Sunday, May 25th, 2008
Eat 20% Less Meat
Can’t afford a hybrid car but want to do your part against climate change? U. Chicago researchers have determined that eating 20 percent less meat is climatically equivalent to switching to a hybrid car. That’s because it’s incredibly energy-intensive to raise cows, chickens, and other animal-meat products. Those animals also require lots of land, which means forest clearing. And don’t forget about the methane released by cow farts and poop.
- Here’s more from the Christian Science Monitor: http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0220/p03s01-ussc.html
- And an NPR report on the issue: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89676010
- If you’re really into this idea, check out the possibilities provided by lab-grown meat, or “schmeat”: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90235492 [The “environmental expert” in this report was skeptical, but didn’t mention any of the key environmental issues in meat raising, so I wouldn’t put too much stock in her concerns about the energy required to run a meat-producing lab. Sounds like she just thinks it’s weird, which, arguably, it is.]
OK, maybe Memorial Day weekend isn’t the best time to launch into a less-meat-eating lifestyle. But think about all the energy that went into getting those burgers from pasture to plate this afternoon, and maybe you’ll want to cut back a bit later in the week.
