Reduce CO2, Save Millions on Road Maintenance

Crown Vetch grows to only two feet in height and has already been used for roadside planting. However, the heartiness of this plant has caused it to be designated an invasive species in the US. Life does not stay where you put it.

I was speaking of a genetically modified plant that would be as "smart"as a dandelion.The seed could also be made sterile,as Monsanto had done to some of it's crops.This would prevent it from becoming invasive.Of course,there always unintended consequences with anything,and nature is adaptable.There will always be some small percent of outliers that will be fertile,and with enough development,the fertile ones could be eliminated with herbicides that are very selective.

This raises the age old question of whether CO2 is really a problem. I say no, but regardless, you're comparing a single wide-swath mower being operated in one area for a few hours a month to a herd of goats that will be breathing and emitting CO2 continuously for years.

I think you've solved a problem that doesn't really exist.

The average mileage of a highway mower is about 1 mile per gallon.

Some states require multiple mowings per year.

There are approximately 4.17 million miles of highway(2020 stats).

If you have a problem with the math I can help you.

You must have never seen an interstate hwy being mowed for many miles many times per year.You must live in a small cold climate where the grass only grows for a short time,with only small streets to mow.

I will never argue with you.

Actually, where I live it is against the law to mow before June in order to let the state flower (blue bonnet) bloom.

I wish that they would mow more often because the tall grass makes it hard to see deer.

So, 4 million gallons of gas for one complete mowing. Grass where I live may get mowed 1-3 times per year. The U.S. uses about 30 million gallons of gasoline per day, so the amount used for mowing really isn't very much.

You seem to like making mountains out of mole hills.

Why go to all the trouble and expense to genetically modify a plant when a plant already has the desired characteristics and an existing track record for the task?

He’s just putting th8ngs out there.

but with what you’ve said, there may be some hesitation just due to it being put on an invasive species.

Does it spread into the crops?

can it be controlled?

Can broad leaf herbicides spray control it?

the reason I bring this up, is like whenever a species is introduced into an environment, the consequences can be devastating. Just like playing with the genetics.

I'm also putting things out there including questioning why go through the effort of trying to engineer a plant. I put out a question and nobody even tried to answer me. Why should I answer?

I replied and asked you which plant were you referring to.It would certainly save a lot of money and effort if is as you say,readily available and fits the desired results.

This would negate the need for genetic modification.

Please tell us which plant you are referring to.

your must be looking for a very narrow discussion that you're calling an answer.

Maybe you should read my reply.

that plant is labeled an invasive species, along with that comes possible problems.

Yes, as I wrote, that plant is considered an invasive species. By definition, the title "invasive" requires the species to be from another local. Doesn't a critical desired requirement mandate the plant to be invasive? Particularly the requirement that the species chokes out other species that can grow above two feet. Otherwise, mowing will still have to be done.

And to do a little research, it all looks great, great for bees, I didn’t do enough research on the plants it’ll displace and that effects… it appears to do the job like your said, you still may have to mow…

yet a solution is like (2) sides of a coin.

The down side, it is an invasive species, like I mentioned earlier, there are consequences.

“The foliage of Crown Vetch contains the toxic cardiac alkaloid, coronillin. As a result, it is potentially toxic to some mammals, including horses and well as humans for that matter.”

I’ve often wonder, on the English country side, what plants grow there… it appears that the foliage was always short.

I have a picture of it as an example, but for some reason, I can’t insert it.

I have centipede grass as my lawn.It is not invasive.If it comes to a flower bed edge,it will stop and not go over the edging.

It has to be mowed once year for looks,because the seed pods rise up about 5 inches.This would not be necessary on a road side.It will turn brown during a drought,but it will turn back green when it rains.
It goes dormant during the winter,but still maintains it's structure,which is net-like.

The gene modified version would have all of these characteristics except it would be evergreen year round and survive in very cold climes.

Which plant.If you mean centipede,it is good but very hard to germinate without a very controlled environment to sprout.Once established,it is very good.Stays low to the ground,has prolific seed and chokes out most competitive weeds and grasses.

I have seen centipede sod put in medians,which are the most troublesome to mow,but no widespread use.

Which plant are you talking about?

WTF! Really?

I provided a link and a picture of the plant and you have no idea what plant I've suggested.

It was in the very first reply to this thread!

You now propose a different existing plant species that might meet your criteria. You still don't address my question. You might have a very good reason that somebody should try engineering a new plant species but you won't tell us.

If you want a discussion, please respond to those willing to reply.

