According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA) there are 74.8 million dogs in the United States. And you know what that means: lots of dog poop. The biggest carbon footprint of man’s best friend is their poop. All that pooping and scooping has left a mountain of plastic bags that will be around for oh, the next million years or so.
So how do you green up dog doo? Well, you can start by losing the plastic bags that you’re using to scoop the poop into. And unless you’re going to compost, those corn-based biodegradable dog waste bags aren’t necessarily the best option either. Bio-bags need constant exposure to oxygen to start the decomposition process. They will only work if your city doesn’t bury its waste lower than 15 feet — the level where oxygen begins depleting.
Although not as convenient as plastic, newspaper and paper bags are at least going to decompose. You may want to supplement the paper with a product like Skooperbox. These all-in-one boxes (scooper, container, carrier) are made with 100% recycled material that is portable, durable, and biodegradable.
If you really want to go all out, you can purchase (or make, if you’re feeling industrious), a Doggie Dooley compost system. The process is simple: dig a hole, drop in the poo, then add water and digester powder and let the miniature septic tank system work its magic. You can use the corn based bio-bags in these systems, which you can find at most large pet stores.
