May 6, 2025 by Timothee Thouveny and Blake Forish, 7th grade students at BC High
Hi, my name is Timothee Thouveny and I am working on my very first Civic Action Project with my partner Blake Forish. We are both 7th grade students at Boston College High School. We both have values that are related to this problem such as: Caring, Kindness, and Hard-working. I’m writing this because I care about our town and want to help make it cleaner and nicer for everyone. Lately, I’ve noticed a big problem when I walk and bike in Bare Cove, especially in parks and along sidewalks—there’s a lot of dog waste. It doesn’t just look gross, it is gross! Dog waste that is not properly disposed of spreads germs and hurts the environment. That’s why I want to do something about it.
One idea I have is to add more trash cans in Bare Cove Park, especially in places where people walk their dogs often. Right now, there aren’t enough trash cans and I think that’s one big reason why some people don’t pick up after their pets. If you’re walking your dog and there’s no place nearby to throw away the poop bag, you will be more likely to leave it behind. But, if trash cans were easier to find, I think more people would do the right thing.
Another part of my plan is to make flyers to remind people to pick up after their dogs. I would put the flyers at the entrances. The flyers would have simple messages like “please pick up your dog waste.” I could even include pictures or make them colorful so they get more attention. I was also thinking of putting posts on social media to get even more attention.
Some people might say that it’s not a big deal or that dog waste breaks down naturally. But the truth is, dog poop can carry harmful bacteria and can pollute the water when it washes into drains and it’s just not polite or respectful to leave it behind in public places. People think that in winter you don’t have to pick up dog waste. You do! It can still harm plants and animals.
I went for a walk in Bare Cove a few days ago and did some research. There is a trash can every 800ft. In 800 ft I saw: 14 unpicked dog waste and 8 dog waste bags, just on the path and in the forest!
Thank you everyone for reading this and pick up your dog’s waste!
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