earthtalk

The effect of pet waste on the environment

 

Dear EarthTalk: Does all the pet waste American dogs and cats leave behind outside have an effect (positively or negatively) on the environment? — Mary C., Seattle, Wash.

Dog and cat waste may seem harmless, but the reality is that your pet’s poop can be very problematic for ecosystems where it accumulates. Think of an ecosystem as a closed box. Within that closed box is everything that makes up an ecosystem: the dirt, the bugs, the animals, the plants, the microbes, and all the different chemicals necessary for the functioning of each of the organisms that call this “box” home. Some organisms prefer some chemicals in abundance; others do not. As such, a homeostasis of sorts develops over time that eventually balances the populations of each organism in the box.

As these organisms eat one another, they absorb nutrients and excrete waste that is essentially a product of the organism they ate, derived from the very same chemicals that organism was made of. So, in effect, there is never an addition or subtraction of anything to that box. The same chemicals are being used over and over. However, if you were to add waste that was derived from an outside source to that box (ecosystem), say a dog-food factory where the ingredients (and therefore the chemicals) are chosen in abundance to provide the best possible diet, then you would be upsetting the balance of that ecosystem.

The chemicals found in pet feces that are the most problematic are nitrogen and phosphorus, which in overabundance can cause certain organisms to thrive, and others to falter. Algae blooms, for example, thrive when nitrogen and phosphorous levels are high. These blooms can spread very quickly across waterways, sucking the oxygen from aquatic ecosystems and suffocating wildlife.

So, what are we supposed to do with all this poop? Throwing it in the trash unfortunately just moves the problem to another location. Our best option would be to naturally compost it, but if your options are limited, flushing it down the toilet to be processed at a sewage treatment facility is considered the most convenient and greenest option today. 

EarthTalk® is produced by the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.

earthtalk
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Lakeville Journal and The Journal does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

Liane McGhee

Liane McGhee
Liane McGhee
Liane McGhee

Liane McGhee, a woman defined by her strength of will, generosity, and unwavering devotion to her family, passed away leaving a legacy of love and cherished memories.

Born Liane Victoria Conklin on May 27, 1957, in Sharon, CT, she grew up on Fish Street in Millerton, a place that remained close to her heart throughout her life. A proud graduate of the Webutuck High School Class of 1975, Liane soon began the most significant chapter of her life when she married Bill McGhee on August 7, 1976. Together, they built a life centered on family and shared values.

Keep ReadingShow less

‘Women Laughing’ celebrates New Yorker cartoonists

‘Women Laughing’ celebrates New Yorker cartoonists

Ten New Yorker cartoonists gather around a table in a scene from “Women Laughing.”

Eric Korenman

There is something deceptively simple about a New Yorker cartoon. A few lines, a handful of words — usually fewer than a dozen — and suddenly an entire worldview has been distilled into a single panel.

There is also something delightfully subversive about watching a room full of women sit around a table drawing them. Not necessarily because it seems unusual now — thankfully — but because “Women Laughing,” screening May 9 at The Moviehouse in Millerton, reminds us that for much of The New Yorker’s history, such a gathering would have been nearly impossible to imagine.

Keep ReadingShow less
film

By any other name: becoming Lena Hall

By any other name: becoming Lena Hall

In “Your Friends and Neighbors,” Lena Hall’s character is also a musician.

Courtesy Apple TV
At a certain point you stop asking who people want you to be and start figuring out who you already are.
— Lena Hall

There is a moment in conversation with actress and musician Lena Hall when the question of identity lands with unusual force.

“Well,” she said, pausing to consider it, “who am I really?”

Keep ReadingShow less
our community
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Remembering Todd Snider at The Colonial Theatre

Remembering Todd Snider at The Colonial Theatre

“A Love Letter to Handsome John” screens at The Colonial Theatre on May 8.

Provided

Fans of the late singer-songwriter Todd Snider will have a rare opportunity to gather in celebration of his life and music when “A Love Letter to Handsome John,” a documentary by Otis Gibbs, screens for one night only at The Colonial Theatre in North Canaan on Friday, May 8.

Presented by Wilder House Berkshires and The Colonial Theatre, the 54-minute film began as a tribute to Snider’s friend and mentor, folk legend John Prine. Instead, following Snider’s death last November at age 59, it became something more intimate: a portrait of the alt-country pioneer during the final year of his life.

Keep ReadingShow less
film

Sharon Playhouse debuts new logoahead of 2026 season

Sharon Playhouse debuts new logoahead of 2026 season

New Sharon Playhouse logo designed by Christina D’Angelo.

Provided

The Sharon Playhouse has unveiled a new brand identity for its 2026 season, reimagining its logo around the silhouette of the historic barn that has long defined the theater.

Sharon Playhouse leadership — Carl Andress, Megan Flanagan and Michael Baldwin — revealed the new logo and website ahead of the 2026 season. The change reflects leadership’s desire to embrace both the Playhouse’s history and future, capturing its nostalgia while reinventing its image.

Keep ReadingShow less
sharon playhouse

A Tangled First Foray to New York in 2026

A Tangled First Foray to New York in 2026

Gary Dodson demonstrated the two-handed switch rod cast on the Schoharie Creek on April 18. The author failed to learn said cast.

Patrick L. Sullivan

The last time I tried fishing in the Catskills, in the fall of 2025, I had to stop pretty abruptly when it became apparent my hip was not going to cooperate.

So it was with considerable trepidation that I waded across a stretch of the “Little Esopus” that turned out to be a little bit deeper and a tad more robust than I thought.

Keep ReadingShow less
fishing
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.