A group of 200 goats has been brought in to clean up weeds at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California.
The tech giant swapped gas-powered lawnmowers for grazing animals in a move that’s both environmentally conscious and visually charming.
The goats were hired through California Grazing, a local company that specializes in using livestock to manage vegetation. For about a week, the animals will roam around Google’s open fields, eating weeds and underbrush that usually require machines and workers to remove. A border collie helps guide them around the area to ensure every patch gets attention.
Google chose this method as a greener way to manage its campus grounds. The company says the cost of using goats is roughly the same as hiring a traditional landscaping team, but it avoids the use of fuel and emissions that come with machinery. At the same time, the goats naturally fertilize the land, leaving behind droppings that help enrich the soil.
While the idea might seem new to some, it’s not the first time goats have been used by tech firms. Yahoo experimented with goat landscaping as early as 2007. Now, Google has followed suit, blending nature with technology in an unexpected way.
This goat-powered project is part of a broader trend where companies look for creative and sustainable ways to care for the environment. With the goats now munching away outside Google’s offices, employees and visitors are treated to a unique sight — one that’s more peaceful than buzzing mowers and leaves a much smaller carbon footprint.