Biodegradable. GMO-free materials. This is our favorite dog waste
bag (and no, they’re not paying us to say that!).
Earlier this morning I was running Giro, my Portuguese Pointer buddy in Miami (check him out on our Facebook page-adorable!). He ended up doing his business in front of an older lady, who thanked me for picking up after him. It’s not the first time someone has actually stopped me to thank me for that. It seems like too many people in Miami don’t pick up after their pet! It got me thinking about one of a proper pet sitter’s primary tools: dog waste bags.
Pet Sitters Use a Lot of Plastic
Each pet sit, dog walk or run requires the use of one to two bags per pup. This adds up to a lot of plastic since we have quite a few clients. Most of you know I believe in living a green and sustainable lifestyle- which means regular old plastic bags don’t cut it for my company. I do use them when clients donate their extras, but I prefer to take plastic grocery bags to the recycling station at our local Whole Foods in Pinecrest. When I decided to change to biodegradable bags, I did quite a bit of research both online and in the field for biodegradable waste bags and ended up with BioBag, pictured above. It’s biodegradable and it ups the “green” ante by being made from non-genetically modified starch. It’s a bit pricey, but it delivers in many ways.
In my research, I learned that not all biodegradable bags are created equal. Some, like BioBag, are made from raw materials. Then there are others which are still made from plastic, but have a chemical added to them to speed up the breakdown process. There is debate on whether “oxo-degradable” bags are truly eco-friendly. Manufacturers of these bags (like B Green Innovations) claim their products are biodegradable, but studies suggest that these plastics are not better for the environment than regular plastic bags. These waste bags can take much longer to breakdown than bags made from starch and raw materials of agricultural origin. The same study states that these plastic bags cannot be recycled, reused, or composted.
So, at the very least there is some confusion as to how well these bags work. I like to keep my life simple, so I sidestepped the issue and went with BioBags. What I love about the BioBags is that they are completely biodegradable in all sorts of environments, from composting, to soil, to fresh and saltwater. The material used in these particular bags is called “Mater-Bi.” The BioBags site claims it is the first completely biodegradable and compostable bio-polymer ever invented (case in point: it’s protected by more than 50 patents). There is no question with these bags: you can toss them pretty much in any aerobic environment with access to microorganisms (within legal limits, of course) and they’ll break down. They do have to be used within 12 months of purchase and need to be stored out of the heat, so no leaving them in your cars in South Florida! The bags themselves are not so thin as to be impossible to open without tearing.
Pet sitter. Giver of belly rubs. Pooper scooper. All those labels apply under “pet sitting” job descriptions. Don’t feel bad for us pet sitters, though! I’ve often told my clients that picking up poop is my moment of Zen. I let myself be in the present, my mind goes blank, and I forget the Miami traffic jam I just escaped moments earlier. Scooping up waste is an important part of my job, and I do it willingly! I feel even happier now that I have my biodegradable bags. Do your own research, of course, but I hope this helps you choose an appropriate medium for waste removal. Already have a favorite waste bag? Share your experiences with us, especially if you’ve found something better!