As your dog uses the city’s sidewalks, streets and neighbor’s lawns as it’s preferred lavatory, you do your daily duty of picking up the doody.

Thankfully, most dog owners have moved beyond the slapdash days of abandoning the steaming pile which, upon exposure to rain and other water sources, seeps into the ground and sewers causing water pollution that is not safe for humans.

But, because no good deed goes unpunished, cleaning up the mutt’s mess using plastic bags contributes to our planet’s waste. Without going into the byzantine labyrinth of plastics pollution and its destruction to earth, we at Lil’ Archie’s shift our focus to single use plastic bags, yes those ones used for groceries and…your puppy’s poop pick up!

Plastic bags pollute the land and waterways and can take hundreds if not millions of years to degrade while, simultaneously, leaching harmful chemicals into the ground, eventually reaching a water source. On a global level, plastic bags are an enormous source of environmental litter. Winds carry the lightweight plastic through the air landing in waterways, and ultimately, the oceans. Hundreds of thousands of sea mammals become entrapped in the plastic and drown. Fish are found to have eaten little particles of plastic that lodge in their digestive systems, killing them. Oh, and if they don’t die from their plastic diet, they may eventually end up on your plate for dinner so that you ultimately ingest the plastic. Millions of seabirds die each year due to discarded plastic products.

Lil' Archie's certifications are granted by independent organizations approving the legitimacy of our composting claims.

Lil' Archie's eco-forward dog poop bags:

Are made from a resin derived from plant starches including non-GMO cornstarch, vegetable oils, and compostable polymers, unlike typical plastic bags which use multiple chemicals in the manufacturing process, including the planet's non-renewable fossil fuels.

Are compostable in your backyard and industrial composting facilities, thus turning your dog's waste into nutrient-rich soil that is useful for decorative gardens.

Are made of cardboard packaging that is 50% recycled materials, and are ready to be recycled again upon disposal.

Are more likely to degrade in landfills than non-biodegradable bags. While the atmospheric conditions of landfills are not always conducive to biodegradation, Lil' Archie's bags are always a smarter environmental choice, with a greater opportunity for breaking down than current plastic bags on the market.

So what's all this about landfills and plastic breakdown?

Even bioplastic bags can't claim degradation within the conditions of a city's landfill. For a bioplastic to be considered biodegradable, it must degrade within a year or less according to FTC Green Guides. Your local landfill doesn't offer this possibility due to lack of oxygen and light. No compostable bag currently on the market can factually claim that it 100% degrades in a landfill in a short amount of time.

Alternatives to tossing dog waste in your garbage include:

Composting: You can toss your poop filled Lil' Archie's bag into a dog waste compost, and it will degrade within three months or less. The resulting soil is useful for non-edible garden use (soil utilizing dog waste is never safe for edible gardens).

Compost facilities: Some dedicated, Earth-loving people choose this option to dispose of their used dog bags. Check to see if a municipal compost is near you for details on utilizing this service. Also, companies that provide dog waste pick-up for composting purposes are growing throughout the United States. Why not do your environmental duty while someone else does the dirty work?

Backyard burial: If you're fortunate to have a spacious backyard, you can bury the bags into at least 15 inches of soil, keeping a distance from edible gardens and water sources. Your dog's waste and the Lil' Archie's bag that carries it will compost back to nature leaving no harmful residues behind.

As the bioplastic science community continues to innovate and transform current unsustainable plastic packaging products, the Lil' Archie's team is paying close attention and is actively involved in the movement to rid the planet of plastic bag pollution. Please join us!