Dog Poo Bags - What's better for the environment?

[thinkgreen]

The post on plastic bags being banned in California hosted some discussion about poo bags.

Dog owners use a few bags every day if they live in a populated area. These bags and the contents of them go into the garbage where I live. Our area has a "soft plastic" recycling program where I can drop off used plastic bags for recycling. However, I often re-use them for walking the dog. In particular I tend to use the bags bread comes in or the odd produce bag that I end up with. Since I have a small dog, I can knot the bag low down and then tie a 2nd knot above the first. This allows me to cut the used part off to throw away and still have another bag from what's left of it. I rarely get plastic shopping bags from stores as I carry fabric bags.

I am curious, would it be more neutral for the environment to recycle the plastic bags and buy the biodegradable ones for walking the dog? What would you do?

[Packy]

It IS kind of a personal question, I must say. But I am conscientious, because I remember being a littlebittykid, and stepping in fresh poop. Very unpleasant. What I do about poo is this: I walk the dogs on gravel paths in a 250-acre park that lies in a rural area. So, if one of them has to go, I have a paper towel, like what you clean car windshields with, and I pick up the poo and toss it in the woods, off the path. I might have to cover any traces on the path with gravel, like a cat would. The towel, I wad up and when we reach the parking lot, I toss it in the trash barrel. But I don't put animal waste in the trash, if I can help it. Now, if I go to an in town park or event where I can't readily toss the waste, I'll also have a plastic shopping bag along with the towel. When I get home--the animal waste goes in the compost heap, the bag and towel in the space heater or trash dumpster if it is summer.

[Tussiemussies]

This is a really hard one. We had dogs for about 28 years and are considering another. I always as us used the store plastic garbage bags and threw it in the garbage. We wouldn't' t be walking anywhere that there is as gravel path so that wouldn't' t work for us. I would love to hear about what others do...

[bae]

Probably not having a pet is better for the environment.

[pinkytoe]

Seems like where I live, people have dogs instead of kids so we have dog bag stations, dog parks, dogs in cafes...so an abundance of little biodegradable dog poo bags. I prefer that my little dog (smaller poo!!) use the back yard like they did back in the old days but I use the biodegradable ones if needed over other plastic.

[iris lilies]

Probably not having a pet is better for the environment.

Actually, not living in California is the real answer here and for many issues in life.

I love my plastic grocery bags for cat litter.

[awakenedsoul]

thinkgreen,
Most of the time my dogs poop in the backyard. I just use the pooper scooper and put the poop into an empty 40 lb. dog food bag. Once a month I put that bag in my dumptster. I buy the biodegradable poop bags at our feed store. I keep those with me when I run my dogs on the Walkydog. Now that I've figured out their schedule, I walk them later and avoid having to use poop bags. (most of the time.)

[JaneV2.0]

Probably not having a pet is better for the environment.

It doesn't seem to be better for my personal environment. :(

[Gardenarian]

Where I live, the runoff from rain (assuming it rains again at some point in the future) goes directly into the San Francisco Bay, so we are directed to use biodegradable Mutt Mitts (provided by the city) to pick up dog waste. In SF, dog poop bags make up a larger percentage of garbage than disposable diapers.

For the poop in my yard, I bury it.

I think if you live in the country or in an area where runoff is not a problem, you should just let it break down naturally.

[Packy]

Yes, yes---Callyfornia. They object to a little dog waste, but then defecate all over the place with their TeeVee & MoooVeees. Ironic, don't you think? As Church Lady would say "Say--tannnn!!"

[mschrisgo2]

Interesting discussion... I live in a California city, in an apartment complex. We are required to plastic bag ALL garbage here at the apartments. The city recommends plastic bags for dog waste, and it's not allowed in the "compost" materials that are collected by the garbage company. I think environmentally, picking it up in paper is probably better, but I don't know anybody who still gets a newspaper! We all read the local newspapers online. And too bad, because the newspapers' plastic bags were Really great for this purpose! Now when we visit my brother who lives out in the country on 6 acres, I only make sure to toss or kick it somewhere that no one will step in it; the next morning it's gone because the night animals have been through the area. (bears and coyotes eat any/everything.) Cycles of nature.

