Poo at the Zoo Heats the Gnu for You

The picture, entitled "Zoo Poo" from BBC.

It's great when animal people show what chutzpah they have. At the Dallas Zoo, there's a Waste-to-Energy program that is winning awards, and keeping the beasties in light and warmth.

Dallas Zoo officials are moving forward with a plan to turn animal droppings, cardboard and tree limbs into power for several buildings and irrigation for the zoo's landscaping.

The waste, including Jenny and Keke's elephant poop, will go into a biogas generator. The gas that is created will help with heating, water and electric power.

"When you're in the zoo business, poo and pee is our bread and butter," Chuck Siegel, the zoo's deputy director for animal management, said in Thursday's online edition of The Dallas Morning News.

"It's really exciting that rather than taking this waste material and just adding to a landfill or throwing it out, we're able to use it for something positive. The zoo first and foremost sees itself as not only as a fun place for families, but as a conservation organization."

Three cheers for the creativity and enlightened attitude. This is something to consider for a lot of ranches and farms, too. I know when I kept ponies, there was a farmer who came and collected manure for fertilizer for his veggies. I don't know if now with the cost of heating oil, it wouldn't be a good idea for farming area cities to look at making use of a few more natural sources of energy, as well.

So far, though, the kitty litter box is safe.