Article Title: The Green Hamburger
Author: Nathan Fiala
Keypoints
- Producing beef for the table has a surprising environmental cost: it releases prodigious amounts of heat-trapping greenhouse gases
- According to a 2006 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the meat in our diets causes more greenhouse gases (CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, etc) than transportation and industry
- Greenhouse gases trap solar energy, which warms the earth's surface
- The report found that current production levels of meat contribute between 14%-22% of the 36 billion tons of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gases the world produces every year.
- 1/2 pound of hamburger releases as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere as driving a 3,000 pound car 10 miles
- Cows emit between 2.5 and 4.7 ounces of methane for each pound of beef they produce. This is equivalent to releasing between 3.6 and 6.8 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere for each pound of beef produced
- Raising animals requires a large amount of feed per unit of body weight (producing 1 lb of beef protein requires more than 10 lb of plant protein)
- Producing a pound of beef in a feedlot generates the equivalent of 14.8 pounds of CO2 per pound
- Producing a pound of pork = equivalent of 3.8 pounds of CO2, and producing a pound of chicken = equivalent of 1.1 pounds of CO2.
- Improving waste management and farming practices would certainly reduce the carbon footprint of beef production
- Individuals can help reduce the effects of food production by not eating beef
Summary:
Beef production has as big of an impact on the environment as industry and transportation. Producing one pound of beef results in 14.8 pounds of CO2 emitted per pound. In the meat industry, beef is the most environmentally expensive. Compared to producing one pound of pork (3.8 pounds of CO2 per pound made) and chicken (1.1 pounds of CO2 per pound made), beef production is off the charts. Along with that, raising the animals that produce the beef requires a lot of feed, which also give off many emissions. There are some alternatives to helping reduce the CO2 produced from beef; the improvement of waste management and farming practices, and avoiding beef in our diets.
Beef production has as big of an impact on the environment as industry and transportation. Producing one pound of beef results in 14.8 pounds of CO2 emitted per pound. In the meat industry, beef is the most environmentally expensive. Compared to producing one pound of pork (3.8 pounds of CO2 per pound made) and chicken (1.1 pounds of CO2 per pound made), beef production is off the charts. Along with that, raising the animals that produce the beef requires a lot of feed, which also give off many emissions. There are some alternatives to helping reduce the CO2 produced from beef; the improvement of waste management and farming practices, and avoiding beef in our diets.
My Thoughts:
Before reading this article, I did not know how much of an impact beef production had on the environment. I knew that there were emissions, but I did not imagine them being so high. Imagine if everyone just suddenly stopped eating beef: the emissions would most likely go down because the industry isn't making any business from it. What surprised me most from this article is how 1/2 pound of a hamburger releases the same amount of CO2 as driving a 3,000 pound car for 10 miles. Making the beef industry more proficient at producing beef would also help lower the effects on the atmosphere.
Before reading this article, I did not know how much of an impact beef production had on the environment. I knew that there were emissions, but I did not imagine them being so high. Imagine if everyone just suddenly stopped eating beef: the emissions would most likely go down because the industry isn't making any business from it. What surprised me most from this article is how 1/2 pound of a hamburger releases the same amount of CO2 as driving a 3,000 pound car for 10 miles. Making the beef industry more proficient at producing beef would also help lower the effects on the atmosphere.
So What?Emissions from these factories are the same as automobile and industry production.
|
Says who?Nathan Fiala and scientists.
|
What if?People had better diets?
|
This reminds me of...Mr. Meaty the show.
|