Maybe we need electric cows!

[TomT]

"A new study estimates that dairy farms outside Los Angeles contribute at least as much haze-causing ammonia as automobiles."

http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2012/05/la-smog-more-cows-than-cars.ars" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[EdmondLeaf]

Cows are so bad, they also produce methane. On the other side they produce food for us by using feed that can't be used by humans or other animals. I will leave them alone for now, and concentrate on cutting pollution from more appropriate sources.

 

[earther]

Cows are so bad, they also produce methane. On the other side they produce food for us...

that's true in theory, I suppose; but in practice, a moot point for those that don't eat cows. from the information i've seen, the all around best "livestock" to raise for human consumption would be insects, although for some reason most americans find the concept repellent.

 

[EdmondLeaf]

cow = milk and milk products

 

[Herm]

Perhaps modern cars are very clean and ol' Betsy is not so bad?

 

[EdmondLeaf]

if Betsy will run on gas then for sure it will not produce any ammonium nitrate (in fact will suffer nitrogen deficit). We simply trying to squeeze to much (milk) from Betsy and that is the problem

 

[gsleaf]

Cows also consume a tremendous amount of water.

This is a hotly contested number in the water footprinting arena, but most research on the subject suggests that, on average, it takes 1800 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef

http://www.ecocentricblog.org/2011/01/05/the-900-gallon-diet-meat-portion-size-and-water-footprints/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The marketplace from 2012-05-04 had someone on the show (doing PR for this movie http://www.lastcallattheoasis.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false claiming that it took 18,000 gallons of water (amount in a swimming pool) to produce 4 lbs. of beef.

 

[earther]

cow = milk and milk products

yes, but humans can make their own milk

 

[LakeLeaf]

What's that old saying about history?

 

[EdmondLeaf]

What's that old saying about history?

Where is my cheese?
http://www.amazon.com/Who-Moved-My-Cheese-Amazing/dp/0399144463

 

[AndyH]

"A new study estimates that dairy farms outside Los Angeles contribute at least as much haze-causing ammonia as automobiles."

http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2012/05/la-smog-more-cows-than-cars.ars" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ars rocks!

Notice that the study was of large operations and the abundant 'waste'? One easy solution is to either reduce cow density or to get the 'waste' (otherwise known as FERTILIZER) out of the areas and into farm fields. The conversion of urea to ammonia happens while the 'waste' sits on the ground - that's when it should be in the ground adding nitrogen to the soil.

Silly humans.