Biogas is rearing its butt and mooving forward. This is ass-forward thinking at its finest milking the rear end of things to the fullest.
Anyone who has been in close proximity to a diary farm knows the powerful au natural fragrance that emanates from the multiple rear ends catered to in the facility. Well it turns out that is not the only thing that is powerful about the substance that comes forth.
At Homestead Dairy, it smells like money. The family-run American farm invested in a biogas recovery system which transforms cow poo and other waste into electricity. Enough electricity, in fact, to power 1,000 homes, a service which the local utility company pays for handsomely.
But that’s just a side benefit.
“It works economically, but one of the main reasons we did it was to try to help take care of the odor control for the neighbors,” said Floyd Houin, whose family has owned the farm in Plymouth, Indiana since 1945.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than three million tons of greenhouse gas emissions were eliminated last year by Homestead and the 246 other US livestock farms which have installed biogas recovery systems.
That’s equivalent to taking more than 630,000 cars off the road.
There are about 8,000 dairy and hog farms in the United States which are large enough to make a biogas recovery system viable.
The EPA estimates they could generate enough electricity to power over a million homes and cut emissions by the equivalent of taking nearly four million cars off the road.
In Vermont a Company files to build renewable natural gas plant
SALISBURY – Lincoln Renewable Gas has filed a petition with the Vermont Public Service Board for a certificate of public good to build a renewable gas plant in Salisbury. The LincolnRNG plant would produce natural gas from dairy farm manure and other organic fuel sources. If approved, the plant will be built on the Goodrich Family farm in Salisbury. Renewable natural gas is interchangeable with conventional natural gas and may be used as an alternative heating and vehicle fuel.
The plant will produce natural gas from an aerobic digester tank system and sell most of it to Middleburg College replacing a substantial volume of # 6 heating oil the college currently uses. This would be only the second of its kind in the United States. It is financed by private investment and a commercial loan.
Holy cow – Milk does a body good but these projects are really milking the system from beginning to end in order to maximize the good it does. They are really innovative shitty ideas 100% endorsed by the Church of the Holy Shitters!
The Church of the Holy Shitters will post articles on our holy S.H.I.T. day ( So Happy It's Thursday) Hoping to add some humor, provoke thought, spark debate, deepen understanding, and shed some light on the fecal side.
Remember: "If we really want to straighten out all this crap we really need to think about shit." ( Shitbit by Poop John the First of the Church of the Holy Shitters )
A secular environmental religion, scientifically based, with a focus on the psychology of it all. Our ego is the culprit when it comes to dealing with climate change. We cannot save the planet. We can only save ourselves. Our current egotistical self-perception makes that prospect a dubious one at best. Meekness, humility and a realization that our shit does stink, guides us on our path to true sustainable living and climate equilibrium.
Learn more about the Church of the Holy Shitters here.
Cross posted at holyshitters.com/...;