4 ms·
This point relies on the assumption that the cattle are out eating grass (or other plants) which would naturally be growing and rotting without human interventi
by eigenket 6y ago
This point relies on the assumption that the cattle are out eating grass (or other plants) which would naturally be growing and rotting without human intervention.
This is kinda not true. Grazing systems supply about 9 percent of the world's production of beef [1]. 80% of the global soybean crop is used to feed livestock [2]. A lot of these soybeans are grown on land that used to be rainforest.
Your comparison shouldn't be cow vs grassland - it should be rainforest vs (cow + soybean + transport + processing).
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_feeding#Types_of_cattle_feeds https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_feeding#Types_of_cattle...
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean
- tengbretson 6y agoSurely its clear that if the soybeans aren't growing in the field that something else that grows, dies and decomposes would be.
- eigenket 6y agoYeah, and we even have a word for the "something else" that you're describing - its a rainforest.
- mattnewton 6y agoSomething like a forest with large trees that lock up carbon for many years, and a lack of commercial fertilizer (which uses natural gas).