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A profitable byproduct shifts down the supply curve, leading to a greater market equilibrium. That doesn't mean we shouldn't use it, but we should be cognizant
by chickenimprint 4y ago
A profitable byproduct shifts down the supply curve, leading to a greater market equilibrium. That doesn't mean we shouldn't use it, but we should be cognizant of the fact that in a world without leather, there would be less cattle farming. We can therefore unequivocally say that leather is not environmentally friendly.
The best world would have leather, but also its externalities priced in.
- midoridensha 4y ago>but we should be cognizant of the fact that in a world without leather, there would be less cattle farming. I don't see how you can reach this conclusion. No one kills cows for their skin: they're killed for their meat. The leather is just a byproduct of this. Cow leather isn't even all that great, compared to some other animals' hides (goats for instance). So if the beef industry evaporated, I don't see how anyone would pay big bucks for cow skins when they can get fake leather at the low end, or other nicer leathers at the high end.