Closing the loop on dog poop

Can composting dog poop cut back on pollution?

AuthorAuthor

Lena Beck & Modern Farmer
May 26, 2024

Hello! Lena here, staff writer for Modern Farmer.

You could say our team likes compost—we've covered it a lot recently. 

  • In March, there was a story by Senior Staff Writer and Editor Emily Baron Cadloff about Ben Stanger, who started his own composting business, Green Box, after overcoming zoning regulations.

  • Emily then wrote another great feature looking into what inhibits cities from starting municipal compost programs.

  • And there was that time I pedaled around Missoula, Montana, with a bike-powered compost crew.

What we've found is that you, our readers, must also love compost, because when we put a call out to see which cities had compost programs (municipal or private), we got well over 100 responses! You can check out the map here.

So I think you'll like the new story we're bringing you today. It has compost, sled dogs, people battling plastic pollution, and, well: lots of dog poop.

Cities may not compost your dog poop yet, but you can start now.

A very cute speckled dog relieves itself in a field at golden hour.

The average dog produces about three quarters of a pound of poop per day. Photo: Shutterstock

Also fresh this week

Joshua Westerfeld | Tiktok: @family_farm_life

With a ban on TikTok looming, many farmers, ranchers and producers are worried about how they’ll continue to connect with audiences.

Mark Shepard, wearing a white shirt and a ball cap, leans down to smell a group of mushrooms growing on a log.

Mark Shepard

“There's all kinds of environmental nightmares going on right now, and we need to do an ecological rehabilitation of this planet in a hurry.”

Community Action Corner

Our reporting turns up valuable insights on the food system, as well as great, actionable advice from experts on how to build a better one. Here, find a weekly action or prompt - sourced from our community - to help you stay engaged.

Weekly Action | Are you a farmer who uses social media to connect with your community, or a social media user who enjoys food and farming content? Tell us how a TikTok ban would impact you.

Hungry for more? Check out the Modern Farmer Solutions Hub for more actionable advice from experts. 

By the way, you may have noticed that one of our stories this week was about the current status of the Farm Bill. It’s easy to assume the Farm Bill only affects farmers—but if you eat food, it affects you too. As legislators try to get a new bill ready by September, you can read our status update. Got a story about how you’ve been affected by the Farm Bill? Email me and let’s chat. 

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you next week!

~ LB