October 26, 2001
7:58 PM   Subscribe

Environmentalism faces a values test as genetically engineered pigs produce less polluting excrement. My advice: Why not just leave it up to these guys?
posted by Zbobo (5 comments total)
 
so long as they undergo the mandatory three years of testing, whats the big deal? it's too early for these groups to be condemning the enviropigs.
posted by mcsweetie at 8:42 PM on October 26, 2001


The real question is: where did all this extra phosphorous go? If it's not being excreted, then it must still be in the pig. Couldn't this result in spontaneous porcine combustion? Instant Bacon?
posted by groundhog at 9:04 PM on October 26, 2001


Who will do the testing?

What will they test for?

Even if this works, and there truly is no adverse effect to the animals or their meat, it could actually end up working to make overall matters worse.

The industry reps in the article were explicit: they like this because they want to increase production. If your pigs are only producing half of the phosphorous, but you increase production by 200% there is no reduction in phosphorous entering the environment, and the solid waste stream doubles.

There are lots of other problems with factory "farming" of hogs besides the the phosphorous produced by their excrement. The real problem is the practice of factory farming of animals, not one symptom (excess phosphorous production) of the practice.
posted by theMargin at 9:06 PM on October 26, 2001


Oh, and don't forget the pigs that glow under blacklight thanks to jellyfish DNA.
posted by arielmeadow at 9:12 PM on October 26, 2001


theMargin:

good point. I guess it's ain't too early.
posted by mcsweetie at 10:27 PM on October 26, 2001


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