Cow + Grass = House

Cows plus grass equals dung; 7-9 million tonnes of it each year in the USA alone! What if cows plus grass made flooring?, or shelving? or a table?

Michigan State University researchers, working with the US Department of Agriculture, reckon that the "digester solids" leftovers from anaerobic digestion of cattle manure can be processed into fibreboard. Such digestion is becoming more common as measure against manure-runoff contamination of waterways following muck-spreading.

The material has the same properties as ordinary fibreboard, being basically the same structure of compressed fibres glued together with chemical resins. One would hope that squeamishness wouldn't be a barrier to its use either, given that there's not a hint of manure aroma! The fact that it's recycled could make it more attractive than wood-based alternatives.

It's not the first time that fibrous manure has been put to use in such a way either. In Thailand, plants plus elephants equals paper. Elephant dung paper looks to be doing good trade as an environmentally conscientious business.

Comments

[The Egg Roll]

Could you do the same with human excrement?

[Tim Holmes]

Hmmm, interesting question. I suppose theoretically it's possible, but i can't find any mention of someone doing it. It sounds from the original report that the researchers are worried about public squeamishness at a cow manure byproduct. I think selling boards made from human excreta would be an even bigger marketing challenge!