Care for the Environment While Cleaning up after Your Pooch

If you’re a dog owner, chances are you’ve had to pick up after your pet when he has answered nature’s call outdoors. Part of being a responsible pet owner is removing dog waste. Short of being unsightly, dog feces are also a health hazard. If you take time to regularly clean up after your pet, you’ll be able to help prevent the spread of disease (of both the human and animal variety) and do your part to be a better neighbor. The practice can even do wonders for eliminating pesky fly problems where you live.

But what you do with dog waste might actually be another matter altogether. If you’re concerned about your impact on the environment, you might have issues with using plastic bags to pick up after Fido. Some reports have suggested that it may take up to 500 years for a bag to break down in a landfill. Plastic bags haven’t been in existence long enough to know whether that number is accurate, however. Basically, the estimates scientists have arrived at regarding this issue “are just another way of saying ‘a really, really long time,’” according to a 2007 article by Slate Magazine.

With the growing worldwide emphasis on going green, some companies have made efforts to shorten that “really, really long” timeframe by developing biodegradable pet waste bags. By using these products, you can fulfill your responsibilities as a dog owner and do your part for helping to protect the environment. Garbage needs air to decompose, but because many landfills are regularly covered with layers of dirt to help reduce odor, that process can be severely hindered.

Biodegradable dog waste supplies, however, are not limited in this manner. They can be buried, thrown in backyard compost piles, or even collected by your community and taken to a biodegradable waste composting site. If you decide this is the right option for you, contact officials where you live to learn more about the waste disposal options available.

Sources
http://www.biobagusa.com/biobag_dog.htm
http://www.slate.com/id/2169287/
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=1308
http://www.littletongov.org/parks/cleanupafterpet.asp