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Animal Waste to Energy Conversion

ARE YOU TIRED OF CLEANING UP ROVER’S “DEPOSITS” IN YOUR BACK YARD?  WHILE YOU’RE SHOVELING, THINK OF THIS:  ROVER’S PUPPY POO MAY ONE DAY POWER YOUR ENTIRE HOME…AND THE TOWN YOU LIVE IN.  LEARN ABOUT FIDO FUEL ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE. 

SAN FRANCISCO IS EXPERIMENTING WITH ELECTRICITY – THE STINKY WAY.  THEIR PILOT ENERGY PROGRAM AIMS TO REMOVE DOGGY DOO AND KITTY POO FROM LANDFILLS, BY COLLECTING IT IN STRATEGICALLY PLACED METHANE DIGESTERS, AKIN TO YOUR REGULAR COMPOST BIN.  WHAT COMES OUT IS A POWER-PACKED BIOGAS – ENERGY THAT CAN BE USED IN STOVES, HEATING SYSTEMS, CARS, AND OTHER ENGINES, TOTALING ABOUT TWENTY TO THIRTY DOLLARS WORTH OF ENERGY FOR EACH TON OF WASTE.  IN ADDITION TO LIGHTENING LANDFILL LOADS, THE PROCESS GENERATES A SUITABLE REPLACEMENT FOR NATURAL GAS – THOUGH MUCH CHEAPER, AND -- AS LONG AS WE TAKE GOOD CARE OF OUR PETS – MORE RENEWABLE, TOO. 

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more in the San Francisco Chronicle.