Front Page  »  

Methane control or money generator?

January 27, 2015

cowOPINION By GARY KIRKLAND

On Wednesday, the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) will meet to figure out how to extort more money from businesses and take away more of our freedoms all in the name of making the air safe for us to breathe.

Our glorious leader, the president, has announced that he wants more regulations on methane use. Methane is a major greenhouse gas. He says that the science is settled on global warming caused by humans.

As a science teacher, I know that science is never settled. If it was, scientists would no longer need do any more work. Climatologists would have to find another line of work.

The APCD could jump on the idea of keeping methane out of the atmosphere. Many have proposed that cattle flatulence releases a tremendous amount of methane. So, the government needs to regulate the cattle industry. I guess the millions of bison that roamed the North American plains for hundreds of years did not flatulate, or least not methane.

Humans also flatulate. The APCD could regulate human flatulence. If this tyrannical body could ban flatulating at their meetings at least the room would smell better.

Certain food such as beans and nuts increase flatulence. The APCD should ban these foods to protect the environment. I am sure these many dictators on the APCD could think of many ways to increase their power and control our lives to prevent methane from the atmosphere to stop global warming.


Loading...
Subjects:         
Related:


42 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Mr. Kirkland: While you may have a degree in science, you sure don’t seem to understand how the reporting of facts and deduction work in publishing scientific papers, peer reviewed journals, or the on-going studies that make up the basis for what is an accepted scientific fact.


You have taken your opinion and tried to couch in scientific jargon to attempt to give your opinion some credibility; IMO, you have failed, period.


Yes, bison did exist in large numbers only a few centuries ago, but the ratio of humans to bison was also a lot different. We have increased the human population exponentially over the last couple of centuries, and for those who still believe that they have to have as much protein as possible, there has been a huge increase in the production of cattle for food. That production, along with pork and chicken, have also seen huge increases in animal effluent and the accompanying problems associated with such large amounts. Try living downstream to a huge commercial hog farm, or a mega-corporate dairy farm or cattle ranch with more than a few hundred head being raised there. It isn’t just about methane releases from the flatulence; the liquid/solid waste is a huge problem. How about some research on the subject, you know, the thing that is supposed to make the difference for those who label themselves as scientists.


0

Bran Muffins

Eggs

Coffee


Can you say Wrong Consensus?


Good boy….now run along and play.


0

Climate change is another government created industry, just like the diversity and race industries. While I agree there is probably some legitimacy to man made climate change, the government is just using this to raise funds to grow into a unstoppable leviathan. We truly are becoming subjects and until we rise up and fight this growth our nation will be lost. Just remember our votes are what created the Air Quality management district. I agree with mr. Gruber of health care fame. Our voters are stupid, he spoke the truth and the hustlers are just taking advantage of the current state of affairs regarding the intelligence of the electorate.


0

Mr. Kirkland you really teach science?. I hope you taught science, past tense, and are not currently teaching because you are a hazard to students.


Did you do any research whatsoever before you penned your opinion piece?. Do you know what the estimates are in the U.S. of methane emissions from cattle?. Do you even know how many cattle there are in the U.S.?. I doubt it because you wouldn’t have made some silly comment about Bison. Do you have any estimates of the percentage of greenhouse gases that are attributable to livestock production worldwide?. I didn’t think so.


You’re right scientist continue to refine their understanding of any subject. Anthropologists continue to study evolution despite evolution being accepted as scientific fact. Let’s not get into some stupid debate about theory vs. fact either.


Scientists will continue to study climate change caused by greenhouse gases which will enable better modeling and predictive capabilities. The science is more than just compelling that human activities are having impacts on the global climate and predictive modeling is supported by real world data.


0

So if you and Bob know it all just what would your ideas be,taxing us because cows fart isn’t going to get it,this is nothing but regulatory BS,another way for the apcd to collect money off of people that work to produce goods for this country,remember the apcd is a stand alone agency so they are pretty much able to do what they want,their wages are way out of line for what they do,in fact of they believe they are doing so much good these people should cut their wages by at least half not tax the working class.


0

Myself: Sorry if I gave you the impression that I think “I know it all”; I certainly don’t. On the other hand, Mr. Kirkland’s opinion piece is very long on opinion, very short on facts.


I happen to agree with you on certain aspects of the APCD; their wages are excessive, and their mission doesn’t seem like it should be, to actually improve our environment. All businesses have regulations that they have to comply with, otherwise it boils down to “buyer beware”, and we have had enough snake oil sold to us over the centuries we have been a nation.


I am not a scientist by any stretch of the imagination, but as far as regulating and/or controlling methane from farming/ranching operations, I should think that the focus needs to be on the actual waste products produced, not the “release” of methane (cow farts).


Some forward thinking landfills have started utilizing the methane that comes from landfills as a “co-generation” type of energy production; why don’t large, commercial ranches and farms pursue this type of operation? Control the effluent from their cows, pigs and chickens, help keep their surrounding communities cleaner and safer, and generate electricity to boot.


Perhaps an actual scientist can explain to me why this won’t work?


0

I’m not exactly sure what to do about methane generated from livestock “production”, my point was to show how rather pathetic and misinformed Mr. Kirkland’s “Opinion” piece is.


0

You sir…..

Oh never mind, you just farted and the methane gas is killing the planet, so go donate your alms to the Church of MMGW and your sins will be forgiven.


0

One can call bullshit ‘opinion’, but it’s still bullshit.


0

It is now illegal to live in California. Everyone must leave by Friday, but pay your taxes first.

