partnership with Chiang Mai’s Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO), which kindly provided the land and facilitated the renovation process, Mars Pet Nutrition celebrates the realization of its mission to create a better world for pets. The General Manager for Mars Pet Nutrition Thailand and Indochina, Mr. Ratchakorn Chenpattanapong, passionately remarked, “At Mars, sustainability is at our core. We envision a future where plastic packaging doesn’t end up as waste but instead is recycled, reused, or composted. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the pet parents who embraced our SWAP Year 4 campaign, contributing an impressive 850,000 bags. This year’s expansion of our SWAP handover program to Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand’s largest city, is a thrilling step forward. We’re eager to see pets and their devoted parents enjoy this lively green space, enriched with recycled products from our campaign.”
Echoing Mr. Chenpattanapong’s sentiments, Mr. Pichai Lertpongadisorn, President of Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO), expressed, “It’s a privilege to collaborate with Mars Pet Nutrition Thailand to transform this site into a cherished dog park for our enthusiastic dog-loving community. From day one, Mars has shared our aspiration to establish a welcoming, eco-conscious haven for pets and their humans. By designating part of our park for this purpose, we’re elevating the quality of life for our residents and their pets, modeling sustainable community development here in Chiang Mai.”
The unveiling of this vibrant dog park signifies a triumphant waypoint in Mars’s ongoing voyage towards sustainability, the promotion of responsible pet ownership, and active community engagement. By consistently championing greener, healthier spaces, Mars continues to inspire and lead the charge in creating a better, more sustainable world for pets and their loving owners.
The new dog park sounds amazing! It’s great to see big companies like Mars making efforts toward sustainability.
Sure, it’s great PR for them, but let’s be real – it’s mostly about the brand’s image, not true change.
Even if it’s partly for image, the outcome is positive. Better than them ignoring the problem, right?
I think it’s a step in the right direction, even if motives aren’t 100% pure.
I can’t wait to take my dog there! Those benches look adorable.
It’s good to have specific amenities for pets, but do you think the project could have focused more on improving local housing instead?
Local issues are important, but this park is also about community and making cities more livable.
This campaign sounds promising, but returning 850,000 bags is just a fraction of what’s produced. What’s next?
I agree, Fiona. As much as I like this initiative, it’s a drop in the ocean. There should be more systemic changes.
Why not use the funds to support local shelters instead of building a park in an already green area?
It raises awareness for recycling among pet owners, but yeah, integrating support for shelters would be awesome.
Okay, but has anyone considered the maintenance costs of this park? Will Mars continue to support that?
Great point, Sophia! Hopefully, the local government has a plan for this.
It’s common for such places to fall into disrepair if not continuously funded. Mars should set a maintenance fund.
Imagine if every brand did something similar! We’d live in a cleaner world.
Ideally, yes, but not every company has the resources Mars does. It’s a challenge.
Partnerships with local governments just make projects like this possible. Kudos to Chiang Mai’s PAO.
While partnerships are great, the government also needs to ensure citizens’ basic needs are being met.
What’s next? More parks in other cities? Hope so!
Next would be incorporating more sustainable practices industry-wide, not just isolated projects.
Wow, the park’s design sounds intriguing. Wondering about the durability of those recycled benches.
Recycled materials can be super durable, but quality varies. We’ll have to see it over time.
It’s heartening to see a project like this come to life. Hope it sparks similar initiatives globally.
Agreed, but every locale will have its own challenges. Still, it’s worth striving for.
I hope they looked into environmental impacts of constructing this park. Not all green projects are truly eco-friendly.
It’s possible they didn’t consider every aspect, but let’s hope they did their due diligence.
The pet-centric community initiatives keep getting better. Proud of Mars!
Those initiatives are good buzz generators. Skeptical of impact though.