ecodog - an interview with Jasmin Hodžić, CEO
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Are you aware that over a million birds and 100 000 marine mammals die every year after eating or getting stuck in plastic bags? That plastic in the fields stops the passage of oxygen and causes infertility in the soil? In the meantime, there are microplastics in the animals' bloodstreams that most people feed on as well as in our own. And not only in the bloodstream, because we know that what enters us eventually has to go out - but we, humans, at least have a working sewage system with filters.
Not that they filter out microplastics, and it is a problem that's being worked on at a global level, but what about our dogs?
Could we somehow - along with the notion that there is no Dog Poop Fairy, and that we are the ones who have to pick up our pets' poop - also please become aware of the fact that biodegradable plastic takes at least a thousand (in numbers: 1000) years to break down, while ordinary plastic NEVER decomposes (in numbers: ∞, plastic is eternal), and the Earth does not have so much time before it becomes uninhabitable?
Keeping dogs in the city already has a certain number of enemies who, unfortunately, are partly right. Animals need to be farmed for dog food production, just like those for human consumption (for the carnivores among us), which pollute the atmosphere with methane emissions. Piles of dog poop in the city streets are not only a question of aesthetics but also a sanitary problem. For example, my dogs contracted Giardia when we were temporarily forced to go to the dog park (otherwise, we avoid them). On another occasion, (due to Liza's age and low mobility), she contracted Clostridium perfrigens in another dog park. Neither one is good news, because, apart from the veterinary costs, the costs for specialty food during the treatment, and the costs of the treatment itself (especially of the Clostridium), I also had to collect their runny poop. You can imagine what it was like to collect diarrhea - and knowing that some other dog would get infected if I didn't collect it, I worked hard... I couldn't go anywhere without wet wipes (another ecologically questionable product).
By the way, such and similar infections in dogs with weaker immunity, older dogs, or young puppies can be life-threatening. Not to mention how miserable I feel when I step into one poop trying to get to my own dogs' poop! Or when I walk past a poop on the sidewalk, I feel hostile looks from the passers-by. I often collect other people's dog poop out of sheer embarrassment - wasting my resources and feeling dirty. I have to admit that lately, I have been troubled by some environmental issues. My husband and I are currently working on putting solar panels on the roof, considering the global warming resulting in more and more sunny days in Zagreb (too many, if you ask me).
I am also troubled by the issue of "biodegradable" plastic bags for collecting dog poop - namely, I just saw this recently and found out that, by buying (twice as expensive, btw.) "bio" bags - I added an insult to injury.
Then I remembered one of my posts from over a year ago about paper bags called ecodog. I found them quickly on the web. They can be ordered online, and the more you buy, the cheaper they are. After watching the video a couple of times, to figure out exactly how to hold the spatula, I am now quite satisfied, not only with the bags but also with a clean conscience.
I was intrigued by the whole story and was surprised that this ecological solution is not available in every pet shop, so I contacted the company and met Jasmin Hodžić, a man with a clear mission and vision.
I was interested in where he got the idea for these bags, and when he started talking, I realized that he was a true fighter for the planet's future.
Jasmin, how did you develop the idea for these bags, and how did it all begin?
During a tourist visit to Prague and its beautiful parks in 2020, I came across FEDOG bags that were widely available in Prague's parks and streets. Since the FEDOG bag is free, I took a few dozen copies and realized that what I held in my hands is a perfect product – it is ecological, is used for collecting dog excrement, and has an industrial-protected design mark for the entire EU.
Full of impressions, I returned home, took FEDOG bags, and invited my friends with dogs (I didn't have one then) for a walk. We sat in the park and waited for one of the three dogs to do it.
I looked at the instructions on the back of the bag, took out the cardboard spatula, and waited.
As soon as Cura, the first ecodog ambassador (a mixed breed of 5 and a half yrs and 20 kg), did her thing, a chain reaction started, and Adri (a mixed breed of the Border collie type, 13 years old and 23 kg) and the youngest, a 40 kg Bernese mountain dog named Gita, did the same. Adri, the oldest lady, was the first to finish, and I went to her poop. It was of medium softness (I concluded by visual inspection because I didn't have a plastic bag to hold her poop in my hand, as usual). I struggled a bit, but I picked everything up, put the spatula in the bag, and closed it. I took out the second bag and visited Cura's poop, which was quite plentiful, but it was hard. I placed the spatula next to it and started moving the spatula back and forth, back and forth. The poop ended up on the spatula.
I put it in the bag and repeated the process twice more, since there were three dogs.
All of this seemed extremely simple to me.
On the way to the waste bin and the bench where the other bags were (I only had two in my hands), Gita's "little" poop appeared on the way. Since I was already passing by, I decided to take out the spatula from the already used bag and pick it up using the same technique: back and forth. At that moment, I was surprised by the quality and resistance of the spatula. When I saw that only one bag was enough for the excrement of two dogs, there was no end to my excitement.
And I no longer need to touch warm (or even worse - cold) water with my hand every time I walk, which was usual until now.
Now, some will say this is too much excitement about shit, but your audience surely understands me. :)
It was an experience for me because, in every characteristic and application of the FEDOG bag, I felt relief for Mother Nature. She suffers while I hold in my hands something that will make her life easier – a really good bag made of recycled paper.
And now what?
