Air quality and cows: What goes in could be the real problem

Air quality researchers in California’s San Joaquin Valley got an unexpected surprise recently when they accidentally discovered that what comes out of cows may not deserve nearly as much blame for the area’s high ozone levels as it's been getting.

Instead, a bigger culprit may be what goes into them.

“Feed sources might be more important than all of the things we’ve been caring about in the past,” said Michael Kleeman, a professor in the University of California, Davis Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Kleeman heads a team of researchers who for four years has been studying ozone levels in the valley as it struggles to meet federally-mandated reductions. Significant control measures have been implemented, yet ozone levels remain largely unchanged.

Over the years, blame has shifted from one end of cows to the other, then to uncovered manure lagoons. Now, according to Kleeman’s team, a bigger “smoking gun” for harmful air emissions is fermenting silage. Specifically, silage that is not stored in air-tight bags.

Action on the researcher’s findings appeared to have been taken very seriously. Associated Press reports that the executive director of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is planning to ask its board in June to require dairies to bag their silage.

Something too silly to make up

Don’t think the U.S. has a monopoly on social and political correctness gone berserk, or on oddball research to answer questions that no one cares about enough to ask. Britain is right there with us.

Earlier this month, global restaurant giant McDonald’s announced it is embarking on a three-year study to determine the amount of methane emissions produced by the 350,000 or so cattle it buys each year in Britain to become hamburgers. Seriously.

The announcement follows a request by Britain’s Environmental Secretary that the entire food industry look for ways to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, which the government has made a goal in 2030. Livestock have previously been estimated to produce four percent of Britain’s total carbon emissions.

Needless to say, the McDonald’s announcement brought a windfall of new creative material for British newspaper headline writers and illustrators. Do a Google search with the words “McDonald’s” and either “flatulence” or “flatulent” and you’ll see what we mean. Our favorite is the photo at the end of this commentary (but be forewarned; it is not socially correct):

http://www.thepiratescove.us/2010/01/10/mcdonalds-is-not-loving-the-cow-flatulence-in-britain/

Because McDonald’s is obviously so concerned about methane emissions and the environment, we have a suggestion for its next research study: With approximately 47 million customers served each day around the world, what is the environmental impact of their greenhouse gas emissions that result from eating its food?