Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Weekly Green Tip! Pet poop clean up.

Many people with pets justify the use of regular nasty plastic grocery bags with cleaning up their pets' poop.

But have you heard of biodegradable poop bags? If you've got to throw away poop from pets, it's a great solution.

Here's another idea- while not as perfect as the idea above, it's a way to reuse something that would otherwise be thrown out anyway: Why not use another readily available bag? ...Sure, if you're trying to be more green, you're choosing items with less packaging and waste. But let's face it- some items will come in a bag and there is nothing you can do about it. Bread, chips, a lot of crackers and cookies... these all usually come in a sealed bag. You can re-use this bag for picking up after the pets instead.

For a cat's litterbox, some recommend flushing. However, if you leave near a coastal area or near rivers or other water sources, it's best not to flush it. Sea otters are being infected with a toxin that could be coming from the flushed cat poop and litter. The best solution is, again, a biodegradable plastic bag.

Before reading further, keep in mind:
Do NOT use cat or dog poop in compost that will be going on or anywhere near your vegetable garden!!!

Their poo contains toxins that you don't want coming near anything you eat. Eewwwww.

You can compost your cat's poop and litter remnants:
http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2005/09/26/kittylitter/index.html

If you are interested in composting your dog's doody for gardens without vegetables, here's an article about how you can:
http://www.plentymag.com/features/2007/12/the_green_fiend.php

4 comments:

Doris Sturm said...

Wow, that's a powerful post. Great resources information on cat and dog waste disposal. Not a pleasant subject, but very necessary information if you want to make a difference since a lot of people have dogs and cats.

Thanks for sharing this. I learned something today!

Anonymous said...

Great tip....

Just wanted to mention another great documentary: "Crapshoot: The Gamble with our Waste", produced by the national film board of Canada. It is eyeopening. There is one clip available to view on utube, otherwise it runs on the Sundance Channel or Knowledge Network here in Canada. If you can find it, it is worth watching for information on what happens to sewage after it hits the plant!

Anonymous said...

I pick up dog poop after my yorkie. It's faily easy with flushable dog poop bags that I use everyday. Flushing is the most eco-friendly way to get rid of dog poop. Google "flushable dog poop bags" and check out yourself. http://www.flushdoggy.com

Jodi said...

Green Tea Leaves is an all-natural wood based cat litter that is flusable without harming your plumbing. Its antioxidant properties work as an effective deodorant and anti-bacterial agent. The green tea works with the wood to suppress the growth of bacteria, which is the primary source of cat litter box odor. Flusable, odor suppressing, easy, what more could you want?