[thinkgreen]

Well, I suppose it is a very personal question I have asked. I like the idea of using newspaper environmentally but ... it's rather awkward to carry a piece of newspaper full of poo all the way home. It would work sometimes when close to home (or a public garbage can) and it is truly better environment wise. Then maybe it could go into my hedge. Hopefully the neighbor on the other side won't suspect what I've done.

awakenedsoul, I remember back in the oldie goldie days (70s) someone I knew worked for Sears in the buying offices. They worked buying pet supplies for the stores and told us about a company pitching the pooper scooper to them. They were trying to figure out if people would actually scoop their dog's poop and whether the item would be a hit or a miss. Times have changed. My yard isn't fenced thus my dog only goes out with me. So, I usually go for a walk rather than stay in my yard. If I see an "event" I do like to deal with it right away.

A quick google search tells that that there are 70-80 million dogs in the USA. So I'm sure that's a lot of bags used every day. Bae, your answer is likely correct. Although I feel you love your dogs too and in your heart agree with Jane and Iris. What happens on your Island? Perhaps it is very rural like where Packy lives. My area is more urban so pick up and disposal is the responsible solution but I'd like to figure out the best process. I hope to hear from more dog people here.

[bae]

Where I live, I follow one of two protocols:

If I am in a woods-like area, when the dogs poop, I take a stick, and punt the poo into the underbrush. There are 10x more deer than dogs here, they poo all over the place too, I'm not too concerned about my dogs killing polar bears from global warming caused by their poo.

If I am in a more civilized place on the island, I carry leftover bio-degradeable plastic bags from the market's produce section, which I pick the poo up in. Those bags end up in the trash, which gets barged off the island to some landfill somewhere, and there they are buried, and since they are ballasted by dog poo, I'm not too worried about them blowing away and killing off an endangered species. If I have been eating out of the garden too much, I use Amazon-Prime shipped bio-degradeable plastic bags to pick up the poo.

Thing is, cost-benefit, vs. hairshirt.

Compared to the amount of plastic packaging that's in almost everything everyone tries to sell me, dog poo bags are inconsequential.

[Songbird]

Compared to the amount of plastic packaging that's in almost everything everyone tries to sell me, dog poo bags are inconsequential.

Definitely agree with this!

[thinkgreen]

Well, I guess I've been told my concern is of no consequence. So, the status quo lives on.

[Packy]

No, no--Think G; Your concerns are NOT inconsequential! People don't like poo left on walkways, any more than encountering used baby diapers or uneaten food discarded on the ground and there has to be a practical remedy. I will go to far as to say that poor sanitation is one cause of transmitting a communicable disease. If I knew there were going to be a shortage of those disposable plastic grocery bags, I would start stockpiling them in a cardboard box. As for hauling poop around until you can dispose of it properly, well-- it is one of those aspects of keeping a pet----they aren't all pluses.

[awakenedsoul]

Well, I guess I've been told my concern is of no consequence. So, the status quo lives on.

As my aunt used to say, "Consider the source." I believe everything we do and say makes a difference. This thread got me thinking about how many dog poop bags I've used over the years. I've been composting my kitchen scraps and yard clippings for years. Since I'm in a rural area, maybe I can start a dog poop compost bin, and reuse the biodegradable bags. I wouldn't want it near my fruit trees, but I have a good sized lot. It would be okay to fertilize things like irises and perennials.

Thanks for posting. I definitely appreciate and respect your views. I'm sure many other forum members do, as well.

[iris lily]

Well, I guess I've been told my concern is of no consequence. So, the status quo lives on.

Do we all have to have the same priorities?

[Tussiemussies]

Where can I purchase the biodegradable bags? I appreciate that recommendation...chris

[Songbird]

Well, I guess I've been told my concern is of no consequence. So, the status quo lives on.

I don't think you were told that your concern is of no consequence - it's just that plastic overall is such a huge thing in our society. And truly for me I don't feel guilty about using a small plastic bag a couple times of month to clean up my tiny dog's poo in the yard. And I use plastic sandwich baggies to pick up his poo when I walk him in town. I think others appreciate not stepping in it, so my small use of plastic is a benefit to society in that respect. ;)
I'm one of those people that do as much as I can to benefit the environment otherwise that I am not going to stress over that small of an amount of plastic. But I certainly do think your concerns are valid!

