January 05, 2025
Horse Manure, Climate Change, and Nuclear Energy
The "Great Manure Crisis" of the late 19th century offers some serious lessons for those worried about the "existential threat" of global warming from CO2 emissions.
A predicted crisis that never occurred because of new technology.
Just before the dawn of the 20th century, there was desperate talk about the huge accumulation of horse manure on the streets of major world cities. Not only was rising levels of horse poop inhibiting travel, but it threatened to become a major health hazard. For example, New York City had 150,000 horses, each producing 15-30 pounds of manure daily. And yes, tens of thousands of gallons of urine.
Extrapolating the problem, not unlike current climate activists projecting the effects of global warming during the coming century, the Times of London in 1894 predicted: "in fifty years, every street in London would be buried under nine feet of manure." People were encouraged to travel less, avoid unnecessary trips, work at home, and collect the refuse their animals produced.
Sounds familiar?
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/01/horse-manure-climate-change-and-nuclear.html
