The device is portable and is placed through a harness. Photo: ZELP
A group of students from the Royal College of Art in the United Kingdom have created a mask to combat climate change that can be bizarre. Why? because it goes to the cattlenot to humans, and it does not serve to prevent them from certain viruses, but to prevent their burp from harming the environment.
The project, called ZELP (Zero Emission Livestock Project, in Spanish), was supported by Prince Charles and funded, in part, by £ 50,000 won by students in a Terra Cart Design Lab competition.
Elizabeth II’s son launched the competition a few weeks ago as part of his Sustainable Markets initiative. At the award ceremony in London, Carlos called the idea “attractive” and stressed that it was important to “quickly find solutions” to stop climate change.
The mask converts methane to carbon dioxide and water vapor. Photo: ZELP
The ZELP mask maintains cow burps to reduce emissions of methane, an odorless greenhouse gas that is 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide at trapping heat into the atmosphere.
This extraordinary “chinstrap” is a portable device – it is placed on the bovids as if it were a harness – that converts methane into carbon dioxide and water vapor.
For the United States Environmental Protection Agency, significantly reducing methane emissions will have a rapid impact on slowing climate change. A cow can produce up to 130 gallons of methane per day and this is 95 percent due to its burp.
Carlos supported the project by students of the Royal College of Art.Photo: REUTER
another variant
This is not a new thing. Over the years, various methods of trying to “keep” the belches of cattle have emerged. Some, like with masks, are a bit curious.
In early 2021, research showed that include some algae in cattle feed can reduce methane emissions from beef cattle by up to 82 percent without reducing product quality.
The findings by researchers at the University of California Davis, published in PLOS ONE, could pave the way for sustainable animal production around the world.
Methane gas emitted by cattle can be reduced by eating algae. Photo: Wikipedia
“We already have strong evidence that seaweed in animal diets is effective in reducing greenhouse gases and its effectiveness does not decrease over time,” said Ermias Kebreab, professor and chairman of the Department of Animal Science, at the time. of Sesnon Endowed and director of the World Food Center.
“It could help farmers continue to produce the meat and dairy products we need to feed the world,” added study co-author Breanna Roque.
Source: Clarin
