Google Brings Back Goats as Grass Mowers
Resisting the temptation to lead with, "Google gets kids to eat grass."
Last year Google brought in goats to cut the grass at the Googleplex. It was a low-carbon approach that was designed to eliminate the noise and pollution that come with mowers. The goats were rented from California Grazing and after they had done their job, Google returned the handy animals. With spring upon us, the grass needs cutting again and the Google goats are back.
"More than 200 goats from California Grazing have once again arrived at our Mountain View headquarters where they’ll stay for over a week chomping away on grassy goodness," Dan Hoffman, Director of Real Estate and Workplace Services for NorCal said in a blog post. "The cost of bringing in the goats is comparable to hiring lawn mowers for the same job and the green benefits are clear: the goats eliminate mower emissions, reduce noise pollution, restore plant species and fertilize while grazing."
I'll refrain from making any corny goat puns, but only because I made them all last year. Go nuts in the comments if you can't resist goading the people who want to work for Google but haven't managed to get hired. *
* That one example doesn't count.
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Are you sure Google isn't attaching some kind of world domination, remote controlled chip-in-neck device for the goats?
Goats will be remotely 'activated' and they will bear arms and bulletproof vest and helmets. They will also chomp you out. MUNCH! Baaaaaa! *pew pew*
Google brings in Goats....MS Bing goes to the WNBA
http://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/news; [...] artnership
Hmmmm...Goats have to be shipped in...Emissions...Goats eat and breath and poo. Emmision. Then methane from their poo. Yeah I a sure this really is eco friendly as their mega servers. Unless they are hydropowed and cooled still emitting emissions. But who cares anyway. Tired of this green BS. Lets bring in goats when there is a freaking volcano spewing all over europe.
Can the goats play Crysis?
It looks like some are slacking off.
Can the goats play Crysis?
As I laughed I could feel my IQ drop 10 points.
so they cut their grass only in spring? In florida we cut the grass weekly sometimes and monthly at the least. At my university they were using a mowing company and it cost them about 25k and took 1 day to cut 1/3rd of the campus.
Are you sure Google isn't attaching some kind of world domination, remote controlled chip-in-neck device for the goats?Goats will be remotely 'activated' and they will bear arms and bulletproof vest and helmets. They will also chomp you out. MUNCH! Baaaaaa! *pew pew*
Nah, they intend to do that with alien-pigs. with shotguns. And google will pay for shooting up my ride.
I wonder if the goats conform to Google's "Don't be evil" policy?
Evil goats...
*Shudders*
I'm interested to see the actual pictures of their lawn.
it's just another link in their plans for global domination... soon you'll see google brand goats milk and feda.
what no 'baaad' jokes?
And the goats leave nice steamy piles of..... well you can google the term for that.
Talk about an uneven cutting job.
Google; your number one supplier of fertilizer produced on our very doorstep!
I hope the headquarters are not in a too-urban environnement. Poor goats that has to eat polluted grass.
I wonder if goats will be taxed like cows...
Nah, they intend to do that with alien-pigs. with shotguns. And google will pay for shooting up my ride.
Thanks man. That made my entire year. Best comment I've ever read here.
I don't think Google did a google search about the effects livestock have on CO2 and methane emissions. If they did they would realize they are a far greater cause then a lawn mower. Although a lawnmower in use can produce alot of exahaust, it can be turned off. An animal on the other hand cannot be turned off on the fly. Its not like you can instantly grow 200 goats to eat the grass for you.
Also I don't think Google is familar with farm life. Out of all the animals you could pick to eat the grass, the goat is one that is not only noisy but creates a really annoying sound.
Huh, I'm going to have to drive by the Google campus at some point to see the goats at work.
If they wanted the lawn fertalized they should have brought over Steve Jobs to talk about Apple customer support on their lawn, or maybe about how one half of a tablet PC is the greatest thing since the Segway.
Now look how nicely I turned this into an Apple thing. Just need someone make an Obama then a George Bush reference to make thing complete. Oh, and if anyone can find a way to twist a "God made the grass and who are we to interfere with His ways" comment into this, that would be great. Thanks.
I don't think Google did a google search about the effects livestock have on CO2 and methane emissions. If they did they would realize they are a far greater cause then a lawn mower. Although a lawnmower in use can produce alot of exahaust, it can be turned off. An animal on the other hand cannot be turned off on the fly. Its not like you can instantly grow 200 goats to eat the grass for you.Also I don't think Google is familar with farm life. Out of all the animals you could pick to eat the grass, the goat is one that is not only noisy but creates a really annoying sound.
Methane production is moot. Since the animals were rented rather than being raised specifically for this purpose, they'd be producing the same gas elsewhere.
I'd be more inclined to question the choice of goats over, say, sheep. Goats are browsers rather than grazing animals, and prefer to eat shrubbery and other woody material rather than grass.
But you can't slow-roast a lawnmower.
Might be a greener option, IF they don't truck in those goats...
ugh...
lawn full of goat droppings...
NOT pleasant....
Nothing new or exciting here.
what no 'baaad' jokes?
People are being too sheepish!
Maybe Google's computers were running slow and they just needed more RAM!
Heck I would keep one goat to mow my grass and get goats milk too but again the government tells me I can not have one where I live in the suburbs. Some free range chickens for eggs would be cool to0, fenced back yard.
I don't think Google did a google search about the effects livestock have on CO2 and methane emissions. If they did they would realize they are a far greater cause then a lawn mower. Although a lawnmower in use can produce alot of exahaust, it can be turned off. An animal on the other hand cannot be turned off on the fly.
Grazing animals actually help lower emissions. It's the livestock that are force-fed preprocessed food that are bad for the environment.
Also, I don't understand you people who complain about anybody doing something to help the environment. What does it matter? Even if you don't believe in global warming or going green, its not like they're hurting you. It's like you guys were complaining about a person doing something nice for another person. Stop being so bitter.
What about the carbon footprint of trucking the goats in every week?