Search engine outfit Google has hired a herd of goats in a bid to lower its carbon footprint. The herd of 200 goats have been bought in to mow the grass on its Mountain View HQ rather than using lawnmowers.

Google said it wanted to take a more "low-carbon" approach with the goats reducing the company's contribution to air and noise pollution. It costs about the same as mowing the lawn but the goats were "a lot cuter to watch."

The move has worried PETA which has said that while they have no problem with the goats eating grass they were concerns about how they were transported and whether they have enough shelter and water.

Google has stretched its employee policy for the goats. Normally only employees are allowed a free organic lunch. There is a nice video of the goats at work here

Yahoo has also employed goats to graze their grounds, some of them were made board members.