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.
I consider myself to be a considerably “green” person.
Despite the fact that the recycling truck doesn’t pick up at apartment buildings in my city (for reasons unbeknownst to me), we recycle our bottles, newspapers, etc. We collect it all in a big plastic tub and I take it to a recycling center not far from our apartment whenever it starts spilling over.
I turn off lights when I leave rooms, I turn the heat down at night and when we leave the apartment, I unplug appliances when we’re not using them, I walk where ever I can, I use the backs of sheets of paper- in a nutshell, I try my hardest not to waste resources.
As of late, my two biggest pet peeves concerning the destruction of the environment are plastic water bottles and plastic bags.
I couldn’t tell you the last time I bought a bottle of water. I have a Nalgene-like bottle that I take where ever I go and just fill it up with water from our Brita pitcher, tap water, or water from a water fountain. Jake largely does the same.
A few months ago, the cabinet under our kitchen sink was starting to spew out plastic bags whenever we cracked it open. I finally put my foot down and refused to let another plastic bag enter our apartment. We began bringing our own bags when we went shopping (and got a nickel or dime per bag for doing so) and continued to use plastic bags to tote our lunches to work. We finally got the bag situation under control and to the point where we would have to start buying canvas totes to bring to the store since the two we have wouldn’t be enough to bring home all the groceries.
Then, we got a dog a few weeks ago.
We were not planning on getting a dog anytime soon for various reasons, but Honey, a 13 year old dachshund, was no longer wanted by the family of a friend Jake and I are close with. Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted a dachshund and once I met Honey, I just couldn’t say no to her sweet little face.
When we take Honey for her walks, we always bring along a plastic bag so we can pick up after her. Since we’re using all of our plastic bags for dog duty (or doody, however you want to see it), we can’t bring our own when we go shopping and instead, need to get more bags. I absolutely hate plastic bags and I would much prefer to use canvas tote bags to schlep our groceries home, but we need plastic bags for walking Honey.
Are there any green options when it comes to picking up after your dog? I really want to end the plastic bag cycle.
20saver 