We’ve been making jokes about this particular subject for years because it seems like such a perfect example of parody when it comes to climate change initiatives from the Left. If you want to cut down on methane and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere you should probably put corks in the butts of all the cows.
Well… that will teach us to give liberals new ideas I suppose. California isn’t literally mandating corks, but it’s not far off from it. The Golden State will now be regulating “emissions” from cows. (Associated Press)
California is taking its fight against global warming to the farm.
The nation’s leading agricultural state is now targeting greenhouse gases produced by dairy cows and other livestock.
Despite strong opposition from farmers, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation in September that for the first time regulates heat-trapping gases from livestock operations and landfills.
Cattle and other farm animals are major sources of methane, a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide as a heat-trapping gas. Methane is released when they belch, pass gas and make manure.
There’s really not a scientific way to describe bovine belching, passing gas and producing manure which doesn’t immediately devolve to tenth grade locker room level. Yes folks, the cows are farting and pooping too much and that produces methane.
Since corks aren’t an option what do they propose the farmers do about it? They’ll be using “digesters” in order to comply with the regulations after they take effect in eight years. These are tanks where the manure can be deposited to decay, capturing the methane and burning it to create electricity. (At least in theory.)
