Poop management for domesticated animals is more of an issue with dogs and cats than others. That being said, bird owners and small animal owners can take advantage of biodegradable bedding and poop-remover sprays.

What to Do with Doggie Doo

Many cities have laws requiring dog owners to pick up after their pets when walking in someone else's yard or in a public place. This reduces the possibility of stepping in something unpleasant; more important, the laws help control levels of bacteria in the ground and water.

Droppings left on the roads or sidewalks can be washed directly into storm sewers that drain into lakes and ponds. When pet waste washes into a body of water, it causes an increase in fecal bacteria, which is a health threat to humans and animals and also sets in motion a potentially dangerous chain reaction. Nutrients like nitrogen released from fecal bacteria encourage weed and algae growth. The excessive growth limits the amount of sunlight able to penetrate the surface, which kills aquatic vegetation below. Those plants provide dissolved oxygen to the environment and serve as nurseries to fish populations. Without them, the ecosystem can be thrown into disarray.

The best solution for picking up an animal's droppings is to use a biodegradable bag. That way, when it's disposed, the bag will degrade along with the droppings. You can find them at pet stores and at many gathering spots like doggie parks and campgrounds.

Some cities, like San Francisco, are developing ways to make the most of dog feces by converting it into methane that can be used for fuel. The city partnered with Norcal Waste Systems to collect waste from a dog park in San Francisco for a pilot program in 2006. Norcal fed the feces into a methane digester. Some dairy operations use similar digesters, feeding cow dung into the digester to convert it into methane to supply electricity.

What's in the Box?

Along with building a better mousetrap, people are always trying to come up with a better litter box. Even when cleaned regularly, they can smell and are usually surrounded by litter that's been tossed about by kitty. Manufacturers churn out new and improved litter boxes to reduce the hassle of cleaning up after your cat, but not all of the newest fads are really good, especially for kittens. Clumping kitty litter does make cleaning easier, but it will expand if ingested. Because of their curiosity, kittens nibble the litter, making them particularly vulnerable. This can cause vomiting or blockage of their digestive systems.

Most kitty litters are made from clay that is mined, and any mining operations are hard on the earth. Regardless of the reclamation performed, the land can never be returned to pristine conditions once the mining is complete. Mining operations disrupt the land surface by removing all the trees and the topsoil, rerouting storm water onto and off of the site. They generate waste, which can include the release of metal contamination into the groundwater. Silica dust is produced during mining and in the litter box. Silica from the clay litter has been known to cause silicosis, a chronic and sometimes fatal lung disease.

Alternatives for filling the cat box include biodegradable litter. Green options include litter made from recycled paper or reclaimed wood. Not only do these litters avoid mining operations, they utilize postconsumer waste that would otherwise be sent to a landfill. If you are planning to switch your kitty to biodegradable or recycled litter, you may need to do it gradually, adding a little at a time so as not to confuse the cat.