I managed to answer my own question regarding a green alternative to plastic bags for picking up after my dachshund, Honey.
A quick search in Amazon led me to BioBags. They are 100% biodegradable bags made out of renewable resources. And even better news- they make tall kitchen bags and liners for kitty litter boxes too!
Once I scrounge up some extra money, I’ll be sure to buy the doggie bags, if not the kitchen bags too. I won’t mind spending the extra money because I know that it will be doing nothing but help the environment.
I really hope this BioBag concept takes off and all of our current plastic bags become made out of biodegradable resources. It won’t ask people to change their habits, it simply makes their habits more earth friendly.
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Not to rain on your parade, because I am all for biodegradability, but I took a class in environmental issues last semester and we went to visit a landfill. Because of smell / health issues, landfills must cover the dump with thick layers of dirt, preventing aerobic bacteria from doing their thing. Urban archaeologists often find readable 40-year old newspapers (and even non-rotten lettuce near those papers!)in landfills because things are not broken down much, if at all. So, while it’s great to decrease dependence on oil, just know that your bag isn’t actually going to biodegrade… unless you leave it out in the open, which would be really nasty
Comment by Rebecca March 14, 2008 @ 10:29 amHmm… so no matter what I use, it won’t actually biodegrade. But, like you said, at least this way, oil won’t be needed to make the BioBags.
Comment by Sarah March 14, 2008 @ 10:40 amThanks for the info!
It’s kind of disheartening to think that things that should be biodegrading back into the earth (natural things like lettuce and dog poop) aren’t because of landfills. I guess that’s where compost bins step in and let nature do what she intended to do.
Yes, I don’t believe there is a plastic that ever actually degrades. And paying more for plastic acks that you’ll discard doesn’t seem very frugal. So there’s the dilemma, how to pick up after your pooch? Our WalMart actually recycles plastic grocery bags, perhaps you have a local grocer that does the same and you could re-use some from that stock? I think the key is re-using items.
Comment by Pat March 26, 2008 @ 9:51 amoops — Sacks, not acks.
Comment by Pat March 26, 2008 @ 9:51 amPat, I’m still debating over this issue. The frugal part of me doesn’t want to spend money on bags, the green part of me has no problem spending money on bags that are made out of renewable resources. As of right now, we’re still using the plastic bags we get from stores to pick up after our dog. I really hate having to get those bags from the store though, even if I’m reusing them.
Comment by Sarah March 26, 2008 @ 9:59 am