Preventing Public Poop Piles Program
Politics of poopers, scoopers St. Petersburg Times Thu, 10 Aug 2006 10:21 PM PDT
Nothing can ruin a nice stroll like stepping in a fresh, steamy pile of dog poop. Not as gross, but still frustrating, is seeing a dog owner slip away after his pet does its business, leaving behind the evidence.
"People usually reached for a plastic bag when their dog doo-dooed in a neighbor's yard, but when it came to scooping in public areas, forget it. Let nature wash it away."
"The staff will set up an information booth from 8:30 a.m. to noon in Rivercrest Park at Osborne Avenue and River Boulevard, east of Hillsborough River. Dog owners can pick up brochures, pooper scooper reminder magnets and fire hydrant-shaped bag dispensers that clip to leashes."
"Holland wasn't afraid to get down and stinky to monitor results of the new program. On June 4, she and her obviously adoring boyfriend counted every pile of poop along a nearly 1-mile stretch of sidewalk through Rivercrest Park.
The number nauseated: 83 piles, including one next to the poop bag dispenser.
Using GPS, Holland mapped every pile and printed the results onto a poster to display at the information booth. Every month, she will remap the poop in the hopes of showing a dramatic decrease."
20 comments:
83 piles of dog poo
+ 1 mile stretch of greenspace
= Fertilizer
83 piles of dog poo
+ plastic bags
= non-biodegradable landfill
Someone has way too much time on their hands. While it is a nuisance, come on. Get a life. Why not take this energy and do something positive. Lets see...how bout fighting the city to see why the parks are overgrown, ran down and not usable. Why is Giddens park still in the start up stages and 2 sections of the grand riverwalk completed, the pier at Ballast point beginning, etc. Focus on something that really changes lives and neighborhoods.
I don't have a problem with dogs pooping in the parks but people who let their dogs poop in private yards should be forced to eat poop.
I care about all that poop in the park! The poop runs right into the Hillsborough river when it rains everyday. According the the article:
"Officials nationwide have identified pet waste as a significant source of bacterial contamination and excess nutrients in lakes, rivers and bays. Poop washes into waterways, creating health problems for swimmers who ingest the water. It also adds nitrogen to the water, which leads to algae blooms that suck up oxygen and kill fish."
I am curious to know how squirrel, bird, raccoon, snake, rabbit, etc, poop affects the river? Isn't this a natural occurrance?
i like to poop on dog poop in peoples private yards
everyone poops.
83 piles of poop does not fertilizer make! It spreads disease and parasites and is dangerous for the aquafer.]
Don't know about squirrel poop, but racoon, rabbit and bird poop are excellent natural fertilizer.
By the way, dogs are domesticated, and are not the same as wild animals.
annonymous 4:35, I'll leave the TP in my mailbox. Just leave it in the bushes when you done, I'll get it. Not a problem.
OMG...
Mapping doggy dung.
Doctor, Doctor, more medication stat!
i would be happy if dog poo was the only thing going into the river. I would be more worried about other things people dump in the river verses a couple of nuggets from dogs here and there.
I am the person conducting the "Pooches for the Planet" campaign at Rivercres Park. As the outreach coordinator for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, my job ( and my passion) is to help bay area residents understand how thier own actions affect the bay and its watershed, and how they can be a part of the pollution solution. I also live in South Seminole Heights and know how deeply most of our residents care about the river and our beautiful park and greenway.
Unfortunately, dog poo is a very serious source of both bacterial contamination (which is what makes waters unsafe for swimming, fishing, or drinking) and excess nutrients (too much fertilizer that leads to algae blooms and fish kills). Studies conducted throughout the nation repeatedly have shown that pet waste is responsible for 20-30 percent of the harmful bacterial pollution in our country's waterways. That is a significant number. Pet waste is increasingly a problem in urban watersheds throughout the country, and much information can be found about its impact on the environment by doing an Internet search. You'll also learn that many, many other communities around the country (including Seattle, Philadephia and Austin) are implementing education programs to reduce pet waste flowing into their rivers, bays and lakes.
While litter in the Hillsborough River might seem like a more obvious problem to those of us who live along the river, it is the unseen pollution (in the form of excess nitrogen and bacteria) that is more damaging to the health of the river itself.
This is why there is a city ordinance requiring pet owners to pick up dog poop. More importantly, it's the right thing to do for all of us who care about the Hillsborough River and the bay. Picking up after our dogs is one very simple and easy step we can ALL take that will make a difference.
More information about "Pooches for the Planet" can be found on our website at www.tbep.org
Nanette Holland
Tampa Bay Estuary Program
nanette@tbep.org
Please provide the links to the "Studies conducted throughout the nation repeatedly have shown that pet waste is responsible for 20-30 percent of the harmful bacterial pollution in our country's waterways" I am tired of psuedo-science.
I would like to see the studies. Dog waste may not be the best thing for the river but I seriously doubt it is in the top ten issues effecting the estuaries and river.
I would just like to point out that studies dont prove sh#t...anyone can manipulate a study in his or her favor. Pets arent eatting toxic waste they are eatting healthy well balanced meals. There is more wild animal waste in the river than anything. Blaming it on pets is just plain stupid.
Yeah screw that lady for caring about the enviroment! God people on here will post any jack ass opinion they want when they can hide it behind "Anonymous" What the hell did Nanette do to you? Maybe a dog shat in your cheerios.
Yeah screw that lady for caring about the enviroment! God people on here will post any jack ass opinion they want when they can hide it behind "Anonymous" What the hell did Nanette do to you? Maybe a dog shat in your cheerios.
Sure she might not be doing something as important as complaining about driveways or putting an OSH sticker on her beamer but let’s cut her some slack, she's doing the best she can.
P.S I totally bet she likes YBOR Pizza and Subs.. lets lynch her!
to wish i had a blog: that was one of the best posts i have seen in a long. time thank you for reminding me just how stupid the general masses can be. rolls eyes! Caring for the enviroment is one thing coming up with fictional statistics is another!
Preventing Public Poop Piles Program
Ha
avoiding allteration allday
The interesting thing is I found myself near the river Monday killing time. I drove from Hillsborough to Osborne, I noticed the sidewalk is nowhere near the river. At the closet point it may be 15 feet from the river. If rain can decompose the "poop" and flush it in the river, I would hate to see the dog that could lay one big enough to create the river it would take to get it in the river.
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