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And it won't improve until the world population starts limiting its meat intake.

by tma-1 10y ago

hunterjrj 10y ago
I can't see why the parent has been down voted: "Meat production is a major contributor to climate change. It is estimated that livestock production accounts for 70 per cent of all agricultural land use and occupies 30 per cent of the land surface of the planet. Because of their sheer numbers, livestock produce a considerable volume of greenhouse gases (such as methane and nitrous oxide) that contribute to climate change. In fact, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that livestock production is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases." http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/food-and-our-planet/food-and-climate-change/ http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/food-and-our-plan... (David Suzuki is a biologist and climate change activist here in Canada)
- zzalpha 10y ago
  Because, as meat consumption produced less than a fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions, the claim that "it won't improve until the world population starts limiting its meat intake" is simply false. Reducing meat production would help, certainly. But it ain't a blocking requirement to getting global warming under control. As an aside, while I'm choosing to accept that 18% number, counting methane in that list is a bit misleading as, while it is a far more powerful greenhouse gas, it has a far shorter lifetime in the atmosphere than CO2.
- paavokoya 10y ago
  >In fact, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that livestock production is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases. It seems like fixing 82% of the problem is more important and likely than eliminating an essential protein source from the human diet. But that's just my opinion.
zanny 10y ago
First step is to stop so heavily subsidizing it. On an individual scale I can advocate for eating less meat but when its cheaper per caloric pound, especially for protein, in many places because of tremendous subsidies, economics is fundamentally working against you where it would in a natural market be working for you.
GunboatDiplomat 10y ago
That seems like the least of our problems, what with the use of gigatons of coal, oil, and natural gas. Also, I'm willing to limit use of coal, oil, and natural gas. I'm not willing to eat less steak.
- colordrops 10y ago
  Raising cattle for meat produces a huge amount of methane, and also is the number one reason for rainforest destruction, and overall is (surprisingly) the greatest contributor to global warming, so if you are truly worried about the greatest of out problems, then you would reduce your meat intake.
  - GunboatDiplomat 10y ago
    I don't believe you. Your claims are simply not credible.
    - colordrops 10y ago
      Your bad attitude doesn't change the truth. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsID=20772#.V2WuH8tlDqA http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsID=20772#.V2WuH8tl...
  - Oletros 10y ago
    > and overall is (surprisingly) the greatest contributor to global warming, Can you provide a source for that claim? Thanks

And it won't improve until the world population starts limiting its meat intake.

by tma-1 10y ago

And it won't improve until the world population starts limiting its meat intake.

I can't see why the parent has been down voted: "Meat production is a major contributor to climate change. It is estimated that livestock production accounts for 70 per cent of all agricultural land use and occupies 30 per cent of the land surface of the planet. Because of their sheer numbers, livestock produce a considerable volume of greenhouse gases (such as methane and nitrous oxide) that contribute to climate change. In fact, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that livestock production is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases." http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/food-and-our-planet/food-and-climate-change/ http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/food-and-our-plan... (David Suzuki is a biologist and climate change activist here in Canada)

zzalpha 10y ago
Because, as meat consumption produced less than a fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions, the claim that "it won't improve until the world population starts limiting its meat intake" is simply false. Reducing meat production would help, certainly. But it ain't a blocking requirement to getting global warming under control. As an aside, while I'm choosing to accept that 18% number, counting methane in that list is a bit misleading as, while it is a far more powerful greenhouse gas, it has a far shorter lifetime in the atmosphere than CO2.
paavokoya 10y ago
>In fact, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that livestock production is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases. It seems like fixing 82% of the problem is more important and likely than eliminating an essential protein source from the human diet. But that's just my opinion.

zanny 10y ago

First step is to stop so heavily subsidizing it. On an individual scale I can advocate for eating less meat but when its cheaper per caloric pound, especially for protein, in many places because of tremendous subsidies, economics is fundamentally working against you where it would in a natural market be working for you.

GunboatDiplomat 10y ago

That seems like the least of our problems, what with the use of gigatons of coal, oil, and natural gas. Also, I'm willing to limit use of coal, oil, and natural gas. I'm not willing to eat less steak.

colordrops 10y ago
Raising cattle for meat produces a huge amount of methane, and also is the number one reason for rainforest destruction, and overall is (surprisingly) the greatest contributor to global warming, so if you are truly worried about the greatest of out problems, then you would reduce your meat intake.
- GunboatDiplomat 10y ago
  I don't believe you. Your claims are simply not credible.
  - colordrops 10y ago
    Your bad attitude doesn't change the truth. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsID=20772#.V2WuH8tlDqA http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsID=20772#.V2WuH8tl...
- Oletros 10y ago
  > and overall is (surprisingly) the greatest contributor to global warming, Can you provide a source for that claim? Thanks