Top Ten Reasons to Recycle Trivia Quiz

Answer: To make paper

Elephant manure is filled with fibre that the animals cannot digest, and that waste product is now being utilised to manufacture paper. After the manure is collected, it is washed and separated into its fibre components, before being dried and then spun into paper.

In an even more impressive example of recycling nature's end product, that paper is then sold to raise money for elephant protection and animal sanctuary and zoos. China has recently commenced a similar project by manufacturing and selling Panda Poo Paper.

Answer: Consumed to cure dysentery

German soldiers suffered terribly from dysentery while stationed in North Africa during World War II, but amazingly found a way to cure same by copying an age long practice used by the native populations there. That, believe it or not, was the consumption of camel manure BUT it only worked if the camel manure was fresh.

Answer: Asian palm civet

This little creature is native to the south and south-east of Asia, and its small droppings are used to make coffee. This process is the result of the civet's consumption of a fruit known as coffee cherries grown in abundance on the islands of Indonesia.

The civet can only partly digest this fruit and excretes the cherries almost fully formed. It is then gathered up, thoroughly washed and sold as coffee beans called Kopi Luwak. They're horrendously expensive, just in passing - pardon the pun. Apparently the consumption and excretion of the cherries gives the coffee a delightful flavour, but all things considered, I'm thankful I'm a tea drinker.

Answer: Gunpowder

The waste products from seals and bats are also used in the manufacture of gunpowder. All three products are usually referred to as guano. Guano is packed with nitrogen and potassium nitrate and it is these extracted products that go into making gunpowder. Phosphorus is also extracted from guano and this is used to make fertilizer. One day perhaps mankind will no longer have the need for gunpowder and the world will be a place of peace and love. That way all those little seabirds, bats and seals can poop away in peace without having to nervously check behind that no shovels are attacking from the rear.

Answer: To clean up polluted waters

Tin and silver mining in Peru results in heavily polluted acid water leaking from the mines and killing all the plants and fish as it makes its way into the main waterways. Scientists have discovered that one way to solve this destruction of the environment is to introduce a certain bacteria into the water that actually binds the metal waste products together so they solidify and drop to the bottom. That bacteria is created, astonishingly so, from llama poop.

This is dropped into lagoons and wetlands to begin its miraculous clean up work. Peruvians cannot take all the credit for this idea though - it was based in part on a similar process used in England using horse and cattle manure.

Answer: Fuel

Using dried animal manure as fuel for fires has been known to man since that warming force was first discovered, but today in countries where huge feedlots abound, and animals are cruelly locked into forced cycles of feed and food production for man, there is at least one positive for this terrible practice. All those animals together in giant sites create huge amounts of manure - and that manure is being utilised to produce bio-gas. Plans are also in place to create electricity from chicken and cow manure - and to create a form of petrol for vehicles by converting pig manure into same. What would Porky Pig make of that?

Answer: Building materials

In poorer, heavily over-populated countries such as India, mixing manure and mud together forms a kind of odour free, waterproof paste for the floors and walls of family huts and homes. In addition to this, a more recent innovation has come into being in these countries by adding chopped up straw into the mix and then using the result to make really durable bricks to build homes. Scientists have recently been investigating ways to make fibreboard from this triple mix product as well. No wonder the cow is considered such a sacred animal in this country.

Answer: To keep insects at bay

Burning dried animal manure in order to keep away buzzing irritating insects is not a particularly new idea, but old or new, it's greatly appreciated by those people who cannot afford more expensive man made insecticides to do the job. Some people have even suggested using cow manure as a form of disinfectant for wounds, but this perhaps is not a good idea until it has been thoroughly tested by scientists.

Answer: Garden fertiliser

The addition of cow manure to gardens can make your plants bloom as though they're on steroids. Not only that, it really enriches the soil as well for future plantings, AND helps keep it moist. That is ideal in dry countries such as Australia. It's best not to put fresh manure on straight from Betsy however because it IS so rich in various chemicals and could be too much for your plants. Let it dry out first before thoroughly digging it in and turning it over in the soil. Oh, your garden will love you, and so will the rich plump earthworms that are so essential for any garden.

They'll flock to your yard. Horse manure is equally as effective, as is chicken manure - but chicken manure pongs. Oh and a word of warning regarding horse manure. Don't use manure from race horses - unless you wish to have corn sprouting right throughout your garden.

Answer: Cow pie bingo

While cow chip tossing competitions have been a source of entertainment for years in rural communities, another newer form of utilising cow manure for entertainment is cow pie bingo. The purpose of the game is to draw a certain number of large numbered squares on a sizable area of mown grass (preferable in a field), and then sell those numbers to laughing spectators.

When this is done, several cows are then taken out and allowed to graze in this cordoned off area (otherwise they'll wander away). The first cow to drop a nice fresh load of manure onto a numbered square - and you have your winner. Bingo!