Rearing cattle produces more greenhouse gases than driving cars

[riddler 0]

This subject has been posted here before, but I wanted to show the actual report by the United Nations, because they are probably a more reliable information source than vegetarian web-sites. And yes, I am a vegetarian, so my opinion is biased :

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=20772&Cr=global&Cr1=environment

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29 November 2006 – Cattle-rearing generates more global warming greenhouse gases, as measured in CO2 equivalent, than transportation, and smarter production methods, including improved animal diets to reduce enteric fermentation and consequent methane emissions, are urgently needed, according to a new United Nations report released today.

“Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today’s most serious environmental problems,” senior UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) official Henning Steinfeld said. “Urgent action is required to remedy the situation.”

Cattle-rearing is also a major source of land and water degradation, according to the FAO report, Livestock’s Long Shadow–Environmental Issues and Options, of which Mr. Steinfeld is the senior author.

“The environmental costs per unit of livestock production must be cut by one half, just to avoid the level of damage worsening beyond its present level,” it warns.

When emissions from land use and land use change are included, the livestock sector accounts for 9 per cent of CO2 deriving from human-related activities, but produces a much larger share of even more harmful greenhouse gases. It generates 65 per cent of human-related nitrous oxide, which has 296 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CO2. Most of this comes from manure.

And it accounts for respectively 37 per cent of all human-induced methane (23 times as warming as CO2), which is largely produced by the digestive system of ruminants, and 64 per cent of ammonia, which contributes significantly to acid rain.

With increased prosperity, people are consuming more meat and dairy products every year, the report notes. Global meat production is projected to more than double from 229 million tonnes in 1999/2001 to 465 million tonnes in 2050, while milk output is set to climb from 580 to 1043 million tonnes.

The global livestock sector is growing faster than any other agricultural sub-sector. It provides livelihoods to about 1.3 billion people and contributes about 40 per cent to global agricultural output. For many poor farmers in developing countries livestock are also a source of renewable energy for draft and an essential source of organic fertilizer for their crops.

Livestock now use 30 per cent of the earth’s entire land surface, mostly permanent pasture but also including 33 per cent of the global arable land used to producing feed for livestock, the report notes. As forests are cleared to create new pastures, it is a major driver of deforestation, especially in Latin America where, for example, some 70 per cent of former forests in the Amazon have been turned over to grazing.

At the same time herds cause wide-scale land degradation, with about 20 per cent of pastures considered degraded through overgrazing, compaction and erosion. This figure is even higher in the drylands where inappropriate policies and inadequate livestock management contribute to advancing desertification.

The livestock business is among the most damaging sectors to the earth’s increasingly scarce water resources, contributing among other things to water pollution from animal wastes, antibiotics and hormones, chemicals from tanneries, fertilizers and the pesticides used to spray feed crops.

Beyond improving animal diets, proposed remedies to the multiple problems include soil conservation methods together with controlled livestock exclusion from sensitive areas; setting up biogas plant initiatives to recycle manure; improving efficiency of irrigation systems; and introducing full-cost pricing for water together with taxes to discourage large-scale livestock concentration close to cities.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[Zipp0 1]

Could we harness all that gas as an enery source? Imagine a field of cattle with tbes running from their asses to a natural gas reclamation facility.

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

That's 'cause you need a big ol' truck to raise cattle.

[billvon 2,473]

> Could we harness all that gas as an enery source?

You may laugh - but -

http://www.cargill.com/news/news_releases/070808_southafricapigfarm.htm

[ryoder 1,410]

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Could we harness all that gas as an energy source? Imagine a field of cattle with tubes running from their asses to a natural gas reclamation facility.

You're just trying to confuse the hell out of Ted Stevens.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[DJL 232]

Well that's why I eat cows....but I'm only one man...

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[Zipp0 1]

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> Could we harness all that gas as an enery source?

You may laugh - but -

http://www.cargill.com/news/news_releases/070808_southafricapigfarm.htm

The Amish farmers in Pennsylvania have been doing that since they have been farming. That's how they light the lamps and stove with no electricity.

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[lawrocket 3]

Actually eliminating a large source of greenhouse emissions in a way that is inexpensive and effective is not important. The petrochemical and coal industries will not suffer by managing methane like that.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[DJL 232]

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> Could we harness all that gas as an enery source?

You may laugh - but -

http://www.cargill.com/news/news_releases/070808_southafricapigfarm.htm

With the knowledge that humans have a loosely similar physical makeup as pigs I wonder if we can use our own poopies for this. Could you see that, highrise condos powered by their own shit?

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[billvon 2,473]

>I wonder if we can use our own poopies for this.

Of course. Any waste stream works. But people get all funny over their own waste; you'd probably have people refusing to use "poop gas" or something.

[Muenkel 0]

While it is a fact that cattle emit quite a bit of the methane gases in the atmosphere, we don't need to add to it by unnecessarily driving huge gas guzzlers.

_________________________________________
Chris

[Zipp0 1]

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> Could we harness all that gas as an enery source?

You may laugh - but -

http://www.cargill.com/news/news_releases/070808_southafricapigfarm.htm

With the knowledge that humans have a loosely similar physical makeup as pigs I wonder if we can use our own poopies for this. Could you see that, highrise condos powered by their own shit?

