Anyone ever looked at the methane emissions of 6+ billion humans?

1. How does this cow eat?

2. Who will volunteer to help the cow don its new, stylish, biohazard-chique accessories?

Like many great inevtions form the first steam powered viberator to the water sytem that using old kitchen water for toilet water- this idea may be before it's time. We can't even get farmers to just give medicine to sick animals, they instead find it cheaper to give all the animals anti-biotics. So why would the farmer want to buy this contraption that frankly, looks like it will annoy the cow? Unless we are giving them buckets of money for doing it, i don't see it happening, but Ai'm glad some forwarding thinking person has this under their belt- so they can work on that solar powered car that no one will buy.

Um, hate to poop on the party, but why not stop methane cow fart emissions by just NOT BREEDING MILLIONS OF COWS TO EAT, MILK, AND WEAR!!!

I think this article is hilarious. I agree with all the comments posted. I think it won't make economic sense in the first world. Even if the contraption was super cheap, the labor costs involved in regularly putting this thing on and off would outweigh its economic payoffs to the farmer in energy production. So the farmer won't implement this thing. Not to mention who would want to put this thing on and off of a cow on a regular basis? It is a different story in the third world. Many third world peasants collect cow dung to burn for cooking. Collecting the methane gas as well could help offset some of the fuelwood (one of the world's major causes of deforestation) they would otherwise need. Not to mention that burning methane in gasstove would be healthier and easier for them. Of course, they would only purchase this thing if it was dirt cheap. And since many third world farmers have a limited number of cows, the work of plugging up and unplugging those cows isn't so tedious. As opposed to industrialized world farmers that have hundreds of cows.

But as one reader commented, what Western society really needs to do is to start shifting away from such massive meat consumption. A vegetarian diet is best for the planet. It takes a great deal of food and energy to raise a cow for food. For a human to get the same number of calories from meat as from plants requires that the meat be fed something like 7 times that in plant calories. Eating meat is like eating seven times as much plant food as someone eating plants. (I'm not exactly sure of the number since I read this a while ago and it depends on the animal, how it is fed, and several other factors.) I don't support the idea of a complete ban on meat since I believe supplementing a plant diet with small portions of meat once in while is best for human health (even though many vegetarians will argue that you can get all your nutritional requirements by adding special nuts and beans). But this could be from rabbits or poultry rather than beef and pork. However, I am fully aware that trying to eliminate pork and beef consumption is not likely to happen. They are like nicotine - addictive. Oh, and as a sidenote, wild animals are much healthier for humans (because the animals are healthier) and consume less and in a less damaging way than farmed animals.

Lastly, I do wonder how much methane we humans put out. Probably considerably less than the number of cows on the planet, but still a significant amount. Maybe someone should consider designing a new type of underwear that stores our gas :) I know my wife would want me to buy one, especially if it had some noise buffers :)

This patent has got to be a joke by someone trying to mock global warming. However I looked through the patent and there is a lot of work done for a simple joke. But the real question is why are any of you taking this seriously?

Theres no mention on the discomfort this might cause the animals. Its great that people are thinking along these lines, but I still agree that the best solution is to stop breeding so many cows.

but why not stop methane cow fart emissions by just NOT BREEDING MILLIONS OF COWS TO EAT, MILK, AND WEAR!!!

Because they're very tasty.

More seriously, the fancy schmancy scientific terms for cow farts is "enteric fermentation", and levels in the U.S. have actually decreased in absolute terms since 1990.

"Enteric Fermentation (112.6 Tg CO2 Equivalent in 2004)

During animal digestion, CH4 is produced through the process of enteric fermentation, in which microbes residing in animal digestive systems break down food. Ruminants, which include cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats, have the highest CH4 emissions among all animal types because they have a rumen, or large fore-stomach, in which CH4- producing fermentation occurs. Non-ruminant domestic animals, such as pigs and horses, have much lower CH4 emissions. In 2004, enteric fermentation was the source of about 20 percent of U.S. CH4 emissions, and more than 70 percent of the CH4 emissions from agriculture. From 1990 to 2004, emissions from this source decreased by 4 percent. Generally, emissions have been decreasing since 1995, mainly due to decreasing populations of both beef and dairy cattle and improved feed quality for feedlot cattle."

link here

Overall, it contributes to 1.8% of net greenhouse gas emissions for the U.S. - not really one of the bigger causes.

Get real. What kind of a world are we creating! Where will it end if we continue on a reactive basis by trying to fix the problem instead of replacing the problem altogether?

I have to respond to the individual who stated that cows are "very tasty".

Are cows really THAT tasty? I have to wonder why you'd be on a site called "Treehugger.com" if you don't have enough willpower to make one dietary sacrifice for the sake of the planet. The reason we're in so much ecological trouble is because the human race takes whatever it wants without any foresight. Our greed and glutony is quickly destroying the only home we have. There are a lot of foods that are tasty. Try some new ones.

On a similar note... humans are the only supposed omnivores that cook and season their food. If people love their meat as much as they claim to, they should try eating it straight from the thigh of an animal, raw and unseasoned like every other omnivore on the planet does. Mmmmm yummy. Or give some thought to the stats at this link which state that in fact humans resemble herbivores far more than omnivores: http://groups.msn.com/CrazyVegan/humanherbivore.msnw

And on another note relating to a different post... PLEASE stop with the "vegans don't get enough nutrients" argument. If you'd ever actually met a vegan or tried living the lifestyle for five minutes you'd know that it's easy and effortless to get everything you need and if fact you'd be a lot healthier. It's simple brainwashing that tells everyone... M U S T E A T M E A T.... M U S T D R I N K M I L K... M U S T N O T T H I N K F O R Y O U R S E L F ! Meat is dead flesh. Milk is for baby cows not adult humans. It's not rocket science that those things aren't health foods especially when trapped inside an animal that has an intestinal system ten times the length of it's body (that would be you). Vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, seeds, roots, legumes however are all very nutirtious and easily digested and utilized.

Hug a tree today. :-D Hug a cow too.

Hmmm...I'm looking for some cheese spread because I think I've found a cracker!

Perhaps you'd like to go back to the days before there was the internet and herds of wild cows roamed the earth.

Do you really believe that because you hold opinions that are in the minority, you are somehow immune from the "brainwashing" you claim affects others? Greed and gluttony are real human problems, but every person who enjoys eating meat isn't being greedy and gluttonous.

How much will your invenstion cost to build/buy?

In answer to Brandy's question, if we stopped breeding cows it would prevent the chic limousine liberals from holding their wine-and-cheese parties; they'd just have to get quietly drunk at home like the rest of us. And where would they get their Guccis?

In answer to Brandy's question, if we stopped breeding cows it would prevent the chic limousine liberals from holding their wine-and-cheese parties; they'd just have to get quietly drunk at home like the rest of us. And where could they get their Guccis?

whatever u gys need to nderstand that this is a big problem and comend the gy for at least hinking of some kind of soltuin

with every product comes its bad bits thid product has its bad bits to but I DODNT SEE ANYONE ELSE COMING UP WITH ANY OTHER IDEAS