[Miss Cellane]

Actually, I find this to be an interesting question.

If you have the plastic bags, you have a few choices as to what to do with them. Recycle, reuse or toss.

Clearly, just tossing them is the least environmentally friendly.

But what's the difference between reusing and recycling?

If you recycle, the bag becomes something else. But it takes time and resources and energy to accomplish this, and the process could potentially cause air or water pollution. And there is still a plastic object out there, made out of the plastic bag, that could eventually make its way to a landfill.

If you reuse the bag for pet poop, you are cutting down on the total number of plastic bags bought and used. So the resources and energy for making plastic bags are reduced. But then the bag goes into a landfill and doesn't decompose.

I think a fair bit of research would have to be done to calculate the environment impact of both choices.

What I have done is to reduce the use of what I call "one use" plastic in my life as much as possible. Plastic that can be used and reused, like food storage containers or a trash can or a laundry basket, is okay. Plastic bags, things purchased encased in plastic, throw-away plastic plates and cups, things of that nature, I try to avoid. In fact, I try to avoid "one use" things as much as possible--paper towels, wipes of all kinds, disposable anything.

And then I reuse things as much as possible. And when there is no use left in them, I recycle.

It may not be perfect, but I've been toting groceries home in canvas bags for the last 24 years. I've been using cloth napkins for the same time, and rags instead of paper towels. I'm not a fanatic about it--I use about two rolls of paper towels a year, mostly to clean up cat barf, but I used to go through a roll or two every month.

I don't think there is one perfect answer.

And, while I don't have a dog, just cats, in my town, there is a law about scooping after your dog, so people have to use plastic bags if they walk their dogs in town. On your own property, you can do as you please, but every morning on my way to work, I see many, many dog owners strolling along behind the pooch, the plastic bag of shame dangling from their hands.

[creaker]

Actually, I find this to be an interesting question.

If you have the plastic bags, you have a few choices as to what to do with them. Recycle, reuse or toss.

Clearly, just tossing them is the least environmentally friendly.

But what's the difference between reusing and recycling?



Reduce - reuse - recycle - it's in that order in terms of effectiveness.

One thing left out of this discussion is the total impact of having a pet - I would think a few plastic bags would be such a tiny fraction of the overall impact.

The hard thing is that plastic bags work so well for this function. Maybe a better idea is just looking for something else one could do to offset it? I've seen people picking up trash while walking their pets. I wonder how many bags worth of plastic is in a single plastic bottle?

[awakenedsoul]

Where can I purchase the biodegradable bags? I appreciate that recommendation...chris

I get mine at the local feed store. It's just around the corner from my house. I'm sure you can buy them at pet stores, too. I think I'll start reusing the biodegradable bags. That will save me money. I can empty them after my dog walk into the large recycled dog food bag. I can keep the small dog poop bag outside, since it's used.

[awakenedsoul]

Miss Cellane,

I do all of those things, too. I haven't bought paper towels or napkins in years. I've been using recycled flannel sheets as cloth pads for almost twenty years. It's a good feeling to make those changes. It's made a huge difference in the amount of plastic I would have thrown in the trash. My mom used cloth diapers on all four of us kids. Once we were grown, those diapers became dust cloths. I'm glad my parents taught me these things as a young child.

Maybe when I no longer need the flannel pads I can sew them into dog poop pouches. They are washable. Most people wouldn't want to take the time, but I wouldn't mind. It would save me money, too.

[iris lilies]

I don't even LIKE paper towels to clean up pet messes because they are too thin and you have to use 1/4 of a roll to get bulk. We do buy about 2 rolls annually. DH uses them for cooking bacon.

I will on occasion use them for pet messes if the mess is really awful. Otherwise, I have old towels for htat.

[Packy]

I am just sitting here, thinking: I'll just betcha, betcha anything, that one of the breeders that brought you the dogs with pushed-in faces and other oddities is working to produce a litter of puppies that has another anomaly: poolessness. The Poo-less Dogg--more progress, more convenience for the consumer. . I can envision a number of scenarios as to how that would work. But, you really don't want to hear the specifics on that one.

