Sometimes going green doesn’t involve a high tech breakthrough. Sometimes it’s about using existing technology in a new way. Sometimes, it involves goats.

Photo by Spamily @ Flickr.

I saw this business while browsing the GOOD blogs and I thought it was amazing “step backwards” in the name of going green (and making some green!). Rent-a-Ruminant, based in Seattle, offers a natural option to clearing brush that doesn’t involve fire, gas-powered machines or dangerous herbicides. Having grown up on a farm, we often used our goats’ appetites for everything green and leafy for this kind of work. They not only cleared out overgrown areas, but they were also excellent Christmas tree disposals.

You don’t even need to file for a permit to have Rent-a-Ruminant bring a herd of hungry goats to your property to clear out that pesky overgrowth! One herd of 100 can clear a quarter-acre in a matter of 3 days. Goats work on uneven terrain better than machinery ever could. Plus, all of that leafy input results in a steady output of free fertilizer.

Rent-a-Ruminant is a great reminder that great green alternatives are all around us.