Agriculture is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases after fossil fuels. Half of its environmental footprint is due to gas emissions from livestock farming. This state of affairs is causing a progressive disaffection of investors and consumers towards this activity. The Englishman Francisco Norris, co-founder of Zelp Ltd for the Zero Emissions Livestock Project, believes he has found a way to reduce methane emissions by 60% from the 1.5 billion cows on the planet. Contrary to popular belief, only 5% of gas emissions are due to flatulence, while 95% are caused by burping through the nose. To neutralize some of these emissions, Francisco Norris has therefore developed a plastic mask weighing 100 grams that is placed over the nostrils of cows. The mask is equipped with a set of solar-powered fans that absorb the burps and trap them in a small container with a methane absorbing filter. This container works like the catalytic converter in a car: once the filter is saturated, a chemical reaction transforms methane (CH4) into carbon dioxide (CO2). Norris claims that his “mask” reduces burping by a third. He plans to bring it to market next year.
Source: Bloomberg