I have never worked with sales, marketing, or ecology, but with a specific type of work: atomic shelters. However, knowing that I have a product that has been used in the EU for several decades, that has been widely used, tested, and was really ecological, I decided to open a new chapter - thus, with a little help from some friends, the ecodog was born.
That was the only reasonable name for this product. I contacted the producer and the licensee, introduced myself, presented my idea, and received an invitation to revisit Prague and to have a meeting about possible cooperation.
I had a month until the meeting, so I devoted that time to research. I started studying: what kind of bags there are, what they are made of, who produces them, how they impact the environment, how many dogs there are in our country, what the statistics say about collecting poop, and what are the legal obligations...
I also started researching the patent of the FEDOG bag and found out that the regulation for that specific Industrial Protected Design dictates that the raw material for production can only be recycled paper (thereby eliminating any possibility of cutting down a tree to create a FEDOG/ecodog bag), that paints and glue that are used are water-based and are a safe product, and that the bag is produced using a unique technique that achieves its impermeability.
After gathering all this information, I was shocked to learn how the companies that offer us different types of bags, and sell them under "bio/eco/recycled/degradable/bioplastic" are actually fooling us. Today, when I look back at that shocking realization, I can proudly say that now, when I see a bag that says "bio" I turn the other way. Now I have ecodog.
The story continued smoothly; I got permission from the FEDOG license holder to market the FEDOG product under the name ecodog on Croatian and other markets. From the beginning, ecodog has connected with various associations for protecting animals and Nature because we are a different kind of bag. You take other bags and throw them away; with ecodog the story is much deeper and more emotional.
Please briefly explain to the readers how the bag and the spatula work (there is also a video below for those who are better visual learners).
Each ecodog bag has inside a no-touch spatula with perforations. For the poop not to end up on the fingers, it is necessary to hold the spatula correctly. As I said before, by placing the upper part of the spatula against the poop, and moving the hand back and forth, the poop ends up on the spatula almost by itself. As the spatula is resistant and solid, it can also be made into a tweezer-like gripper that can be used to quickly pick up a harder and formed poop. These two basic techniques are demonstrated in the video we made for our users. We will soon present other video materials, so you will be able to see how to use the ecodog bag with a line in hand, in situations with tall grass, in the snow, in the rain, and, of course, with a softer poop. We are sure that new users will need a few days to catch their grip with a no-touch spatula, it took some members of our team as well. Still, with the knowledge of the effect of the ecodog bag on the environment (it decomposes in a few months and has no bad influence on Nature), and how little effort it takes to get used to the spatula, we happily use this product. So... just give yourself a chance and a bit of time; it's all a matter of habit.
But also the technique - I'm still getting used to it with two leads in my hands. In addition, in my neighborhood, the containers are pretty problematic (full to the brim) and rare, which means that sometimes I have to carry a poop bag for several hundred meters - what would you say to the city authorities, and how would you solve the general problem of disposing dog poop, as well as the overall lack of garbage bins?
There are never enough bins. We humans are prone to quick solutions; if the container is full, we will throw the garbage next to it, and we will rarely carry our trash to the next, questionably empty container. While visiting Prague, I noticed that they don't really have a problem with so-called "landmines" in public areas, and their cleaning culture is high. This is precisely because they have available at their disposal a free ecological bag financed by the city, the municipal company, and the local board - the benefits for the city/municipal company/local council are less waste in landfills, compliance with the EU Directive on reducing the use of single-use plastics, tidy and clean public areas, wide recognition as an environmentally conscious community, etc.
With many widely available locations with FEDOG bags, dog walkers in Prague simply feel uncomfortable if they don't clean up after their pet.
This model of use of FEDOG bags is applied in over 500 European cities, which are therefore healthier and cleaner. Also, I noticed that in such cities, they would rather install a container with FEDOG bags than a sign that the area is prohibited for dogs (Zagreb is full of the latter). A dog is a living member of the community in which it lives, and it is not humane to restrict the spaces for dogs just because of the careless owners who do not pick up after their dogs.
This very model, which has been tested, has been in use for several decades and has visible results; we at ecodog want to implement it in our country and provide Croatian citizens with free, really ecological bags in dog parks and on public green areas.
So far, we have had two talks with the City Office for Economy, Environmental Sustainability and Strategic Planning - Sector for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Waste Management. They praised our idea and forwarded us to Zagrebački Holding, so we contacted them as well. Still, unfortunately, we have not received an answer so far.
We are in communication with several cities and municipalities, and we have the first results:
• At the end of June, in cooperation with representatives of the local authorities and the utility company in this first phase, we installed 5 ecoURBAN containers with ecodog bags on the island of Brač. Citizens and tourists are delighted with the ecodog bag and the visual effect of the ecoURBAN and ecoSTREET containers, with only a few complaints stating that we could have placed the containers in other locations. We indeed accepted the citizens' suggestions relocating several containers according to their suggestions. As a sign of thanks and goodwill, we installed an additional ecoSTREET container.
• In mid-August, we presented a very interesting project in which the tourist sector again recognized and supported us. After the successfully realized project South Istria - Pet Friendly, which was implemented by the cluster of tourism boards of South Istria, we agreed with the Valamar hotel chain. Many pet-friendly hotels, luxury villas, and campsites operate under their auspices, and recently they have started offering the Wow Pet Friendly Holiday service, for all pets staying with them. In this collaboration, we installed ecoURBAN containers in the new Amicor Green Resort, part of the Helios Faros settlement on the island of Hvar. We presented a new ecodog bag design by Valamar.
