The Prince William Regional Pet Waste Coalition began with a neighborhood complaint. Susan Howell, our founder, grew increasingly frustrated by the neighborhood pet waste left on lawns and sidewalks, in county parks, and on trails prompting her to seek a community-wide solution. Instead of just complaining, she took action to protect Prince William County.  

The team wants you to know that you have the power to be the change you want to see in your community. You can take action instead of simply complaining about things. You can make a difference in Prince William County. 

Howell connected with key environmental leaders like Rico Fleshman from Keep Prince William Beautiful (KPWB) and Andrew Uglow from Prince William County, Public Works. She approached Melinda Landry, with Sustainability from Prince William County Schools about a lesson plan she built to teach students about the environmental dangers of raw pet waste. After a late 2025 walk with Marie Pinto of the White House Farm Foundation, who highlighted the pet waste issues on regional trails like Leopold’s Preserve, Howell pitched a formal project to Fleshman.  Fleshman agreed that this project was aligned with KPWB’s mission to protect and beautify Prince William County’s environment.   

In January 2026, a dedicated stakeholder group began meeting monthly at the KPWB offices in Woodbridge to develop a public education program. Today, the Prince William Regional Pet Waste Coalition is managing the Be Cool. Trash the Stool. ,headline campaign. Its members include  Prince William County – Public Works,  The White House Farm Foundation, the City of Manassas,  Stormwater Division and KPWB.

Our Impact Teams

• Education Team: Managed by Susan Howell, Environmentalist, Instructor, Certified Stream Monitor, local Master Gardener, Master Naturalist. They deliver engaging presentations to local schools, community groups, and clubs.
• Social Media & Marketing Team: Managed by Cameron McQuillan and Ryan McDaniel-Neff. The team is preparing to launch a regional BioBlitz and an active social media presence in late September 2026.

Be Cool. Trash the Stool.

Our headline campaign https://kpwb.org/becooltrashthestool/ targets the heavy concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus found in commercial dog foods. When left on the ground, rain washes these nutrients directly into our untreated storm sewers and local waterways. This triggers eutrophication—rapid algae blooms that suffocate aquatic life and threaten regional drinking water sources like the Potomac River and the Occoquan Reservoir.  Volunteers can support the cause by monitoring local waterways, tracking pet waste instances, and conducting monthly nitrate and phosphate tests. 

You have the power to protect our streams, soil, and green spaces. Explore our research, find volunteering resources, or schedule a presentation by visiting the Be Cool Trash the Stool Campaign Website.  You can be the change you want to see in your neighborhood, in the environment.