I took a duke the other day that could no doubt power a city block for 3-4 days.

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[DJL 232]

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>I wonder if we can use our own poopies for this.

Of course. Any waste stream works. But people get all funny over their own waste; you'd probably have people refusing to use "poop gas" or something.

There are actually working systems for this. A few guys in our office went to a presentation on it. Essentially, the solid stuff is separated and used for microgeneration. Here's a link I just found: http://www.iema.net/news?cids[]=218&archive=2006&aid=16822

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[ExAFO 0]

Does my housecat give off greenhouse gases? If she does, how do I minimize them?

Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW.

[lawrocket 3]

Look here:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1307573#1307573

It requires some use of energy, but worth it in the long run.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Zipp0 1]

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>I wonder if we can use our own poopies for this.

Of course. Any waste stream works. But people get all funny over their own waste; you'd probably have people refusing to use "poop gas" or something.

There are actually working systems for this. A few guys in our office went to a presentation on it. Essentially, the solid stuff is separated and used for microgeneration. Here's a link I just found: http://www.iema.net/news?cids[]=218&archive=2006&aid=16822

Sweeeeeet. So the seats in the car could just have holes in the bottom. Pull down your pants, pinch a loaf, and off you go.

I bet the exhaust doesn't smell like french fries though.

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[DJL 232]

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Does my housecat give off greenhouse gases? If she does, how do I minimize them?

Buy 50 pigs. Feed the cat to the pigs. Put tubes in their butts for maximum efficiency. Put a tube in your own butt and never leave the couch again. Eat lots of cabbage and drink lots of beer. If you love your planet then you will.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[speedy 0]

I thought cows were carbon neutral

ooohh well, I better eat more steak to save the planet.

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[riddler 0]

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While it is a fact that cattle emit quite a bit of the methane gases in the atmosphere, we don't need to add to it by unnecessarily driving huge gas guzzlers.

True. But I have to ask, if how we eat is a bigger issue than what we drive, why do we spend so much time talking about oil, the middle east and Islam? Could it be that we care more about political/religious issues than environmental ones? Even the people that proclaim themselves to be environmentalists?

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[billvon 2,473]

>if how we eat is a bigger issue than what we drive, why do we spend
>so much time talking about oil, the middle east and Islam?

While you have a good point overall, I think that there have been fewer wars fought over cows than over oil, and I suspect that trend will continue. Also, changing how we raise livestock, how we ship meat, and how we eat overall can have a huge impact on total GHG emissions. Livestock in the US contribute about 595 million tons of CO2 equivalent to the atmosphere every year.

Compare that to transportation. Gasoline (which is mainly used by private vehicles) puts 1185 MMT of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.

So while both would be good targets for reduction, we could potentially have a bigger impact by concentrating on transportation - and see a reduction in wars as well.

[happythoughts 0]

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Cattle-rearing generates more global warming greenhouse gases, as measured in CO2 equivalent, than transportation

Not to mention the danger of being kicked.

[riddler 0]

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I think that there have been fewer wars fought over cows than over oil

Probably more wars, but fewer people killed Cattle has been with us a lot longer than oil, but a neighborhood dispute about cattle may not qualify as a war.

I do believe that there are a lot of issues that people simply don't want to face, as it pertains to environmentalism. Human overpopluation is our biggest environmental problem by far - not that we can't support this many people, we just can't do it with our current habits. But can a government really tell people to stop reproducing? China does it, and they are condemned for it.

What about eating meat? I don't think people should all have to become vegetarians - we evolved to eat meat, it's our heritage. I choose to be a vegetarian mostly for environmental reasons, but I wouldn't ask others to do that. How could anyone or any government tell people to stop eating meat? I really don't think people can control their diets.

So we choose oil as an issue because it's easier. We don't have to think too much about driving autos, because everyone else does it. We can make wars halfway around the world because we don't live there.

I'm for driving less and saving the planet. I just think there are bigger environmental issues that we completely ignore because they're much harder.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[billvon 2,473]

>Human overpopluation is our biggest environmental problem by far . . .

Agreed. And this will become a huge issue when the people of China and India demand (and begin to be able to afford) our standard of living.

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What about eating meat? I don't think people should all have to become vegetarians - we evolved to eat meat, it's our heritage. I choose to be a vegetarian mostly for environmental reasons, but I wouldn't ask others to do that. How could anyone or any government tell people to stop eating meat?

They cannot and should not. However, they should stop subsidizing meat production through free transportation, land giveaways etc. Once meat reflects the cost required to produce it, then it naturally declines as a main food source.

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I'm for driving less and saving the planet. I just think there are bigger environmental issues that we completely ignore because they're much harder.

Definitely true. We've been switching to local foods via CSA's, and have gone to a 95% vegetarian diet. A significant number of people around here have been doing the same.

[rehmwa 2]

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>they should stop subsidizing meat production through free transportation, land giveaways etc. Once meat reflects the cost required to produce it, then it naturally declines as a main food source.

I like that - you free-marketters just don't understand the nuances of forcing whatever industry is in vogue...

"they should stop subsidizing {{{insert product category}}} production through (government involvement). Once {{{insert product category}}} reflects the cost required to produce it, then it naturally declines as a (product)"

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Andy9o8 0]

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Rearing cattle

Oh. I thought it was one of Cocheese's Bonfire threads.