SPRING FEVER
Cows belch and fart. When they do they add methane to the atmosphere. Given that there are 1.5 billion cows and billions of other grazing animals, we are talking lots of methane. As it turns out, methane is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide when it comes to global warming.
Now for some good news. Scientists have discovered that cows grazing on grass reduce the amount of nitrous oxide — another greenhouse gas — that is released into the atmosphere by the action of soil microbes. Longer grass keeps the microbes toasty warm so they can produce nitrous oxide. When the grass is eaten by grazing animals, the ground freezes, along with the microbes. No microbes, no nitrous oxide.
Personally, I think there is an even bigger story here. Nitrous oxide is the scientific name for laughing gas, the stuff dentists use to make you comfortably numb. I don't know about you, but I had no idea that my grass was harboring microbes that pumped out nitrous oxide.
And guess when these little microbes are most active. In spring, when the grass is coming back after winter. So maybe we have a clue about spring fever. The very air we breathe contains the highest concentration of laughing gas during spring. Small wonder we feel better.
For me, that is one small belch for a cow, one giant smiley-face for mankind.
April 8, 2010
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