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Man not most responsible for global warming, UN says

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L

Liu Kang Baking A Pie

Member
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2062484.ece

Cow 'emissions' more damaging to planet than CO2 from cars
By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor
Published: 10 December 2006

Meet the world's top destroyer of the environment. It is not the car, or the plane,or even George Bush: it is the cow.

A United Nations report has identified the world's rapidly growing herds of cattle as the greatest threat to the climate, forests and wildlife. And they are blamed for a host of other environmental crimes, from acid rain to the introduction of alien species, from producing deserts to creating dead zones in the oceans, from poisoning rivers and drinking water to destroying coral reefs.

The 400-page report by the Food and Agricultural Organisation, entitled Livestock's Long Shadow, also surveys the damage done by sheep, chickens, pigs and goats. But in almost every case, the world's 1.5 billion cattle are most to blame. Livestock are responsible for 18 per cent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together.

Burning fuel to produce fertiliser to grow feed, to produce meat and to transport it - and clearing vegetation for grazing - produces 9 per cent of all emissions of carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas. And their wind and manure emit more than one third of emissions of another, methane, which warms the world 20 times faster than carbon dioxide.

Livestock also produces more than 100 other polluting gases, including more than two-thirds of the world's emissions of ammonia, one of the main causes of acid rain.

Ranching, the report adds, is "the major driver of deforestation" worldwide, and overgrazing is turning a fifth of all pastures and ranges into desert.Cows also soak up vast amounts of water: it takes a staggering 990 litres of water to produce one litre of milk.

Wastes from feedlots and fertilisers used to grow their feed overnourish water, causing weeds to choke all other life. And the pesticides, antibiotics and hormones used to treat them get into drinking water and endanger human health.

The pollution washes down to the sea, killing coral reefs and creating "dead zones" devoid of life. One is up to 21,000sqkm, in the Gulf of Mexico, where much of the waste from US beef production is carried down the Mississippi.

The report concludes that, unless drastic changes are made, the massive damage done by livestock will more than double by 2050, as demand for meat increases.
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M

Mandark

Small balls, big fun!
Bizarro Sun Yat-sen said:
Yes, the release of AN EQUAL AMOUNT of CH4 is over 20 times more effective, but since CO2 is being released at over 80 times the rate of CH4, and its current atmospheric concentration over 200 times that of CH4, CO2 is a much more significant factor.
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I don't know why people keep bringing up CH4 when talking about global warming.
 
T

ToxicAdam

Member
The concentrations of CO2 are far greater because they stay in the atmosphere longer. Methane is still a potent greenhouse gas, that should not be ignored. Also, the monitoring mechanisms around the globe (especially in the exploding areas of SE Asia) are woefully absent.
 
T

terrene

Banned
Just because these harmful gasses are coming out of cows instead of cars doesn't mean man is "not responsible." We don't personally emit car exaust either.
 
Z

Zaptruder

Banned
On a side note, if they ever perfect that grow meat in a vat technology (cultured muscle), I wonder which one would be more environmentally friendly? Seems like the vat wins out.
 
P

Pachael

Member
monchi-kun said:
Who the **** is breeding cows for food?

you guessed it....MAN!!!

once again the UN fails at something
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Well, the UN's headed by men, which means the study's made by man, so uh, impartiality equals zero?

In truth, it's all those megatons from the Gaming side
 
M

Mandark

Small balls, big fun!
ToxicAdam said:
The concentrations of CO2 are far greater because they stay in the atmosphere longer. Methane is still a potent greenhouse gas, that should not be ignored. Also, the monitoring mechanisms around the globe (especially in the exploding areas of SE Asia) are woefully absent.
Click to expand...

Potency on a per-molecule basis isn't really an important criteria for looking at the issue, is it, though?
 
M

marvelharvey

Member
Naked Snake said:
I haven't eaten red meet in 5 years, and I don't plan on changing that ever. Glad that I am not part of the problem.
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WHAT? That means you're part of the problem! Everyone on the planet should be trying to eat as many cows as they possibly can to lower the cattle population faster than the farmers can breed them!

Quick, hamburger, stat!
 
T

Triumph

Banned
Naked Snake said:
I haven't eaten red meet in 5 years, and I don't plan on changing that ever. Glad that I am not part of the problem.
Click to expand...
bigpot6.jpg
 
L

Lord Error

Insane For Sony
Mandark said:
I don't know why people keep bringing up CH4 when talking about global warming.
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Isn't a simple water vapor actually the biggest contributor to global warming? The warming caused from it, in turn causing even more evaporation...
 
E

explodet

Member
Yeeeah..... the article mentions livestock, deforestation, desertification, water pollution; I don't think wild stampeding herds of cattle are what's causing this.
 
M

marvelharvey

Member
Slightly off topic, but after watching the British TV quiz show QI, I found out that a single man, Thomas Midgley, caused not one but two huge global atmospheric problems during his life time.

Firstly, back in 1922, he was searching for a cure for the 'knocking' problem of the combustion engine. He experimented with a number of elements from the periodic table, adding them to standard gasoline until he found one that worked. A year later, he won an award for his discovery and the fuel with additive went on sale. Sadly, this additive was lead... pumping staggering amounts of lead into the air caused poisoning all around the globe.

Secondly, probably riddled with guilt, he set out to become an environmentalist. He turned his eye to the toxic refrigerator and developed a safe-to-breath gas that wouldn't harm humans. So, thanks to him, dichlorodifluoromethane was introduced to the world of cool boxes and people could breath in the non-toxic fumes to their hearts content. Only after he died did scientist discover that dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC) would remove the ozone layer. Well done that man.
 
D

Dilbert

Member
Guys, we just got an email from NPD. Apparently they have been tracking the global temperature, and we can't discuss it here anymore.
 
T

ToxicAdam

Member
-jinx- said:
Guys, we just got an email from NPD. Apparently they have been tracking the global temperature, and we can't discuss it here anymore.
Click to expand...


Looks like the Oil industry got to NPD now. Evil corporations!!
 
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