Justine McKeen, Pooper Scooper
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6. Joining the growing number of responsible pet owners may encourage hotel managers to accept pets when you are traveling and help keep fees to a minimum.
7. No one likes to step in pet waste and spread it into homes, cars and businesses.
8. Scooping on a daily basis and applying lime will help prevent odors.
9. It’s easy to clean up by carrying plastic Baggies and paper towels in your pocket. The Baggies can be secured and thrown away in the garbage.
10. Your neighbors will appreciate your good manners.
Biogas Digester
When dog owners are responsible and dispose of dog poop, the “doggie bags” usually go to a landfill. The methane gas released by dog poop as it breaks down is still released into the atmosphere, and too much methane hurts the environment. That’s one of the reasons that Justine was so excited about raising money for a biogas digester.
The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, installed one called a Park Spark at a local dog park. Dog owners throw their pet’s waste into an above-ground tube and then stir it with a hand crank that sends the waste to a bacteria container buried underground. Anaerobic bacteria—these bacteria don’t use oxygen—begin to break down the waste. Methane is released. The gas is piped to a streetlight, which burns the gas and lights the park with a flame. The city hopes that someday the gas can be used to power vendor carts.
To learn about getting a Park Spark for your city or park, go to http://parksparkproject.com.
Chapter Ten
Why is your school librarian good for the environment? Because he or she can help you find information! And we need information to be able to make good choices—not only for the environment, but in all areas of life.
If you and your friends want to be library supporters, start by telling your librarians how much you appreciate them.
Sigmund Brouwer is the bestselling author of many books for children and young adults. Sigmund loves visiting schools and talking with youth of all ages about reading and writing. Justine McKeen, Pooper Scooper is the third title in his new series about Justine and her efforts to create a greener community. Sigmund lives in Red Deer, Alberta, and Nashville, Tennessee.