NationStates Jolt Archive

Sweden to study belching cows (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080121/ap_on_fe_st/odd_belching_cows;_ylt=AntdioZ4yI6iiotEPZ0zpVCs0NUE)

going a little far with the greenhouse gases scare arent you?

Sounds like a waste of money to me...

You realize, of course, that a lot of this research is being done in the effort of using the energy that is otherwise wasted, yes?

You realize, of course, that a lot of this research is being done in the effort of using the energy that is otherwise wasted, yes?

Probably not. They'd rather look as hard as they can for reasons to not do anything about overconsumption of fossil fuels. They're like kids who make up outlandish excuses for lost homework. See, this is what happens when you're afraid, like US leaders are afraid, of telling the nation something they don't want to hear, like "we don't need 500 hp muscle cars anymore, you can't legally drive them to their hp potential on the freeways and they suck up way too much gas." Nope. All we hear is "keep buying shit."

So even if someone, with the help of this study, discovers a way to harness bovine gas and somehow use it as fuel, these folks will still choose to laugh and point rather than take any action to wean themselves off the useless horsepower teat. These are the same people who leave lights on everywhere and let the water run while they shave or brush their teeth.

Probably not. They'd rather look as hard as they can for reasons to not do anything about overconsumption of fossil fuels. They're like kids who make up outlandish excuses for lost homework. See, this is what happens when you're afraid, like US leaders are afraid, of telling the nation something they don't want to hear, like "we don't need 500 hp muscle cars anymore, you can't legally drive them to their hp potential on the freeways and they suck up way too much gas." Nope. All we hear is "keep buying shit."

So even if someone, with the help of this study, discovers a way to harness bovine gas and somehow use it as fuel, these folks will still choose to laugh and point rather than take any action to wean themselves off the useless horsepower teat. These are the same people who leave lights on everywhere and let the water run while they shave or brush their teeth.

Clearly, you do not read the newspapers in Scandinavia. They've already made the point that meat in general adds significantly to CO2 levels and people are well aware of it. If they choose to do nothing about it, then it is because they, like myself, are too enamoured with meat. So, the alternative is to find ways in which you can use the waste products that come from cows and pigs (which, incidentally, would also make meat cheaper or farmers richer). They already use the manure to create power.

Also, the article states that they are interested in finding out if eating different types of food produces different types of gas for cows. Possible final result? A type of food that produces less gas than other types, thus being more environmentally friendly.

I think they should genetically engineer environmentally friendly cows, it's for their own good you know?

going a little far with the greenhouse gases scare arent you?I think you're severely underestimating the amount of methane cows belch up together. Stopping cows from belching would be more effective then stopping people driving, in terms of greenhouse gases, if memory serves me right.

You realize, of course, that a lot of this research is being done in the effort of using the energy that is otherwise wasted, yes?

So we have the cows belch into pipes that feed into a methane-collector, thus putting their belches to use? I don't get where you're going.

Does Beano not work on cows?

So we have the cows belch into pipes that feed into a methane-collector, thus putting their belches to use? I don't get where you're going.

Does Beano not work on cows?

1) Cows in a stable belch. Methane is lighter than air, so it goes up. Where does it go? Into the air? Right now, that is the case, but it's rather easy to trap in a stable. Not so easy to trap in a field.

2) Cows eat food A, belch X amount. Eat food B and belch Y amount. Y < X. Cows need less of food B for same effect as food A, hopefully, or at least no more belching!

1) Cows in a stable belch. Methane is lighter than air, so it goes up. Where does it go? Into the air? Right now, that is the case, but it's rather easy to trap in a stable. Not so easy to trap in a field.

2) Cows eat food A, belch X amount. Eat food B and belch Y amount. Y < X. Cows need less of food B for same effect as food A, hopefully, or at least no more belching!

I suggest linking all cows in a farm together increase the amount of gases they produce and catch them and store them for lighting fires, and make pipelines of methane to large stores, which in turn can be used to buffer any fuel shortage by making cars gas powered, as the cows would provide an infinate amount of energy so long as they lived the fuel resource would be infinate and would reduce need for oil wars.

I suggest linking all cows in a farm together increase the amount of gases they produce and catch them and store them for lighting fires, and make pipelines of methane to large stores, which in turn can be used to buffer any fuel shortage by making cars gas powered, as the cows would provide an infinate amount of energy so long as they lived the fuel resource would be infinate and would reduce need for oil wars.

Not infinite, but renewable. Using Fischer-Tropsch, you could turn the methane into a viable source of liquid petroleum.

I see your point as to 1), though you either wouldn't be collecting most of the methane or you would be changing the way most farms work, as most cattle spend their days out of doors. Maybe they do most of their belching at night? Must be hard for them to sleep...

As to 2) I get that cow belching, like human belching, is dependent on diet, but food B (the low-belching food) doesn't necessarily translate into energy savings. Food B might take more energy to grow as a crop, or the energy not transferred to methane might not be processed at all, and come out the other end as cow poop.

You raise better points than I could, I'm just saying that the energy flow's complicated enough that I don't see the immediate advantage of reducing cow burps. It's funny to think about, though.

You raise better points than I could, I'm just saying that the energy flow's complicated enough that I don't see the immediate advantage of reducing cow burps. It's funny to think about, though.

Exactly. That's why they're studying it because the energy flow is complicated and needs to be figured out and because it's also funny to think about.

I concede that I am not sure if food B would be better or not. That's the point of the study after all. It's just part of the hypothesis that I could see forming the foundation of the study.

Clearly, you do not read the newspapers in Scandinavia.

Well, thanks, Captain Obvious.

Interesting information, though. Stuff like that makes the Jay Leno monologue, not any visible surface of a newspaper or TV newscast. Check my location...I live in America.

I thought they already found a solution by studying kangaroo farts. (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22879895-13762,00.html)

Beans and soda pop. Fuel of the future, TODAY!

Beans and soda pop. Fuel of the future, TODAY!

Black Bean Burritos and Pepsi... Enough power to keep a P-51 running for two weeks straight!

Sweden to study belching cows (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080121/ap_on_fe_st/odd_belching_cows;_ylt=AntdioZ4yI6iiotEPZ0zpVCs0NUE)

going a little far with the greenhouse gases scare arent you?

Sounds like a waste of money to me...
I laugh at your collective ignorance. Look up methane.

I laugh at your collective ignorance. Look up methane.

Look up, methane!:D

what's going too far is out of context-ness. methane is an excellent fuel which can be extracted from ALL bio-waste. burning anything is still not an answer to global climate chainge, but for home heating and cooking, where it is nearly unavoidable, at least in rural areas subject to winter power line damage, it is a reasonable alternative to dependence on long distance and international transportation, and extraction, of other fuels.

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