Poop Bags Are a Trash Problem (Literally)
Let me start by saying this: if you use poop bags, you're doing the responsible thing. You're picking up after your dog which is more than a lot of people can say. So let’s be clear: you’re not the problem. But poop bags? They’re still part of a bigger one. I didn’t start this project because I wanted to become the face of sustainable dog waste. I started it because I was juggling two leashes, a coffee, and a warm bag of poop in my hand thinking, "There has to be a better way."
Then I did a little digging. (Get it? Digging? Because dogs dig…okay never mind…)
In the U.S. alone, we use over 500 million plastic dog poop bags every year and most of those go straight into landfills where they’ll sit for hundreds of years. That’s a whole lot of plastic wrap for something that breaks down in a week. There are better bag options out there and companies like Earth Rated and others are making compostable and biodegradable alternatives that are a step in the right direction. That matters. It’s progress. But the truth is, we’re still using way too many of them.
It’s kind of wild how routine it’s become: bag the poop, tie it off, and carry it like a weird little purse. And if your dog’s a multi-pooper? You either untie the bag (risky and don’t ask me how I know) or give up and reach for another one. It’s wasteful, inconvenient, and honestly a little ridiculous when you stop to think about it.
But here’s the thing: this isn’t about guilt. This is about awareness. It’s what we’ve been given and thankfully, some companies are doing the work to make things better. That said, I also think we deserve options beyond “use a bag and hope for the best.”
That’s why I started building Pööt - a reusable, clean-carry pod for people who want something smarter, cleaner, and a little less trashy (literally). It’s not here to replace progress, it’s here to expand it. Will it change the world? Maybe not. But can it make dog walks a little easier, less wasteful, and way less gross? That’s the goal.
We can’t undo the system overnight. But we can keep building better ways to deal with the dirty work.
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