In an industrial corner of San Francisco, the city is experimenting with an eco-friendly alternative to herbicides and lawn mowers. David Gavrich, president of the San Francisco Bay Railroad, decided to bring in a herd of 60 goats to keep the vegetation down around the tracks near Pier 96.

But that’s not all they’re good for: In addition to their work for the city, the goats sometimes venture out to residential neighborhoods to eat away blackberry bushes and poison oak. Gavrich calls the service “Rent-a-Goat.”

If you feel like giving your mower a break, Gavrich and the goats can be reached at 415-642-7170 or citygrazing.com.

Additional footage courtesy of the Exploratorium.

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The Mission District has always been Ryan Loughlin’s favorite neighborhood in the City. The tacos of La Taqueria remind him of the food that his host mother used to cook when he was living in Guanajuato, Mexico. As a crime reporter he is getting to know the other side of the area. No, he is not scared (yet). On the contrary, he wants to learn more about all the community organizations that work with kids to keep them off the streets.

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