Silent but deadly no more
April 13, 2000
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Looking for a way to reduce global warming? Don't waste your time with carpooling schemes, mass transit, or electric vehicles. REUTERS reports that scientists in Scotland (they seem to have a lot of time on their hands) have come up with a way to deal with the sneakiest brand of polluters: sheep and cattle. Farm animals suffering from the social embarrassment of gas contribute significant amounts of methane -- a greenhouse gas -- to the atmosphere. The Scots discovered that adding just the right type of bacteria to livestock feed can cut emissions at the, um, tailpipe by 50 percent. The bug changes digestion so that methane is converted to carbon dioxide, which is less harmful to the atmosphere.