The ecodog bag is also an excellent advertising product that is intensively used by the tourist sector in presenting Croatia as a pet-friendly destination.
This fall, we will present a collaboration that is very close to our hearts. It is in cooperation with Risnjak National Park. We are incredibly proud of this because, hello! - It's a national park! Risnjak National Park has a wide range of available funds for various projects as a public institution. Recently, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund presented a public call for direct co-financing of "PLASTIC FREE ZONE" promotion projects (JP ZO 2/2022), and Risnjak National Park, of course, responded to that call. This way, we have the first collaboration in which the ecodog bag is financed by the Fund. As a part of this project, we will install three MAG containers for waste sorting (plastic, paper, mixed waste), an ecoSTREET dispenser, and, of course, ecodog bags in Risnjak National Park.
We are convinced that all other bags that wear the self-proclaimed bio or eco product title are certainly not suitable for withdrawing funds from the European funds. For us at ecodog to be sure of this, in our communication with business partners, representatives of the public, and executive authorities, we point out who our competition is and point them to all the relevant and proven characteristics of the product so that they are insured against potential fraud.
We also communicate with other public services; we inform them about the possibilities of financing through European funds, and we refer to the fact of how it works outside of Croatia and what the benefits are. Unfortunately, we do not get much response from most of them, even though the situation in the environment is ALARMING. We are witnessing more severe and frequent natural disasters than ever - in which plastic and its derivatives play a major role.
About 60 000 registered dogs live in the City of Zagreb, and statistics say that only about 50% of dog owners regularly clean up after their pets. If one dog consumes an average of 2,5 bags per day, we quickly get to the number of 75 000 plastic bags that end up in landfills, that is, in the environment. At the level of the whole of Croatia, that number rises to more than 550 000 bags per day.
The numbers are terrifying.
In the Republic of Croatia, there are a total of 555 local self-government units; we contacted all of them, some even several times. We received a response from merely a dozen.
But, even though many of the doors are still closed to us, we will never stop knocking!
So, you mean "While our living heart beats..." as the verse of Lijepa Naša (Croatian national anthem) says, you will keep on. Too bad many swear by Croatia but would not do much for the land itself. Like throwing a cigarette butt in the trash bin/taking it to the bin, throwing the separated waste in the designated tanks, carrying canvas and similar bags to the market, and not buying groceries wrapped in multi-layer plastic. Not to mention the things I saw while sea diving - tourists certainly didn't bring old toilet bowls and washing machines with them...
Speaking of the sea/water - how leak-proof are ecodog bags? (At the time of writing, I have not yet experienced a walk in heavy rain with an ecodog bag)
The FEDOG/ecodog bags are made with a unique technique that enables impermeability. All FEDOG/ecodog copies that have appeared so far had a problem with permeability (among other reasons) and quickly disappeared from the market.
ecodog bag is impervious to a certain extent because it is still a paper bag, and paper and water are not very good friends. But due to the already mentioned production technique, every ecodog bag will last in the rain until the first container. You will surely now remind me that there are not many waste containers that are placed very far apart. But most dog guardians walking in the rain, usually carry an umbrella. With an umbrella in one hand and a line and a used ecodog bag in the other, just go ahead boldly; it will manage those few drops that land on it. Our ecoSTREET dispenser has a dog-shaped cut-out on its front surface through which you can see the ecodog bag. Weather conditions reach the bag through that opening all the time. But as soon as the sun comes out and the wind blows, the ecodog bag is ready for use.
Did you mention that the ecodog bags are made from recycled paper? What exactly is the difference between "normal" and recycled paper - for those who may not (yet) recycle?
That's right. ecodog bag is a 100% recycled product. The main difference between recycled and regular paper is that a tree is killed for standard paper. Recycled paper is made from waste paper. By the way, paper can be recycled up to seven times, meaning seven different functional products can be made. The raw material for the ecodog bag is taken after the fourth recycling stage; in addition, citizens can donate to our frequent campaigns published on our social networks: FB https://www.facebook.com/ecodog.hrvatska and IG https://www.instagram.com/ecodog.hrvatska/, or plant trees in their pets' name.
This brings us back to the beginning of the story. To create paper, a tree was killed - we used that waste, made a product that is a relief for Nature in every segment, and finally, planted a tree so that the spirit of that first fallen tree continues to live on. We carried out tree planting campaigns on behalf of pets in three locations, with the help of citizens who donated seedlings. This way, the three ecodog orchards were created. The locations are Animal Protection NGOs Farmica - Našice, Anima dvor - Dvor na Uni, and Noina Arka - Dumovec. We have planted about a hundred old fruit tree varieties. The plan in some associations is to make products from the fruits of the trees, which would provide additional funds for their work. In addition to the fruit trees, we also planted luxurious catalpas that will provide deep shade for the dogs at Farmica, and linden trees in Noah's Ark. Each donor and seedling received a name tag and thusly, we marked them permanently. We are planting again soon!
As I said before, the story is deeper and more emotional with us - you take another bio, eco, and similar bags and throw them away. And then they get buried, but it's not the same depth.
I'm ashamed to admit that I used "biodegradable" bags until now, but in order to use them as little as possible, when I'm in my cottage with a large orchard, I'd first let the poop dry a little, then collect several of them in the same bag so that they can be disposed of the cheaper way...
