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There was a recent freakonomics podcast [1] from which I learned that greenhouse gas emissions mostly come from cattle breathing, not their manure (I guess the
by ericsoderstrom 8y ago
There was a recent freakonomics podcast [1] from which I learned that greenhouse gas emissions mostly come from cattle breathing, not their manure (I guess the manure imagery that often goes along with describing livestock environmental impact is just used because it's evocative?). Also that livestock farming in the US only contributes 3% of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions [2], which I wouldn't call a particularly "impressive percentage".
[1]: http://freakonomics.com/podcast/meat/ http://freakonomics.com/podcast/meat/
[2]: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emis...
- Maximus9000 8y ago> Also that livestock farming in the US only contributes 3% of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions "Worldwide, livestock accounts for between 14.5 percent and 18 percent of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. The percentage is lower in the United States in part because our overall greenhouse gas emissions are so much higher than other countries" https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/25/climate/cows-global-warming.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/25/climate/cows-global-warmi...
- ericsoderstrom 8y agoTrue, but CharlesW's parent comment was specifically about "U.S. factory farms". And even 14.5% is significantly lower than what I would have guessed before listening to the episode.