An Inconvenient Truth

”…can it be compared with the Ease and Comfort every Man living might feel seven times a Day, by discharging freely the Wind from his Bowels? Especially if it be converted into a Perfume: For the Pleasures of one Sense being little inferior to those of another, instead of pleasing the Sight he might delight the Smell of those about him…” Ben Franklin

I recently read that Australia has announced it will ban incandescent light bulbs in three years. This legislation is an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In such a move, Australia would become the first country to do away with this 125-year-old technology.

“The Environment Minister says that replacing incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs would cut 800,000 tonnes from Australia's current emissions levels by 2012.”

One Billion Bulbs

If every home in the US replaced just one light bulb with a compact florescent bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year.

Imagine then if people all over the world mobilized to replace the one billion standard incandescent light bulbs that exist today, with energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. It would result in an energy savings equivalent to the power consumption of tens of million of homes.

A Better Idea

But I have a better idea. In addition to saving our planet from global warming, we should be focusing our attention on an even more important warming and sense-attacking agent. The humble cow and steer.

“A steer releases enough methane gas in its lifetime to power Miami's fleet of public transportation vehicles for one day”.

All this methane can add up to a significant amount. Australia's 140 million sheep and cattle are estimated to produce one seventh of the nation's total greenhouse gas emissions, whilst America's 100 million cattle also are major contributors.

“Livestock are responsible for 18 per cent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together". So forget the bulbs, focus on the flatulence:

“Retain the wind by compressing the belly.” Desiderius Erasmus