permaculture

[Marimike6@cs.com]

Answer: yes!

People in rural China have been using dung power for the past few years. 
Individual farms can often save enough dung to make a biogas still (just a 
drum 
with tubing running out of the lid) and collect enough to run a stove. This 
saves scarce brush previously being burnt as firewood. Some farms are large 
enough 
they can convert the methane into electricity. Not a lot, but when you live 
out in the boonies just enough to run a light bulb and a radio can make a big 
difference in your life style. It used to be that their world was pitch black 
half the time!

This is in fact a hot ticket item right now in the tech schools. A large meat 
eating country like our own generates an impressive amount of poop, and many 
sharp minds are mining this substance as a rich source of many good things. 
Check out some of these nifty ideas:

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/writing/newsrls/archive/2004/7-26-04a.htm

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/waste_mgt/smithfield_projects/smithfieldsite.htm

M. Elvin
Fuquay-Varina, NC