Comments on: Burning bunnies for biofuel

By: Bromley86

Bromley86 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:42:47 +0000

Nice try Eric, but the bunnies are already in existence. Bear in mind that I’m not part of the bunneyfuel lobby. I’m not going to advocate increasing the supply of bunnies so I can harvest more to feed into my furnace.

So, thanks for the (brief) lesson, but you’ll have to try harder.

Have you compared the emissions of a wolf/fox/coyote compared to that saved by shortening X bunnies lives? I thought not. Mind you, in fairness, I haven’t calculated the carbon that the bunnies have been prevented from releasing by being shot before their time and offset it against that released by burning rather than burying them.

Let’s just stick to the obvious point that the increase in atmospheric carbon from burning these bunnies is not worth worrying about.

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:35:47 +0000

The best thing you can do from a global warming perspective is to EAT YOUR DOG:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427311.600-how-green-is-your-pet.html?full=true

By: Eric Brooks

Eric Brooks — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:53:15 +0000

Rabbits do not fix carbon, they are net carbon emitters, just as all animals are. (And then of course if we foolishly burn them, rabbits emit even -more- carbon. Plants fix carbon. You need to study basic biology and ecology.

And your centering on wolves is a straw man. I was just using them as an example of successful reintroduction. (And wolves are much more afraid of, and harmless to, humans, than you imagine.)

The point is that the best way to handle the rabbit problem is reintroduce whatever predators used to be in that ecosystem. Such predators will rapidly resolve any rabbit overpopulation problem.

This has been done very effectively in U.S. cities by allowing coyotes to reintroduce themselves in urban areas, which has greatly improved urban habitats, and in particular small bird survival (the latter because the coyotes control middle predators like raccoons and skunks which decimate birds).

By: Bromley86

Bromley86 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:13:14 +0000

>explain to me how burned rabbits are carbon neutral..?

How is any bio-fuel carbon neutral? Bunnies absorb carbon, are killed, dried, burnt and release carbon. The real question is surely how efficient is the process in terms of watts per kg of carbon released, remembering that a certain amount of carbon will be released anyway using other disposal methods.

How about laying out your plans for the introduction of the wolf to major urban centres?

By: Eric Brooks

Eric Brooks — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:30:53 +0000

Interesting Peter,

Can you use your obviously brilliant mind to explain to me how burned rabbits are carbon neutral..?

Lay it out for us genius…

By: SIR EURO IS BACK

SIR EURO IS BACK — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:14:37 +0000

BRING THEM TO ICELAND. 1500 PEOPLE NEED TO BE FEED IN REYKJAVÍK EVERYDAY BY THE CHARITY. I KNOW HOW TO COOK THEM…

By: Axel

Axel — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:32:56 +0000

Eric Brooks said:

“Those rabbits should be culled through reintroduction of natural predators like foxes and wolves”

I don’t know if people would want wolves running around in public parks, and chewing bunny´s,
what would the kids say ;)

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:55:21 +0000

“Free cremation service for the ecologically minded. Donate your loved ones body and heat your home at the same time”

To minimise carbon emissions, bodies should be buried (trapping carbon) rather than cremated (releasing carbon). Same for bunnies.

By: Sangwidge

Sangwidge — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:26:11 +0000

Burning human bodies?
“Free cremation service for the ecologically minded. Donate your loved ones body and heat your home at the same time”

By: Angel5

Angel5 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:31:23 +0000

Killing bunnies is bad karma. Don’t judge Eric least you be judged and found wanting. God will punish the wicked. You will see.