12 ms·
At the margin, individual efforts to abstain from this or that product are useless, let me elaborate. Let's say in an effort to reduce your carbon footprint, y
by samatman 3y ago
At the margin, individual efforts to abstain from this or that product are useless, let me elaborate.
Let's say in an effort to reduce your carbon footprint, you abstain from beef. The effect that has, however small it may be, is to reduce demand for beef. That brings the price of beef down, making it more affordable for beef enjoyers, who buy more.
The only net effect here is that you no longer eat beef. It hasn't moved the needle on your reason for doing so.
You might reply that if enough people join you, this will result in supply reduction. This is a coordination problem involving the whole planet, including a few billion people who will very happily eat more beef if it were a bit cheaper. It won't work.
- stavros 3y agoI get your general point, though I disagree with it, but the beef issue is very US-centric. Beef isn't such a staple in most countries, even ones that can afford it.
- samatman 3y agoIt isn't in any sense US centric. Most countries do eat less than the US, some eat more, but this too is not relevant to my point. Beef is esteemed in Africa, yet they eat very little of it. As African countries become wealthier they eat more of it, so it stands to reason they also eat more of it when it becomes more affordable. The billion-ish people in India who never eat it have no effect on beef production, why would one person in the US abstaining, or a few tens of thousands, change this dynamic? The answer is that it doesn't.
- seanmcdirmid 3y agoBeef consumption is high among Muslims in Asia, and of course in South America where beef culture is very strong (Brazilian and Argentina steak houses aren’t just a misunderstanding). Australia, New Zealand, and Canada also eat lots of beef (as new world countries with lots of land for grazing).
- robertlagrant 3y agoSouth Africa also lots of beef consumption! Mince on toast for breakfast was something I could never bring myself to try.