New Uses for Your Manure

I have a strong interest in the recycling of waste. In my humble opinion the use of recycled material is one of the best ways to sustainably develop third world countries. It is amazing how many tons of material are simply buried or incinerated in developed countries that could be used in construction, consumer goods, or art in poorer countries. I came across an article today that announced the success of a Michigan State research team. They were able to convert animal manure into wood board. Their study finds that this wood board is of a higher quality than the standard particleboard wood often used in construction, floors, and shelving. This directly addresses the issue American livestock farmers are having in processing the hundreds of tons of manure that is produced every year. In the book, "101 Reasons Why I Am A Vegetarian", by Pamela Rice ( a great read), she addresses how the replacement of a large number of small farms by a small number of megafarms have led to a increasingly difficult problem of removing animal waste. She states that the increased number of animals using a reduced anount of land limits the area farmers have to spread the maure across. A large amount of waste finds its way into America's waterways eventually contaminating drinking water. To read more on this article you can click here.