Green Options

The Obamas aren’t the first family to get a dog, but they are among the few families who have had to get their dog under a microscope.  As long as we’re analyzing every microscopic detail about Bo the Portuguese Water Dog, let’s put on a green filter and see what turns up.  Hmmm…interesting that President Obama and his family woud choose a breed with “water” in its name…

If you noodle around the gossip sites these days, you’re likely to come across the case of Ugo the dog, who is being kicked out of his home for the crime of…gassiness.  In fact, the entire family is being given the old-heave on account of Ugo’s posterior exhalations.  Oh, the humanity!  Leave it up to those New York City co-op boards to find something to pick on.

Seriously.  Gassiness? In the great green scheme of things, the gassiness of domestic animals is an issue only when it comes to cow farts.  As for the emissions from our dogs, cats, and other non-human family members, the occasional spurt of methane is small potatoes.  We’ve got bigger fish to fry: their poop.

Walk with me below the fold to see what it’s all about (but first a little disclosure: I’ve known Ugo the dog since he was a pup.  What a cutie!).

Editor’s note: Today we begin a content partnership with Life Goggles, a site devoted to “Green reviews, news, and interviews.” Each week, we’ll publish one of LG’s product reviews on one of our network sites. As a dog owner, I was immediately drawn to this post, which was originally published on Wednesday, February 14, 2008. 

California based Skooperbox apparently spent a couple of years trying to find a green way of dealing with dog mess.

Skooperboxes are small, pop-open boxes made from 100 percent recycled materials. Complete with lid and a scraper, each Skooperbox apparently makes it quick and tidy to clean up your dog’s mess. The boxes are available in two sizes (not sure if one is big enough for a horse though - if not they should think of that…), and are completely biodegradable in a “few days” (more realistically less than a month, but much much quicker than plastic bags!).