Give Up Meat, Halt Climate Change
Posted on 28. Oct, 2009 by dimaks in Life, News
In view of my growing interest on climate change, I found an article that is scientifically rational and practical but not easy as it sounds. I think it will be a battle between the scientists, policy-makers and businessmen. In any case, what’s at stake is a common dwelling place, wherein all of us, irrespective of profession, social class and opinion, spend their daily course of living. Now the question is, to what extent we are willing to sacrifice things for the sake of our one and only ozone layer?
Would you give up eating meat just to halt or at least delay the worsening condition of our planet? Lord Stern of Brentford, a leading authority on global warming remarked that “People should give up eating meat to halt climate change“. Stern particularly cited the case of livestock farming, which came under fire from environmental campaigners due to methane emission.
Methane is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a global warming gas. UN figures suggest that meat production is responsible for about 18 per cent of global carbon emissions, including the destruction of forest land for cattle ranching and the production of animal feeds. (Soure: www.telegraph.co.uk)
Lord Stern even predicted that “..eating meat could become as socially unacceptable as drink driving“.
I did not know the statistic above until I came across the article. While we cannot avoid using methane gases in our daily activities at home and outside, I think awareness is still an important factor. It is really alarming that day by day, the world is slowly coming back to the very basic components of its actions, bit by bit. When I made a post on Blog Action Day a few days ago, I was mainly driven by the calamity brought about by Typhoon Ondoy. Today, my mind is set onto one of our precious meals on the table.
Anyway, I thought I would share these four (4) types of gases (Source: www.flickoff.org) with respective descriptions and processes on how they are produced or emitted.
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – enters the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of other chemical/industrial processes (manufacturing cement). Carbon dioxide can be removed from the atmosphere (or “sequesteredâ€) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle.
- Methane (CH4) – emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices and by the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills. Methane is also stored in buried organic deposits. Vast amounts of methane are stored under the permafrost in the northern hemisphere.
- Nitrous Oxide (N2O) – Nitrous oxide is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities, as well as during combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste.
- Fluorinated Gases – Hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes. Fluorinated gases are sometimes used as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances (i.e., CFCs, HCFCs, and halons). These gases are typically emitted in smaller quantities, but because they are potent greenhouse gases, they are sometimes referred to as High Global Warming Potential gases (“High GWP gasesâ€).
What can you say about the article I just found? Are you willing to sacrifice one of the precious components of your favorite meals?
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Dimaks is a part-time blogger born in Cotabato City, Southern Philippines. He loves a wide array of things: Martial arts, Scootering, Painting, Photography, Cooking and of course eating. Indulge with his blogging rounds!