Unfortunately, the cheaper way, i.e., disposable plastic, has brought us to this situation with the environment. Will we solve a global problem with something cheap? I don't think so. A large percentage of plastic bags and their derivatives are produced in China, where the environmental standards in production are not very high. Of course, China also has high-quality products that are competitive and not cheap. But, if you compare the prices (from 75 to 60 lipa/piece, it depends on how many you buy at once, op. RJ), the ecodog bag is even cheaper than some bags that carry the bio label. Our primary goal is not profit but changing people's habits, creating relief for the environment, education, and free ecodog bags for citizens. However, a biodegradable bag is only degradable in industrial conditions, where specific parameters must be reached for it to decompose, and these parameters cannot be achieved naturally in the environment. Recently, bags made of corn starch, obtained from corn kernels, have become popular.
Some of the plants we grow do not end up on our plates but are used exclusively for the production of bioplastics, and corn starch bags, for example. However, some plants, such as corn and soy, are important for the nutrition of the world's population. Therefore, using corn starch to produce bioplastics is not sustainable because, with this process, we reduce the amount of food that should be available to people. It is known that there are hungry people still today.
In addition, for the cultivation of 1 kg of corn, we take 1200 liters of water away from Nature. The areas needed for its cultivation cause the devastation of the environment and biodiversity.
The only "good" thing is that it breaks down quickly, but with all of the manufacturing dilemmas, I think it's better not to use them. Read where the bio bags you buy were produced, and think about it! In our country, in the last year, several companies have boasted that they produced plastic bottles for their drinks from recycled plastic. In 2022. Wow... some kind of progress! And people buy it as innovative.
The ecodog bag is not made of plastic and is a recycled product created in 1998 that has been available in Croatia for two years!
Okay, now I feel even worse….
But those rolls are so practical because I can hook them on a leash or tie them to it when I run out of the house in a hurry, and I don't have any pockets. Do you offer a similar solution?
When ecodog came to life, our plan was to produce a clip for holding the ecodog bag, which would be made of recycled plastic using the 3D printing technique. We quickly came to our senses and concluded that it would be a total failure, even though it would be ecodog3D. We would create yet another product from that damn plastic and spit in our own mouths. The solution was a textile bag made from. We hired the DES Institution from Split, which produced the first series of canvas bags for ecodog. We no longer cooperate with them because they produced a copy of the FEDOG/ecodog bag (more on that soon, op. RJ).
We are negotiating with a new partner who will produce canvas bags, from recycled textiles with Velcro for easy opening.
Great, because we humans are slaves to habits, although we can all become righteous and responsible Poop Fairies. Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
We live in the 21st century, and many solutions are verified, proven, and sustainable. So the question "can we" should no longer exist today.
We can, yes. We know we can.
A new question that needs to be highlighted today to make the population of our only Earth aware is: Do you want to?
Do you still want to be a fossil and use products created based on fossil fuels?
Do you want to eat a kilo of plastic in a year (now you eat one card a week)?
Do you want your descendants not to get to know different plant and animal species facing extinction because of us and disposable plastic, many of which they can only see in pictures?
Or, do you want to be a cultured, educated, engaged citizen of Planet Earth who lives as close to Nature as possible?
The situation in the environment is dramatic, and we are not using the available solutions. We, people/associations/companies dealing with environmental issues, must become much more direct and honest. We have to confront the people with the facts:
This year we are witnessing different environmental disasters. The rivers Po, Danube, Rhine, the source of the river Thames are drying up... the list is long. The agricultural sector has been devastated by droughts. If we do not urgently change our habits, we will face even worse, such as thirst, hunger, and even more wars. According to research, Croatia is one of the areas where climate change will be most dramatic. We are witnessing droughts and floods. Recently, an international speleological expedition explored 15 caves in the most protected parts of Velebit. In one of them, Luka's pit, which had been completely sealed by ice for the last 22 years, and is located at a depth of 70 meters, due to climate changes and accelerated melting of the ice, new passages have appeared, leading to deeper parts of the cave. Estimations are that this ice is older than half a millennium.
According to the latest data from the EDU website, 35% of the EU territory is in a state of alertness (orange), and 25% is in a state of acute alert (red)!
One of the solutions, more appropriate to the 21st century that ecodog will support and promote is earthworm hotels (still researching). Not long ago, Vestigium Association://udrugavestigium.wixsite.com/vestigium from Zagreb set up the first earthworm hotel in a park. It is meant for the people to throw the poop bag through a hole (pipe) into it after walking their dog, and the earthworms will take care of everything. Of course, people throw the poop in plastic bags, the tube often gets blocked because of it, and the earthworms don't break down plastic, i.e., they don't feed on it as they do with the poop - the system has a lot of drawbacks. ecodog sees all of the potential of this system - as long as we use ecodog bags instead of plastic ones. ecodog decomposes quickly and has no harmful effect on the environment and, this way, on earthworms.
ecodog may not be the only and ultimate solution, but it is an essential factor in the dog world. I remind you that 75 000 bags in the Zagreb city area of end up in the environment every day because of dog owners who use simple disposable solutions.
In the 21st century, there is no room for disposable plastics - we have to improve!
ecodog truly is the only ecological bag!
Thank you, Jasmin, Joy, Pixie, and I are joining in - and hopefully, many other wiggly butts and their guardians!
