A smelly pile of cow dung is rarely seen as an important supply of power, but actually is just that. "It`s an energy resource that we`re letting go to waste," James Duncan, an Interdisciplinary Ecology major at the University of Florida, said. "It`s ridiculous that we`re not taking advantage of it." Agriculture is a primary industry in Alachua County, and the University of Florida plays a significant role in it. In fact, the headquarters for several state and federal agricultural agencies are located in Gainesville. Although manure can have negative effects on the environment; if harnessed correctly, it can prove to be very beneficial. Animal compost can provide Alachua County with a renewable energy source, which can be used in place of fossil fuels and as source of re-nourishment for crops.
When released into the water, manure can have serious negative effects on health and water quality. Nutrients in manure suck up oxygen and create dead zones, where no fish or plant life can live. "Nutrient release is a problem in local bodies of water," Duncan said. Manure nutrients can also cause algae to bloom. "When water microbes decompose dead algae, it depletes the water of oxygen," Don Graetz, Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator for EMA Program, said. "In Florida, we`re really concerned about the springs." However, water contamination isn`t the only thing to be worried about. Air pollution is also an issue. When animal droppings decay, they let off gases, such as nitrogen and methane, which contribute to the process of global warming. Anne C. Wilkie, the associate professor with the Soil and Water Science Department in the University of Florida`s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, wrote about the facilitation of animal compost emissions on global warming. In her paper, The Other Bio-energy Solution, Wilkie wrote that methane has 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide, and methane accounts for almost 10 percent of
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The emission of green house gases and the pollution of water sources is a problem that needs a solution. One process that is currently being tested is currently called anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion uses bacteria to decompose manure. It then produces a bio-gas, composed primarily of methane gas and carbon dioxide, which can be used as an energy source for heat and electricity. The Cost-effective and Environmentally Beneficial Dairy Manure Management Practices report, prepared by the Environmental Stewardship Council, explained why anaerobic digesters work. According to the report, "Because digesters capture methane and other air pollutants, they reduce harmful emissions from manure and provide superior odor control, while offsetting consumption and emissions from non-renewable fossil fuels." The non-odorous gases produced from waste are basically identical to natural gases.
"We can make local energy from local waste," Wilkie said. "It can invigorate our community and help us be fossil efficient." Bio-gases can help us depend less on limited sources and focus on reserving them for specific functions, like for transportation. The Cost-effective and Environmentally Beneficial Dairy Manure Management Practices report said that dairymen can save money from energy costs by using anaerobic digesters. "As a rule of thumb, for every 100 lactating cows, you can generate 200 to 300 kilowatt hours per day of electricity," the report states. "The process allows farmers to derive value from waste," Duncan said. Instead of spending money to get rid of waste, Alachua County cultivators can streamline operations by using the renewable energy and left over nutrients. "Now farmers can see it as a resource and not a liability," Wilkie said. "If they don`t use nutrients efficiently, they`ll have to buy crops from outside their farms." | 