Anyone here is free to leave at any time.The plant you suggested is considered an invasive species in most states,so I don't think that is a good choice.The suggestion I mentioned,centipede, had it's drawbacks,mainly cost and problems establishing it initially.

The reason I suggested modification of the plant gene is to accomplish that which is not currently available from nature.Monsanto has been doing this for years.Roundup resistant crops,seeds that are sterile, so you cannot save seed from this season to replant next season,trees that grow extremely fast and many others.They have also created some forever chemicals that have plagued us since the 1940's.

The money spent on development of a modified grass or ground cover would give a rapid ROI to any company that sees the need and possible high profit margins.

They could possibly even get carbon credits for every seed.

But,then again,your suggested answer seems to be the only one you will accept.

Your suggestion was not the answer,and I hope this satisfies your "Why"" question.

I will never argue with you.

I got one word for ya'.. GOAT'S...

They produce milk and goat meat is expensive and popular...

Baxter Black,cowboy poet,proposed that years ago.

His suggested motto after releasing goats to prevent forest fires was

"Only ewes can prevent forest fires."

The problem with goats is they are adventurous and verified escape artists.

I know from experience from raising them.In a forest they are OK,but not if trying to confine them to a certain area.They will escape,and one escapee will teach the others how to escape.

I have even had goats showing my cows how to escape.

They would be a disaster on a roadside.Once they learn how,they never forget,and are always looking for new escape methods.

I have seen goats sniffing an electric fence,inches away from the wire to see it is was active or not.

Maybe they can smell the ozone,I don't know but they are ever vigilant.I saw a billy goat holding up an electric fence bottom strand with his horns so little ones could go under it.

He then went to the diagonal brace in a corner,climbed it and jumped out.

There are 3 things you should never try to out-stubborn.A cat.A mule,and a goat.

The only way to beat a goat is to eat a goat.

Put him on the grill with rotisserie.Cook very slowly and baste with your favorite BBQ sauce.Tastes a little bit like deer but more gamey.

Well they could get brain implants for behavior modification...

That way you could control them with your smartphone...

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a19344/implantable-device-measures-brain-signals-control-electronics/

...or you could just build robotic goats...

https://electrek.co/2022/03/15/ahead-of-an-electric-motorcycle-kawasaki-shows-off-an-electric-goat-robot-with-a-human-rider/

How much will insurance premiums go up from deer killed crossing the road.

i can only speak for my self, but, I look for deer when driving at night… and avoided mishaps with deer too many to count.

the only deer I’ve hit was from the tall yet to be mowed grass where it’s harder to see deer about to cross.

just my opinion…

Just breed goats, because they eat <...grass...>.

I think some other math might be in play here.

What are grass clippings? They are slivers of carbon that have sucked the CO2 out of the air and belched out the O2 for us to breathe.

Here in Florida where we get rain showers almost every day for about 6 months out of the year, that grass grows FAST...which means it sucks and belches fast too.

They usually only cut it once a month or so in the rural areas.

What then is the cutting machine emission/grass suckage math ratio?

It sounds like a nebulous math problem to me, but really one for the politicians to solve (as usual), and not the actual engineers or scientists.

I am sure the diesel tractors put out more co2 than the grass when it is being mowed,but what if instead of mowing every month,mowing twice a year because the grass did not grow tall enough to need mowing twice a month.

Also consider,the maintenance cost of the machinery,labor costs,labor costs,insurance costs,tires,diesel fuel,lubricants,wear and tear on the machines,etc.

As far as politicians solving problems,their only solutions are directed related to be reelected to the gravy train where you can set your own salary and benefits and retirement plans.

IMHO:

Politicians are like pigeons:The grovel at your feet while they are on the ground and feeding them,but when they are over your head they..well you know what pigeons do.

I'm not sure about that. Consider this:

I mow my property (the yard part) once a week in the summer. I use a 60" zero turn mower that mows at 10 mph. I am mowing 3.5 acres and it takes an hour.

My fuel tank holds 5 gallons, but I only fill my cans to 4.5 gallons. I dump in a whole can when the mower gauge gets close to empty.

I cut 4 times between fill-ups. This means it takes about 1.125 gallons to cut 3.5 acres.

There is approximately 22 pounds of CO2 released by the burning of 1.125 gallons of gasoline.

I have cut 154,350 square feet of grass, which is going to be about 5"-6" high when cut.

There might be more than 22 pounds of suckage going on in that amount of grass.

That is no comparison to a large state mower running hundreds of miles,day after day,and the associated costs of employees and everything else that goes with it.

Big state owned mowers use more fuel,so reducing the frequency of cuts would save a lot of dough,as well as creating less CO2.