零碳排放的除草服務-山羊出租中(Rent-a-Goat)

日本企業推行減碳的風氣相當盛行，2009年一家建築公司更是突發奇想，提出一種完全零碳排放量的除草服務，這項以出租山羊的服務來幫忙除草的創意新服務。

日本一家建築公司Mikuni Construction Co. 2009年8月宣佈將在日本南部的北九州市，推出一項極為創新的租賃服務—出租山羊。這項奇特的服務將在2010年3月開始正式運行，它將出租可以幫忙除草的山羊，強調這個獨特的除草方法不需要任何機械，因此除了可以省下大量的電力，更是完全沒有碳排放的一種對環境友善的新應用，此舉馬上引起注意環保團體的注意。

這個想法並不是倉促形成的，這家公司的總裁經過了三年的努力，終於找出一套可以營利的商業模式，他在2009年5月時買了五隻山羊，將山羊套上纜繩限制其行動的大致範圍，結果發現一個星期後大約500平方公尺的草坪就可以被吃光光。「出租山羊」的試驗在2009年8月推出成功後，公司已決定在2010年3月正式推出這項租賃服務。

由於山羊吃的草種類繁多，他們幾乎所有新鮮的莖和葉都吃，可說是不挑食的，而且還特別喜歡吃在爛泥或水坑裡的草，這些恰好是人們除草特別不易的地方。再者，這種新式除草法，不必煩惱以往除下來大量雜草的後續處理問題，因為羊隻的糞便可以回歸土壤，成為另一種天然的養分，可說是相當的環保。

當然，除了出租山羊提供除草的服務，公司也計畫逐漸增加山羊的數量，以便提供其他的附加服務，如製造乳酪和其他從山羊奶而來的相關產品。他們希望這個出租山羊服務不僅是一套新的除草工具用以維護都市的綠色空間，更是協助當地居民有個舒適的環境。

Mikuni Construction Co. in Kitakyusyu City, southern Japan, announced in August 2009, that it would be launching a new service to rent goats for weeding grass starting in April 2010. This unique weeding method does not require any machinery, and is drawing attention as an environmentally friendly technique.

Having first heard about weeding with goats from his business associate, Katsuhiko Sera, the president of the company, has been investigating the approach for three years in an effort to devise a viable business model. He bought five goats in May 2009, and by tethering the goats with a cable, about 500 square meters of grass can be grazed over the course of a week. A trial "rent-a-goat" began in August 2009, but will be fully launched in March 2010.

Goats eat various types of weed. They eat all aboveground stems and leaves, and prefer to graze on slops, which people often find it difficult to weed. Furthermore, weeded material does not require disposal when using this method and the goat dung produced simply decomposes and is returned to the soil.

In addition to renting goats, the company plans to provide its own weeding service by increasing the number of goats, and to manufacture cheese and other products from goat milk. Mr. Sera hopes that his rental goat service will serve not only as a new tool to maintain urban green spaces, but will also assist the comfort of local residents.