[Tussiemussies]

I get mine at the local feed store. It's just around the corner from my house. I'm sure you can buy them at pet stores, too. I think I'll start reusing the biodegradable bags. That will save me money. I can empty them after my dog walk into the large recycled dog food bag. I can keep the small dog poop bag outside, since it's used.

Thanks awakened soul..I am going to look in the pet store to see what they have here....

[Tussiemussies]

I have seen around a dog composter where it is buried in the ground with the lid flush to the lawn and you put your dog poo in there. I think that would work good for yard pick up, but since it is nit like a septic tank, I wonder about the stench. In the past walking my dogs, the plastic bags were a must...So the biodegradable bags will be the way for us to go if we get a new dog...

[Miss Cellane]

I don't even LIKE paper towels to clean up pet messes because they are too thin and you have to use 1/4 of a roll to get bulk. We do buy about 2 rolls annually. DH uses them for cooking bacon.

I will on occasion use them for pet messes if the mess is really awful. Otherwise, I have old towels for htat.

I use the paper towels as a sort of liner for the rag that does the bulk of the clean up.

I live alone and only do laundry once a week. Having rags sit around for days with cat barf on them is . . . unpleasant. So I use the paper towel and rag combo, and toss the paper towel and contents. The rag gets wet, but it isn't covered with stuff, so I let it dry and then wash it in the weekly wash.

I know, I should just use the rag, but for some reason, it icks me out too much. (Hangs head in shame.)

[Suzanne]

My dog refuses to poop in his own backyard. My neighbour gives me the bags her newspapers come in, and that's what I use for poop pick-up. Yes, these bags do go into the black bin for landfill. I used to buy the biodegradable dog poop bags, but if these go into landfill, they still don't decompose. It takes air and moisture to decompose even the biodegradable bags, and landfills are designed to be air and moisture-tight. http://www.greenlivingonline.com/article/truth-about-bioplastics

The question then is, should dog poop go into landfill? There aren't a whole lot of options for city dwellers. Carry it home in a little bucket and flush it down the toilet? This might be problematic if an overloaded sewage plant spills material into the environment, as happened in the San Francisco Bay Area when pathogens from cat litter killed sea otters. Of course, human wastes are not necessarily a blessing to the Bay! Compost it? not an option for apartment dwellers. Also not a good option for people with a backyard unless they can do a really hot first composting followed by a long slow cold composting - around a six-month time period.

While I do question my choice at intervals, I use my neighbour's bags and drop them, tightly tied, into the black bin for the landfill.

[iris lilies]

I am just sitting here, thinking: I'll just betcha, betcha anything, that one of the breeders that brought you the dogs with pushed-in faces and other oddities is working to produce a litter of puppies that has another anomaly: poolessness. The Poo-less Dogg--more progress, more convenience for the consumer. . I can envision a number of scenarios as to how that would work. But, you really don't want to hear the specifics on that one.

Funny you should say that. The bulldog we had the longest, Bert (aka "TedGwen's Big Bertha,") had tiny poo like a Frenchie. We often marveled at her miniscule poo--so compact! So neat and tidy!

On the other hand one of our Frenchies produces very large poos, like a bulldog.

[kib]

Thinking about dogs and Packy's musing ... maybe you could walk them all in a circle. second one eats the first one's poo and so on round the ring.

You can compost waste, it's not that big a deal and doesn't smell if it's covered with something like shredded paper; it's the urine that stinks. OP, do you live in an apartment? Personally if I did I'd flush it, while toxoplasmosis isn't good for the environment, neither are about 20 things in human waste, including infectious diseases, artificial hormones and antibiotics. What's one more piece of crap, frankly. >8)

[ctg492]

I reclocated to a place I had to scoop up, I bought biodegrateable bags 1,000 of them from dogpoopbags.com. At least these seemed better to me. With three big dogs X a couple poos a day, bags reused from the grocery store were not an option. I also put in a doggie doolie in the back yard there. Then most times I scooped the poo and then walked by on way to door and emptied bag into it and tossed the bag in the can empty.We could not take the poo in the trash can for a week, gross. GOSH I am glad to be back Home where my dogs can free range poop in the woods!!!!
I can not see mylife without dogs in it. I love my dogs, all that wander into my life and share thier time on earth with me. Cubby, Lucy and Polly are my four paws in my life today.