NEW YORK, NEW YORK, December 27, 2006: (Note: The following item is from the editorial page of the New York Times -- not the place you'd normally expect an anti-meat statement...)
When you think about the growth of human population over the last century or so, it is all too easy to imagine it merely as an increase in the number of humans. But as we multiply, so do all the things associated with us, including our livestock. At present, there are about 1.5 billion cattle and domestic buffalo and about 1.7 billion sheep and goats. With pigs and poultry, they form a critical part of our enormous biological footprint upon this planet. Just how enormous was not really apparent until the publication of a new report, called Livestock's Long Shadow, by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Consider these numbers. Global livestock grazing and feed production use 30 percent of the land surface of the planet. Livestock -- which consume more food than they yield -- also compete directly with humans for water. And the drive to expand grazing land destroys more biologically sensitive terrain, rain forests especially, than anything else. But what is even more striking, and alarming, is that livestock are responsible for about 18 percent of the global warming effect, more than transportation's contribution. The culprits are methane -- the natural result of bovine digestion -- and the nitrogen emitted by manure. Deforestation of grazing land adds to the effect.
When you think about the growth of human population over the last century or so, it is all too easy to imagine it merely as an increase in the number of humans. But as we multiply, so do all the things associated with us, including our livestock. At present, there are about 1.5 billion cattle and domestic buffalo and about 1.7 billion sheep and goats. With pigs and poultry, they form a critical part of our enormous biological footprint upon this planet. Just how enormous was not really apparent until the publication of a new report, called Livestock's Long Shadow, by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Consider these numbers. Global livestock grazing and feed production use 30 percent of the land surface of the planet. Livestock -- which consume more food than they yield -- also compete directly with humans for water. And the drive to expand grazing land destroys more biologically sensitive terrain, rain forests especially, than anything else. But what is even more striking, and alarming, is that livestock are responsible for about 18 percent of the global warming effect, more than transportation's contribution. The culprits are methane -- the natural result of bovine digestion -- and the nitrogen emitted by manure. Deforestation of grazing land adds to the effect.
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As a meat eater all I'm thinking is What is your point?.
Are non meat eaters not supposed to be as stunned by this revelation?
Oh, and the guy above meant Peking as in I think the world population is Peking (based).
Are non meat eaters not supposed to be as stunned by this revelation?
Oh, and the guy above meant Peking as in I think the world population is Peking (based).
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Surely the only solution then would be to kill all the livestock and stop this!
...not sure that's more vegan-friendly than eating them, tbh.
I suppose we could just eat what stock there is, then eat the farmers before they rear any more.
...not sure that's more vegan-friendly than eating them, tbh.
I suppose we could just eat what stock there is, then eat the farmers before they rear any more.