Gas tax.New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. farmers were outraged last fall when lawmakers threatened to tax their livestock's gas. Why the big stink over fart fumes fumes odorous gases and other volatile materials; inhalation of irritating fumes causes coughing and, if sufficiently severe, irreversible pulmonary edema. ? Grass-munching farm animals (like cows, sheep, and goats) carry bacteria in their rumen rumen pl. rumens, rumina; the largest of the compartments of the forestomach of ruminant animals that serves as a fermentating vat. It is lined by a keratinized epithelium bearing numerous absorptive papillae; it is partly subdivided by folds (pillars). (largest area of their four-chambered stomach). The bacteria break down cellulose (plant-wall substance) and release methane, a heat-trapping gas, into Earth's atmosphere “Air” redirects here. For other uses, see Air (disambiguation). Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth and retained by the Earth's gravity. It contains roughly (by molar content/volume) 78% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0. . The so-called flatulence tax The flatulence tax (dubbed the 'Fart Tax' by New Zealanders) was a tax proposed in New Zealand to assist with compliance with the Kyoto Protocol. The tax would target the release of methane by farm animals, which in New Zealand account for over 50% of the greenhouse gas is an effort to raise money for emissions research. That's because methane (C[H.sub.4]) contributes to global warming. Once spewed into the air, this greenhouse gas absorbs heat reflected off Earth's surface. And with about 5 million belching belching see eructation. cattle in New Zealand alone, that's a lot of beat-trapping power. Other sources of the foul gas: energy production, rice paddies, human waste, and industrial processes. --L.T. Do animal gases really make a difference in overall methane emissions? You decide. Complete the chart below. Hint 1: (amount/total) X 100 = percent, Then make a pie chart of your results. Hint 2: percent totals should add up to 100. TOP 5 AMOUNT PERCENT SOURCES (MILLION METRIC TONS) OF TOTAL Landfills 7.96 Natural-gas 6.11 production Animal gases 5.59 Animal waste 3.08 Coal mining 2.78 Other 2.50 TOTAL 28.02 TAKE IT FURTHER What are some other greenhouse gases? What are their sources? SOURCE: ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION, 2001. |
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