Oil spill solution?

[April]

I don't know if this has been posted before, but I find it incredibly intriguing.

http://www.wimp.com/solutionoil/

Thoughts?

[Kung]

Wow...gives completely new meaning to the term 'country boy can survive.'

Seriously, as the guy said, that's about as green as you can get. Don't know how viable it could be but I was amazed at how much oil that picked up.

[davel745]

Even if there isn’t enough hay this year it can be expanded next year.

This cleanup will last for years.

In three years they could harvest enough hay to soak up the Gulf of Mexico.

In 5 years there would be enough hay to cover the earth. LOL

After they get done with the hay production the fields could lay fallow till the next spill.

Good Idea

Dave

[Sawmill Jim]

Ever know of the Gov or a big Co that done anything simple

Got to run it by the committee first should get an answer in about a year or so

[JeffNY]

Proves that engineers are worthless, since I haven't seen them come up with this idea.



Jeff

[Sawmill Jim]

Hey try Sawdust

[Ernie]

Well, I don't know that what works in a big bowl of water will also work in the Gulf of Mexico.

I also wonder where all the hay is going to come from and how it's going to be removed once it's soaked with oil, or where it's going to be removed to.

[davel745]

Ernie I agree that there are questions about using hay to suck up the oil. The guy (Farmer) said that machinery used to clean up seaweed will work to pick up the hay.

As far as what to do with it Let it dry out and I bet a coal fired power plant could burn the oil soaked hay without to much trouble. At least there could be some value to the oil.

It would help the farmers and the economy in a small way. I think It is worth a study by non government and non BP people. It would take a few days to see if 200 bales of hay can soak up the oil and if a seaweed skimmer could pick up the soaked hay. As far as disposal let it dry and see if it can be burned. If so it may be used as fuel for something.

Dave

[Wolf mom]

Yuppers - ya gotta look at all the parts. I heard of some kind of glass beads, that are environmentally OK, that the oil clings to and sinks to the bottom of the ocean. But, how do you get the beads up and dispose of the mess?

And don't forget what we've come up against - Has to be an environmental study first - and BTW - don't forget those life jackets!

I believe we've got our priorities backward.

[wy_white_wolf]

I think the logistics of getting the hay/straw to the gulf, out in the water, then picked up, back to shore and finally desposed of creates a bigger problem than other processes already being used.

This is something that can be done as a way to protect the shores/beaches. Stake down bales alone the shore to catch any oil reaching them.

I do wish I could find the half dozen other threads that have already been discussed about this.

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by davel745

It would help the farmers and the economy in a small way. I think It is worth a study by non government and non BP people. It would take a few days to see if 200 bales of hay can soak up the oil and if a seaweed skimmer could pick up the soaked hay. As far as disposal let it dry and see if it can be burned. If so it may be used as fuel for something.

Dave

Do you actually feed livestock hay?

Currently the prices in my area are around $4 per bale. In drought years the price jumps up to around $7. In some areas I drive through I occasionally see hay priced at $12.

Clearly there is a limited supply out there of square bales. If the government starts buying up thousands of them then those who rely on them for livestock food are going to suffer a huge price increase. So other than those who are selling hay, exactly which farmers and farm economy is it going to help?

Then there's the soil fertility to contend with. I always say that selling hay is the STUPIDEST thing a farmer can do and should be done just one step ahead of bankruptcy. I don't mind buying hay at all because I'm using dollars to transfer someone else's soil fertility to my own farm.

If the price of hay jumps up incredibly because of the government buying hay, then you're going to see a large number of new fields enter the market. The price of hay might even shoot up past the price of corn and you will see a dip in the regular human food supply.

Right now, that soil fertility (contained in hay) is being transferred around from less prosperous farm to more prosperous farm. The fertility is not really leaving the agricultural system, even though a lot of it is going to horse farms where they don't grow anything. SOMEONE is going to benefit from all that manure, even if it's 40 years down the line when the horse owner dies and someone else buys their place.

What will be the long term net effect of taking the fertility from thousands and thousands of acres and literally DUMPING it into the ocean?

I think this good ol' boy idea was dreamed up by someone who would like to sell a little hay to the government and hasn't been well thought out.

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by JeffNY

Proves that engineers are worthless, since I haven't seen them come up with this idea.

No, what it proves is that the clean-up effort doesn't need to be high tech. This supports my contention that we need boots on the ground to clean this mess up. The military can handle this, if only they would be deployed.

By the way, yes, that clip has been posted here a few times before.

[davel745]

Ernie

I agree but if we don’t start to do something soon it may be to late.

Here is a link to an interesting article
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6593/648967

Daddy did you plug the hole yet?????? Not going to happen.

Best regards,

Dave