Flatulence environmental impact
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [2]
Impact
Environmental Impact
Flatulence is often blamed as a significant source of greenhouse gases owing to the erroneous belief that the methane released by livestock is in the flatus.[1] While livestock account for around 20% of global methane emissions,[2] 90 to 95% of that is released by exhaling orburping.[3] This means only 1–2% of global methane emissions come from livestock flatus.
Social Impact
In many cultures, human flatulence in public is regarded as embarrassing and repulsive, even to the point of being a taboo subject. People will often strain to hold in the passing of gas when in polite company, or position themselves to conceal the noise and smell. In other cultures it may be no more embarrassing than coughing. Flatulence is a potential source of humor, either due to the foul smell or the sounds produced. Some find humour in flatulence ignition, which is possible due to the presence of flammable gases such as hydrogen and methane, though the process can result in burn injuries to the rectum, anus and surrounding buttocks. While the act of farting is generally considered to be an unfortunate occurrence in public settings, a flatus may, in casual circumstances, be used as either a humorous supplement to a joke, or as a comic activity in and of itself. The History of Farting, by Benjamin Bart, is a collection of assorted limericks, facts, and blurbs on farting, while Who Cut the Cheese: A Cultural History of the Fart, by Jim Dawson, gives a more complete cultural discussion of the historical and social significance of farting.
References
- ↑ ABC Southern Queensland: "Could skippy stop cows farting and end global warming?" Friday, 3 February 2006. Example of error. Although the article doesn't specify whether the methane is released by flatulence or eructation, it appears the headline-writer assumes it's through flatulence.
- ↑ Nowak, Rachel (September 24, 2004). "Burp vaccine cuts greenhouse gas". New Scientist. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ "Bovine belching called udderly serious gas problem - Global warming concerns spur effort to cut methane." By Gary Polakovic. Los Angles Times, Sunday, July 13, 2003.