From now on, call me ecoDog Poop Fairy® and don't forget the ecodog message:
Mother Nature doesn't need us - we need Her!
Rujana Jeger for Pasji život™
Not that they filter out microplastics, and it is a problem that's being worked on at a global level, but what about our dogs?
Could we somehow - along with the notion that there is no Dog Poop Fairy, and that we are the ones who have to pick up our pets' poop - also please become aware of the fact that biodegradable plastic takes at least a thousand (in numbers: 1000) years to break down, while ordinary plastic NEVER decomposes (in numbers: ∞, plastic is eternal), and the Earth does not have so much time before it becomes uninhabitable?
Keeping dogs in the city already has a certain number of enemies who, unfortunately, are partly right. Animals need to be farmed for dog food production, just like those for human consumption (for the carnivores among us), which pollute the atmosphere with methane emissions. Piles of dog poop in the city streets are not only a question of aesthetics but also a sanitary problem. For example, my dogs contracted Giardia when we were temporarily forced to go to the dog park (otherwise, we avoid them). On another occasion, (due to Liza's age and low mobility), she contracted Clostridium perfrigens in another dog park. Neither one is good news, because, apart from the veterinary costs, the costs for specialty food during the treatment, and the costs of the treatment itself (especially of the Clostridium), I also had to collect their runny poop. You can imagine what it was like to collect diarrhea - and knowing that some other dog would get infected if I didn't collect it, I worked hard... I couldn't go anywhere without wet wipes (another ecologically questionable product).
By the way, such and similar infections in dogs with weaker immunity, older dogs, or young puppies can be life-threatening. Not to mention how miserable I feel when I step into one poop trying to get to my own dogs' poop! Or when I walk past a poop on the sidewalk, I feel hostile looks from the passers-by. I often collect other people's dog poop out of sheer embarrassment - wasting my resources and feeling dirty. I have to admit that lately, I have been troubled by some environmental issues. My husband and I are currently working on putting solar panels on the roof, considering the global warming resulting in more and more sunny days in Zagreb (too many, if you ask me).
I am also troubled by the issue of "biodegradable" plastic bags for collecting dog poop - namely, I just saw this recently and found out that, by buying (twice as expensive, btw.) "bio" bags - I added an insult to injury.
Then I remembered one of my posts from over a year ago about paper bags called ecodog. I found them quickly on the web. They can be ordered online, and the more you buy, the cheaper they are. After watching the video a couple of times, to figure out exactly how to hold the spatula, I am now quite satisfied, not only with the bags but also with a clean conscience.
I was intrigued by the whole story and was surprised that this ecological solution is not available in every pet shop, so I contacted the company and met Jasmin Hodžić, a man with a clear mission and vision.
I was interested in where he got the idea for these bags, and when he started talking, I realized that he was a true fighter for the planet's future.
Jasmin, how did you develop the idea for these bags, and how did it all begin?
During a tourist visit to Prague and its beautiful parks in 2020, I came across FEDOG bags that were widely available in Prague's parks and streets. Since the FEDOG bag is free, I took a few dozen copies and realized that what I held in my hands is a perfect product – it is ecological, is used for collecting dog excrement, and has an industrial-protected design mark for the entire EU.
Full of impressions, I returned home, took FEDOG bags, and invited my friends with dogs (I didn't have one then) for a walk. We sat in the park and waited for one of the three dogs to do it.
I looked at the instructions on the back of the bag, took out the cardboard spatula, and waited.
As soon as Cura, the first ecodog ambassador (a mixed breed of 5 and a half yrs and 20 kg), did her thing, a chain reaction started, and Adri (a mixed breed of the Border collie type, 13 years old and 23 kg) and the youngest, a 40 kg Bernese mountain dog named Gita, did the same. Adri, the oldest lady, was the first to finish, and I went to her poop. It was of medium softness (I concluded by visual inspection because I didn't have a plastic bag to hold her poop in my hand, as usual). I struggled a bit, but I picked everything up, put the spatula in the bag, and closed it. I took out the second bag and visited Cura's poop, which was quite plentiful, but it was hard. I placed the spatula next to it and started moving the spatula back and forth, back and forth. The poop ended up on the spatula.
I put it in the bag and repeated the process twice more, since there were three dogs.
All of this seemed extremely simple to me.
On the way to the waste bin and the bench where the other bags were (I only had two in my hands), Gita's "little" poop appeared on the way. Since I was already passing by, I decided to take out the spatula from the already used bag and pick it up using the same technique: back and forth. At that moment, I was surprised by the quality and resistance of the spatula. When I saw that only one bag was enough for the excrement of two dogs, there was no end to my excitement.
And I no longer need to touch warm (or even worse - cold) water with my hand every time I walk, which was usual until now.
Now, some will say this is too much excitement about shit, but your audience surely understands me. :)
It was an experience for me because, in every characteristic and application of the FEDOG bag, I felt relief for Mother Nature. She suffers while I hold in my hands something that will make her life easier – a really good bag made of recycled paper.
And now what?
I have never worked with sales, marketing, or ecology, but with a specific type of work: atomic shelters. However, knowing that I have a product that has been used in the EU for several decades, that has been widely used, tested, and was really ecological, I decided to open a new chapter - thus, with a little help from some friends, the ecodog was born.
