#GreenQuote of the Week
An inspiring environmental quote to plunge you into deep reflection and inspire you to take environmental action.
"More meat, more greenhouse gases, and increased global warming: Less meat, reduced carbon emissions, and a healthier planet"
Your diet is an important part of your carbon footprint and it’s very important to know that a large proportion of human emissions comes from food production with the meat industry being one of the highest producers of carbon emissions.
Scientists estimate that Agriculture is responsible for an estimated 14 percent of the world's greenhouse gases. A significant portion of these emissions come from methane, which, in terms of its contribution to global warming, is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.
Did you know that cows emit a massive amount of methane through belching?
The world's 1.5 billion cows and billions of other grazing animals emit dozens of polluting gases, including lots of methane. Two-thirds of all ammonia comes from cows. The U.S. Food and Agriculture Organization says that agricultural methane output could increase by 60 percent by 2030 Times Online
This implies an increase in meat consumption will mean an increase in cow production and consequently an increase in greenhouse gas production. Besides greenhouse gas production, Cows also greatly contribute to deforestation and land degradation because they eat the grass and shrubs reducing vegetation cover exposing the land to erosion as well as contribute to biological weathering and erosion by moving on the land.
You can make a change by simply reducing the amount of meat you eat. Eating less meat will lead to a decrease in cattle production, hence a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from the cattle industry.