s/o Plastic bags (environment/pet related)

[wawa]

So in the state of the oceans threads I was reminded yet again that I'm an awful person for my use of plastic grocery bags. I do actually have reusable totes, but I still get plastic bags during our main trip to the grocery store because I use them to scoop dog poop.

What are my other options? What's your favorite brand of earthfriendly pooperscooper bags? I've got Amazon open right now, ready to mend my ways.

[JLN]

I like these ones: www.amazon.com/BioBag-Waste-Compostable-Bags-50-Count/dp/B001EQ4OWO/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1340135241&sr=1-5&keywords=biodegradable+poop+bags

[pixy0stix]

There are biodegradable bags that you can buy that aren't too terribly expensive. They won't biodegrade in a landfill, but if they ever do blow away/get loose, they'll decompose.

[wawa]

Jun 19, 2012 14:48:46 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

There are biodegradable bags that you can buy that aren't too terribly expensive. They won't biodegrade in a landfill, but if they ever do blow away/get loose, they'll decompose.

yeah, I thought I remembered that little tidbit from school being true. But I guess stopping them from floating around the ocean for decades if they blow off the trash barge is better than nothing.

Are there any good options for poo handling that are truly ecofriendly? Like bags that biodegrade quickly enough that I could install one of those nasty ass poop digester tubs in my backyard and just drop the whole bag in?

[meshaliuknits]

I only scoop poo from a litter box, but I use the plastic bags I can't seem to avoid, like the bags my bread and H's deli meat come in. The weekly influx of those types is about equal to my weekly poo scooping.

[wawa]

Jun 19, 2012 14:56:39 GMT -5 @ojo said:

Since you have a yard, are you picking up all the piles in your yard with a plastic bag or does your dog usually poop while you're out on walks?

If you're cleaning up piles from the yard, a pooper scooper straight to the outside trash can is better than a plastic bag for each pile, and if you're picking up piles out on walks, wadded up newspaper or even paper bag is way better than plastic, particularly if there are trash cans on your route.

No, we're talking strictly walk poops. At home he's actually really good about always going in the very very back of the yard in the weeds behind the bushes (he's shy or something. I dunno) so I never even bother to pick it up since nobody ever walks back there.

Sadly there are not trash cans on our usual walking route, so I'm carrying this bag for a good 15-20 minutes most of the time. And he's a garbage disposal dog with a sensitive boxer digestive system, so these are some pretty squishy shits that would leak right through a paper bag.

[wawa]

Jun 19, 2012 14:59:25 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

I only scoop poo from a litter box, but I use the plastic bags I can't seem to avoid, like the bags my bread and H's deli meat come in. The weekly influx of those types is about equal to my weekly poo scooping.

I used to use bread bags all the time. But we've since cut way down on our bread and lunch meat consumption (lunch meat is expensive!) so we're working on a roughly 20:1 poop scoop to bread loaf ratio here.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Jun 19, 2012 14:59:25 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

I only scoop poo from a litter box, but I use the plastic bags I can't seem to avoid, like the bags my bread and H's deli meat come in. The weekly influx of those types is about equal to my weekly poo scooping.

This is a really good idea. I'm going to suggest this to DH since kitty litter is "his" job. Thanks!

[meshaliuknits]

Jun 19, 2012 15:02:23 GMT -5 wawa said:

Jun 19, 2012 14:59:25 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

I only scoop poo from a litter box, but I use the plastic bags I can't seem to avoid, like the bags my bread and H's deli meat come in. The weekly influx of those types is about equal to my weekly poo scooping.

I used to use bread bags all the time. But we've since cut way down on our bread and lunch meat consumption (lunch meat is expensive!) so we're working on a roughly 20:1 poop scoop to bread loaf ratio here.

I know! H gets enough to eat 3 turkey sandwiches and then switches to almond butter and jelly. I just eat cheese sandwiches.

I love bread way too much to give it up. I'd sooner give up beer.

[zelda25]

Jun 19, 2012 14:59:25 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

I only scoop poo from a litter box, but I use the plastic bags I can't seem to avoid, like the bags my bread and H's deli meat come in. The weekly influx of those types is about equal to my weekly poo scooping.

This is us, too. We use clumping litter, so paper bags work fine, too--they're going directly to the trash and the litter isn't wet enough to be a problem before it gets there.

[downtoearth]

Our local park has these bags and they work great: www.biobagusa.com/biobag_dog.htm#dogpark.

I too try to use the random grocery bags we get for bread etc., but with 2 walks a day and a dog that doesn't poop in our yard, we too have to use some sort of bag.

IMO it's better for human health to remove dog feces from neighborhoods, but there's no way around the fact that our landfills are pretty sealed and things take longer to decompose there.

[aurora]

On the bright side, re-using (your grocery bags - as opposed to buying new bags) is one of the 3-Rs! Actually, I'm not sure of the relative environmental benefits of re-using plastic vs. purchasing specially-manufactured biodegradable bags, some of which might be made from corn products that are extremely energy-intensive to grow. You might be screwed either way.

[LoveTrains]

I use these from amazon that someone else already posted:
www.amazon.com/BioBag-Waste-Compostable-Bags-50-Count/dp/B001EQ4OWO/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1340135241&sr=1-5&keywords=biodegradable+poop+bags

I left a bunch of them, filled with poop, in a box on my patio over the window and they actually did decompose/compost. I think the problem is that they need oxygen to degrade, so if they are in a landfill, they don't break down the same way. But if you started a composting thing, I bet you could throw them in there.

[foundmylazybum]

Jun 19, 2012 20:17:25 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

I use these from amazon that someone else already posted:
www.amazon.com/BioBag-Waste-Compostable-Bags-50-Count/dp/B001EQ4OWO/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1340135241&sr=1-5&keywords=biodegradable+poop+bags

I left a bunch of them, filled with poop, in a box on my patio over the window and they actually did decompose/compost. I think the problem is that they need oxygen to degrade, so if they are in a landfill, they don't break down the same way. But if you started a composting thing, I bet you could throw them in there.

This may be stating the obvious but you can actually compost dog turds. However you cannot use the compost on anything that you are going to then EAT. :-| +o(

[wawa]

Jun 19, 2012 17:36:47 GMT -5 aurora said:

On the bright side, re-using (your grocery bags - as opposed to buying new bags) is one of the 3-Rs! Actually, I'm not sure of the relative environmental benefits of re-using plastic vs. purchasing specially-manufactured biodegradable bags, some of which might be made from corn products that are extremely energy-intensive to grow. You might be screwed either way.

that's a good point.

[aurora]

To be clear, though, I wouldn't not have a dog just for the plastic bag waste, and you've got to do something. I just get overwhelmed myself sometimes thinking about the broader impacts of my decisions if you follow all the way up the supply chain so I thought it was only fair to make other people more confused, as well.