That was the only reasonable name for this product. I contacted the producer and the licensee, introduced myself, presented my idea, and received an invitation to revisit Prague and to have a meeting about possible cooperation.
I had a month until the meeting, so I devoted that time to research. I started studying: what kind of bags there are, what they are made of, who produces them, how they impact the environment, how many dogs there are in our country, what the statistics say about collecting poop, and what are the legal obligations...
I also started researching the patent of the FEDOG bag and found out that the regulation for that specific Industrial Protected Design dictates that the raw material for production can only be recycled paper (thereby eliminating any possibility of cutting down a tree to create a FEDOG/ecodog bag), that paints and glue that are used are water-based and are a safe product, and that the bag is produced using a unique technique that achieves its impermeability.
After gathering all this information, I was shocked to learn how the companies that offer us different types of bags, and sell them under "bio/eco/recycled/degradable/bioplastic" are actually fooling us. Today, when I look back at that shocking realization, I can proudly say that now, when I see a bag that says "bio" I turn the other way. Now I have ecodog.
The story continued smoothly; I got permission from the FEDOG license holder to market the FEDOG product under the name ecodog on Croatian and other markets. From the beginning, ecodog has connected with various associations for protecting animals and Nature because we are a different kind of bag. You take other bags and throw them away; with ecodog the story is much deeper and more emotional.
Please briefly explain to the readers how the bag and the spatula work (there is also a video below for those who are better visual learners).
Each ecodog bag has inside a no-touch spatula with perforations. For the poop not to end up on the fingers, it is necessary to hold the spatula correctly. As I said before, by placing the upper part of the spatula against the poop, and moving the hand back and forth, the poop ends up on the spatula almost by itself. As the spatula is resistant and solid, it can also be made into a tweezer-like gripper that can be used to quickly pick up a harder and formed poop. These two basic techniques are demonstrated in the video we made for our users. We will soon present other video materials, so you will be able to see how to use the ecodog bag with a line in hand, in situations with tall grass, in the snow, in the rain, and, of course, with a softer poop. We are sure that new users will need a few days to catch their grip with a no-touch spatula, it took some members of our team as well. Still, with the knowledge of the effect of the ecodog bag on the environment (it decomposes in a few months and has no bad influence on Nature), and how little effort it takes to get used to the spatula, we happily use this product. So... just give yourself a chance and a bit of time; it's all a matter of habit.
But also the technique - I'm still getting used to it with two leads in my hands. In addition, in my neighborhood, the containers are pretty problematic (full to the brim) and rare, which means that sometimes I have to carry a poop bag for several hundred meters - what would you say to the city authorities, and how would you solve the general problem of disposing dog poop, as well as the overall lack of garbage bins?There are never enough bins. We humans are prone to quick solutions; if the container is full, we will throw the garbage next to it, and we will rarely carry our trash to the next, questionably empty container. While visiting Prague, I noticed that they don't really have a problem with so-called "landmines" in public areas, and their cleaning culture is high. This is precisely because they have available at their disposal a free ecological bag financed by the city, the municipal company, and the local board - the benefits for the city/municipal company/local council are less waste in landfills, compliance with the EU Directive on reducing the use of single-use plastics, tidy and clean public areas, wide recognition as an environmentally conscious community, etc.
With many widely available locations with FEDOG bags, dog walkers in Prague simply feel uncomfortable if they don't clean up after their pet.
This model of use of FEDOG bags is applied in over 500 European cities, which are therefore healthier and cleaner. Also, I noticed that in such cities, they would rather install a container with FEDOG bags than a sign that the area is prohibited for dogs (Zagreb is full of the latter). A dog is a living member of the community in which it lives, and it is not humane to restrict the spaces for dogs just because of the careless owners who do not pick up after their dogs.
This very model, which has been tested, has been in use for several decades and has visible results; we at ecodog want to implement it in our country and provide Croatian citizens with free, really ecological bags in dog parks and on public green areas.
So far, we have had two talks with the City Office for Economy, Environmental Sustainability and Strategic Planning - Sector for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Waste Management. They praised our idea and forwarded us to Zagrebački Holding, so we contacted them as well. Still, unfortunately, we have not received an answer so far.
We are in communication with several cities and municipalities, and we have the first results:
• At the end of June, in cooperation with representatives of the local authorities and the utility company in this first phase, we installed 5 ecoURBAN containers with ecodog bags on the island of Brač. Citizens and tourists are delighted with the ecodog bag and the visual effect of the ecoURBAN and ecoSTREET containers, with only a few complaints stating that we could have placed the containers in other locations. We indeed accepted the citizens' suggestions relocating several containers according to their suggestions. As a sign of thanks and goodwill, we installed an additional ecoSTREET container.
• In mid-August, we presented a very interesting project in which the tourist sector again recognized and supported us. After the successfully realized project South Istria - Pet Friendly, which was implemented by the cluster of tourism boards of South Istria, we agreed with the Valamar hotel chain. Many pet-friendly hotels, luxury villas, and campsites operate under their auspices, and recently they have started offering the Wow Pet Friendly Holiday service, for all pets staying with them. In this collaboration, we installed ecoURBAN containers in the new Amicor Green Resort, part of the Helios Faros settlement on the island of Hvar. We presented a new ecodog bag design by Valamar.
The ecodog bag is also an excellent advertising product that is intensively used by the tourist sector in presenting Croatia as a pet-friendly destination.