Love

Jerry Brown


0

The regulatory tyranny has now reached warp speed given all of the agencies that adopt regulations impacting our daily activities. We are fast morphing from citizens into subjects.


Rational people understand that as an advanced industrialized nation we need certain regulations in such areas as pure food, drugs, safety, etc. But not our cows in Creston!


Just ask a farmer, a small business owner, or a manufacturer about excessive and conflicting regulations – including the cost of compliance. Moreover, often the adjudication of a regulatory complaint is within the subject agency rather than in the courts where due process is guaranteed.


The reality is that government at all levels in a misguided zeal to eliminate all hazards of life and create utopia has produced a web of regulations, needed or not, often void of common sense and lacking any cost benefit analysis.


Our Founders would be outraged at the thought of the quantity, scope, and complexity of the body of present day regulation. Given their reverence for individual and economic liberty, had they perceived that we would become “a Regulatory State” they would have written appropriate protections into our Constitution.


Most regulation is justified (and sold) on the basis of motherhood and apple pie and most people don’t object thinking that there will be little or no impact on them. When this majority of sheep wake up it will be way past too late..


0

Pure, unadulterated baloney!


The ‘Founders’ rebelled against unregulated, crony capitalism by the Crown with the East


Pure, unadulterated baloney!


The American Founding Fathers rebelled against the crony capitalism of the Crown, oligarchy, and the East India Corporation.

Once established as a nation, they instituted tariffs (economic regulations) to prevent monopoly and predatory competition.


You literally have EVERYTHING wrong !


india


0

Why do I think that the truth lies somewhere in between the two points of view above?


0

History as Slowerfaster likes to think it was. She will spin it to whatever fits her views. The colonies rebelled against excessive taxes, yet Slower uses the scnotty term “crony capitalism”. Now let’s hear from her why taxes and capitalism is the same thing.


0

The true ‘patriots’ tossed the East India Corporation’s untaxed tea into Boston harbor. King George was a stockholder in the EIC, and cut THEIR taxes on tea to under half what they were charging their American competitors. A sweetheart deal and unfair advantage that would have put Americans out of business.


Same thing is happening today, where the corporatists/fascists and economic royalists pay lesser or no taxes; and the American worker and individual entrepreneur is overtaxed. THAT is something that the Founders would rebel against.


Why all of you self proclaimed ordinary ‘conservatives’ can’t connect the dots is truly amazing.


0

Thanks Slower for giving me the incentive to research the Boston Tea Party. There was more to it than simply protesting a three-pence per pound tax forced on them. But how do you stretch that into “unregulated crony capitalism” and say that what liberals are doing isn’t the same thing? That’s where I take exception to your spin on history.


We conservatives (the fiscal conservatives) not only can connect the dots, we are much better at math than liberals. Although I didn’t read the Obamacare act when it was published, I knew from a mile away that it wouldn’t save me $2,500 a year. I have to admit I was shocked when I found out that it would increase my health insurance more than DOUBLE for less coverage. And I am not surprised that instead of saving the federal government money, it is going to DRASTICALLY increase the cost of the federal government. If tax revenue doesn’t increase, then we will just go further into debt.


As for any carbon (or methane) tax, I am convinced it will cost us all more and not have any effect on global warming.


0

Don’t tell me ..You think Sarah Palin is some kind of hidden genius /savant that speaks in code that only the privileged can understand.


0

labor gave birth to capital God requires you honor your parents . do the right thing people


0

slower faster female? really?


0

So basically what the so called settled science says is that natural animal and human digestive activity is bad for the planet. How ridiculous…Like I’ve said before in order to believe that we are destroying the planet one needs to want to believe it for one reason or another. Atmospheric computer models showed a massive snow storm will hit NYC yesterday. A storm to end all snow storms. It didn’t happen. Whoops! If they can’t tell you what the weather will be tomorrow then why would you believe they can predict the weather a decade from now?


0

Belief is what religion trains you to do, to believe without facts, to believe what you are told.


The fact that your bring up “winter” as “proof” that climate change is fake shows how well it worked on you.


I will stick with Science, Florida is that way >>>>


0

The storm was there. It simply tracked farther to the east than predicted and hit parts of Long Island as well as CT, RI, MA, NH & ME. NYC is less capable of handling that weather due to the population density than most of the above areas which have been suffering. The news media seems to regard NYC as the center of the universe so they are not covering the other storm-affected areas as much.


Weather forecasting is not an exact science but it is a whole lot better than it was 40-50 years ago. The same is true of climatology (which has some distinct differences from meteorology in case you are unaware.)


0

Burps & Farts. Give the bovines Beano or change their diet. BUT, Isn’t the real issue here what is done with the manure? When I was with the World Bank I helped the Republic of Rwanda to get financing for a methane gas pool.


Google up Indiana based Fair Oaks Farms on how they use procussed manure to run their truck fleet. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/29/cow-manure-methane-truck-fleet/2120273/


Cow Poop


0

There is more flatulence created by the government then all of the cows put together!


0

isoslo,


Hopefully Sarah Palin and the current GOP House and Senate are not reading your disrespectful post that is obviously directed at them! Shameful.


0

Sarah Palin is not in Washington


0

Did you hear any of her genuine frontier gibberish at representative Steve King’s clown convention in Iowa this past weekend ?


Yes, …thankfully she’s not in Washington; she’s supposedly in Wasilla, the crystal meth capital of Alaska.

Given her regurgative, disconnected manner of ‘speaking’, I think it more than a coincidence.


0

more like Obama the ManChild President.


0
1 2