It's not something you may think of when talking about saving our environment, but in "Be Green Two," its a big problem of pet waste.

We love our pets but there's a messy problem that's often ignored...with a typical dog producing 270 pounds of waste per year and 23-million bacteria per gram.

Markus Owens of the City Environmental Services Departmnet says, "Some studies had been done out there that say only about 60 percent of owners pick up their dog's waste :35 which leaves about 4 million tons out there across the nation and that becomes a problem."

The city's department of environmental services says that waste and bacteria gets washed into our streams and storm drains and from there reaches our waterways and ocean, untreated.

"And the nutrients in the dog waste with a lot of bacteria, has a chance to suffocate the marine life and block light from coming in and reducing oxygen in those areas."

It's a problem for humans and pets too.

Dr. John Kaya, a Veterinarian says, "Leaving stool behind will leave parasite eggs behind and as such other animals can get it and these same parasites, the round worms and hook worms can be transmitted to people, humans, so that's very dangerous."

An option to avoid putting plastic bags in landfills is a new product called a skooperbox.

Cynthia Abbot, Skooperbox Distributor says, "They're made from 100 percent recycled material and they're one hundred percent biodegradable 22:11 so they break down in landfills in about 30 days."

Thirty in a box for 12 dollars, no touching with your hand and it's easy to carry to a rubbish can, available at pet me salon.

"No matter how you do it, paper towel, newspaper, put it in the plastic bag or biodegradable bag, anything as long as we can encourage them to pick it up that will solve a majority of the problem," says Owens.

For more information and tips, call the City's "Environmental Services Storm Water Branch Hotline" at 768-3300.