This fall, we will present a collaboration that is very close to our hearts. It is in cooperation with Risnjak National Park. We are incredibly proud of this because, hello! - It's a national park! Risnjak National Park has a wide range of available funds for various projects as a public institution. Recently, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund presented a public call for direct co-financing of "PLASTIC FREE ZONE" promotion projects (JP ZO 2/2022), and Risnjak National Park, of course, responded to that call. This way, we have the first collaboration in which the ecodog bag is financed by the Fund. As a part of this project, we will install three MAG containers for waste sorting (plastic, paper, mixed waste), an ecoSTREET dispenser, and, of course, ecodog bags in Risnjak National Park.
We are convinced that all other bags that wear the self-proclaimed bio or eco product title are certainly not suitable for withdrawing funds from the European funds. For us at ecodog to be sure of this, in our communication with business partners, representatives of the public, and executive authorities, we point out who our competition is and point them to all the relevant and proven characteristics of the product so that they are insured against potential fraud.
We also communicate with other public services; we inform them about the possibilities of financing through European funds, and we refer to the fact of how it works outside of Croatia and what the benefits are. Unfortunately, we do not get much response from most of them, even though the situation in the environment is ALARMING. We are witnessing more severe and frequent natural disasters than ever - in which plastic and its derivatives play a major role.
About 60 000 registered dogs live in the City of Zagreb, and statistics say that only about 50% of dog owners regularly clean up after their pets. If one dog consumes an average of 2,5 bags per day, we quickly get to the number of 75 000 plastic bags that end up in landfills, that is, in the environment. At the level of the whole of Croatia, that number rises to more than 550 000 bags per day.
The numbers are terrifying.
In the Republic of Croatia, there are a total of 555 local self-government units; we contacted all of them, some even several times. We received a response from merely a dozen.
But, even though many of the doors are still closed to us, we will never stop knocking!
So, you mean "While our living heart beats..." as the verse of Lijepa Naša (Croatian national anthem) says, you will keep on. Too bad many swear by Croatia but would not do much for the land itself. Like throwing a cigarette butt in the trash bin/taking it to the bin, throwing the separated waste in the designated tanks, carrying canvas and similar bags to the market, and not buying groceries wrapped in multi-layer plastic. Not to mention the things I saw while sea diving - tourists certainly didn't bring old toilet bowls and washing machines with them...
Speaking of the sea/water - how leak-proof are ecodog bags? (At the time of writing, I have not yet experienced a walk in heavy rain with an ecodog bag)
The FEDOG/ecodog bags are made with a unique technique that enables impermeability. All FEDOG/ecodog copies that have appeared so far had a problem with permeability (among other reasons) and quickly disappeared from the market.
ecodog bag is impervious to a certain extent because it is still a paper bag, and paper and water are not very good friends. But due to the already mentioned production technique, every ecodog bag will last in the rain until the first container. You will surely now remind me that there are not many waste containers that are placed very far apart. But most dog guardians walking in the rain, usually carry an umbrella. With an umbrella in one hand and a line and a used ecodog bag in the other, just go ahead boldly; it will manage those few drops that land on it. Our ecoSTREET dispenser has a dog-shaped cut-out on its front surface through which you can see the ecodog bag. Weather conditions reach the bag through that opening all the time. But as soon as the sun comes out and the wind blows, the ecodog bag is ready for use.
Did you mention that the ecodog bags are made from recycled paper? What exactly is the difference between "normal" and recycled paper - for those who may not (yet) recycle?
That's right. ecodog bag is a 100% recycled product. The main difference between recycled and regular paper is that a tree is killed for standard paper. Recycled paper is made from waste paper. By the way, paper can be recycled up to seven times, meaning seven different functional products can be made. The raw material for the ecodog bag is taken after the fourth recycling stage; in addition, citizens can donate to our frequent campaigns published on our social networks: FB https://www.facebook.com/ecodog.hrvatska and IG https://www.instagram.com/ecodog.hrvatska/, or plant trees in their pets' name.
This brings us back to the beginning of the story. To create paper, a tree was killed - we used that waste, made a product that is a relief for Nature in every segment, and finally, planted a tree so that the spirit of that first fallen tree continues to live on. We carried out tree planting campaigns on behalf of pets in three locations, with the help of citizens who donated seedlings. This way, the three ecodog orchards were created. The locations are Animal Protection NGOs Farmica - Našice, Anima dvor - Dvor na Uni, and Noina Arka - Dumovec. We have planted about a hundred old fruit tree varieties. The plan in some associations is to make products from the fruits of the trees, which would provide additional funds for their work. In addition to the fruit trees, we also planted luxurious catalpas that will provide deep shade for the dogs at Farmica, and linden trees in Noah's Ark. Each donor and seedling received a name tag and thusly, we marked them permanently. We are planting again soon!
As I said before, the story is deeper and more emotional with us - you take another bio, eco, and similar bags and throw them away. And then they get buried, but it's not the same depth.
I'm ashamed to admit that I used "biodegradable" bags until now, but in order to use them as little as possible, when I'm in my cottage with a large orchard, I'd first let the poop dry a little, then collect several of them in the same bag so that they can be disposed of the cheaper way...
