By: Joann Bally CSCS
Think about eating less red meat. You probably know the fat in meat gunks up your arteries and contributes to heart disease. But did you know that livestock raising worldwide contributes more to greenhouse gases and global warming than all the cars, trucks, and other vehicles? Here’s why. Ruminants, like cows, sheep, and goats, as a byproduct of digestion, emit methane and nitrous oxide. Methane traps more heat than carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuel. The cow emits it from both ends, especially the front, and also from manure.
Cows have been belching for thousands of years without destroying the climate. But now, we overfeed them, and feed them corn, instead of grass. The main problem, though, is that we are raising many more of them. Worldwide demand for beef is rising. China, for instance, traditionally has treated meat as something special to eat with the rice and vegetables when they could afford it. Now, though, more Chinese are able to afford meat more frequently, and as a result, they are growing not only taller, but fatter. They are projected to be eating 50 kg meat per year per capita by 2030, which is only half that of wealthy nations but huge because of the large population. Worldwide, by 2050, the prediction is half a billion tons a year, twice what is produced now.
To stabilize agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, meat consumption should be no more than 90 grams per day per capita (which would also reduce obesity in the developed world). In rich countries now consumption is 200-250 g. In poor countries it’s 20-25 g.
In the U.S., 70% of the antibiotics are used to enhance growth and promote weight gain in livestock. One-third of the world’s farmland is devoted to raising animal feed. The livestock sector is the largest source of water pollution, and 8% of the world’s water supply is devoted to livestock. Deforestation to make room for expanding cattle operations is also a problem.
All of this is a huge problem for public health and the environment and will require policy changes that governments and international organizations are beginning to address. Enough individuals doing their part can help. You are probably already recycling plastic bottles and maybe you’re riding your bike to work. Now consider eating a little less meat (and more veggies).
The data in this article are from an article in the Los Angeles Times, Oct. 15, 2007, and an article in Seed magazine by Paul Roberts, from his book: The End of Food.
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