They toyed with the idea of a donÂkey, but they went with four sheep instead, and now four ewes are mowÂing the grounds of Paris’ MunicÂiÂpal Archives. It’s all part of a pilot proÂgram where, if sucÂcessÂful, sheep will trim the grass of Parisian pubÂlic spaces and burn no fosÂsil fuels along the way. The New York Times has more on this old school soluÂtion to a modÂern enviÂronÂmenÂtal probÂlem.
Will there be curiÂous chilÂdren near this elecÂtric fence? My chilÂdren’s MontesÂsori school had a miniaÂture goat to mow the lawn but they nevÂer needÂed an elecÂtric fence. As for endanÂgered orchids, wouldÂn’t the lawn mowÂer do more damÂage? They didÂn’t even find the orchids until the sheep arrived. Did they pick sheep over donÂkeys because velÂlum (archives) comes from sheepÂskin?
They do polÂlute methane.
Google tried this out a few years ago.
http://techcrunch.com/2009/05/01/google-rents-goats-to-replace-lawnmowers-im-not-kidding/