Unfortunately, the cheaper way, i.e., disposable plastic, has brought us to this situation with the environment. Will we solve a global problem with something cheap? I don't think so. A large percentage of plastic bags and their derivatives are produced in China, where the environmental standards in production are not very high. Of course, China also has high-quality products that are competitive and not cheap. But, if you compare the prices (from 75 to 60 lipa/piece, it depends on how many you buy at once, op. RJ), the ecodog bag is even cheaper than some bags that carry the bio label. Our primary goal is not profit but changing people's habits, creating relief for the environment, education, and free ecodog bags for citizens. However, a biodegradable bag is only degradable in industrial conditions, where specific parameters must be reached for it to decompose, and these parameters cannot be achieved naturally in the environment. Recently, bags made of corn starch, obtained from corn kernels, have become popular.
Some of the plants we grow do not end up on our plates but are used exclusively for the production of bioplastics, and corn starch bags, for example. However, some plants, such as corn and soy, are important for the nutrition of the world's population. Therefore, using corn starch to produce bioplastics is not sustainable because, with this process, we reduce the amount of food that should be available to people. It is known that there are hungry people still today.
In addition, for the cultivation of 1 kg of corn, we take 1200 liters of water away from Nature. The areas needed for its cultivation cause the devastation of the environment and biodiversity.
The only "good" thing is that it breaks down quickly, but with all of the manufacturing dilemmas, I think it's better not to use them. Read where the bio bags you buy were produced, and think about it! In our country, in the last year, several companies have boasted that they produced plastic bottles for their drinks from recycled plastic. In 2022. Wow... some kind of progress! And people buy it as innovative.
The ecodog bag is not made of plastic and is a recycled product created in 1998 that has been available in Croatia for two years!
Okay, now I feel even worse….
But those rolls are so practical because I can hook them on a leash or tie them to it when I run out of the house in a hurry, and I don't have any pockets. Do you offer a similar solution?
When ecodog came to life, our plan was to produce a clip for holding the ecodog bag, which would be made of recycled plastic using the 3D printing technique. We quickly came to our senses and concluded that it would be a total failure, even though it would be ecodog3D. We would create yet another product from that damn plastic and spit in our own mouths. The solution was a textile bag made from. We hired the DES Institution from Split, which produced the first series of canvas bags for ecodog. We no longer cooperate with them because they produced a copy of the FEDOG/ecodog bag (more on that soon, op. RJ).
We are negotiating with a new partner who will produce canvas bags, from recycled textiles with Velcro for easy opening.
Great, because we humans are slaves to habits, although we can all become righteous and responsible Poop Fairies. Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
We live in the 21st century, and many solutions are verified, proven, and sustainable. So the question "can we" should no longer exist today.
We can, yes. We know we can.
A new question that needs to be highlighted today to make the population of our only Earth aware is: Do you want to?
Do you still want to be a fossil and use products created based on fossil fuels?
Do you want to eat a kilo of plastic in a year (now you eat one card a week)?
Do you want your descendants not to get to know different plant and animal species facing extinction because of us and disposable plastic, many of which they can only see in pictures?
Or, do you want to be a cultured, educated, engaged citizen of Planet Earth who lives as close to Nature as possible?
The situation in the environment is dramatic, and we are not using the available solutions. We, people/associations/companies dealing with environmental issues, must become much more direct and honest. We have to confront the people with the facts:
This year we are witnessing different environmental disasters. The rivers Po, Danube, Rhine, the source of the river Thames are drying up... the list is long. The agricultural sector has been devastated by droughts. If we do not urgently change our habits, we will face even worse, such as thirst, hunger, and even more wars. According to research, Croatia is one of the areas where climate change will be most dramatic. We are witnessing droughts and floods. Recently, an international speleological expedition explored 15 caves in the most protected parts of Velebit. In one of them, Luka's pit, which had been completely sealed by ice for the last 22 years, and is located at a depth of 70 meters, due to climate changes and accelerated melting of the ice, new passages have appeared, leading to deeper parts of the cave. Estimations are that this ice is older than half a millennium.
According to the latest data from the EDU website, 35% of the EU territory is in a state of alertness (orange), and 25% is in a state of acute alert (red)!
One of the solutions, more appropriate to the 21st century that ecodog will support and promote is earthworm hotels (still researching). Not long ago, Vestigium Association://udrugavestigium.wixsite.com/vestigium from Zagreb set up the first earthworm hotel in a park. It is meant for the people to throw the poop bag through a hole (pipe) into it after walking their dog, and the earthworms will take care of everything. Of course, people throw the poop in plastic bags, the tube often gets blocked because of it, and the earthworms don't break down plastic, i.e., they don't feed on it as they do with the poop - the system has a lot of drawbacks. ecodog sees all of the potential of this system - as long as we use ecodog bags instead of plastic ones. ecodog decomposes quickly and has no harmful effect on the environment and, this way, on earthworms.
ecodog may not be the only and ultimate solution, but it is an essential factor in the dog world. I remind you that 75 000 bags in the Zagreb city area of end up in the environment every day because of dog owners who use simple disposable solutions.
In the 21st century, there is no room for disposable plastics - we have to improve!
ecodog truly is the only ecological bag!
Thank you, Jasmin, Joy, Pixie, and I are joining in - and hopefully, many other wiggly butts and their guardians!
From now on, call me ecoDog Poop Fairy® and don't forget the ecodog message:
Mother Nature doesn't need us - we need Her!
Rujana Jeger for Pasji život™