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| Will they ever get it right? |
Itsdb |
12/11/06 |
Seems I've heard this before...
Agriculture is major factor in causing global warming
A recent report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Livestock's Long Shadow - Environmental Issues and Options, warns of the dire environmental consequences of the world's growing meat and dairy production.
According to the report, animal agriculture uses 30% of the Earth's land surface for pasture and feed crop production. It is the driving force in worldwide deforestation and wildlife habitat destruction, with 70% of the irreplaceable Amazon rain forest turned into pasture.
Eventually, pastures are degraded into desert through overgrazing, compaction and erosion. Animal agriculture contributes more pollution to our waterways than all other human activities combined.
Principal sources are animal wastes, as well as soil particles, minerals, organic debris, fertilizers, and pesticides from feed cropland. Most of the world's water supplies are used for irrigating animal feed crops.
Animal agriculture is also a key source of manmade greenhouse gases responsible for global warming.
Sixty-five percent of nitrous oxide, the most damaging of these, is emitted by animal waste, according to the FAO report, and 37% of methane comes from cattle's digestive process. Operation of farm machinery and transport trucks account for 9% of carbon-dioxide emissions.
We don't have to wait for Earth Day to help save our planet. We can start with the next trip to the grocery store.
Ok, before I get to the problem I have to question this:
Animal agriculture is also a key source of manmade greenhouse gases responsible for global warming.
So cow patties are now manmade?
Well, the solutions are obvious, and when I say "we" I mean Americans.
First we must enact an immediate ban on bovine intercourse and eat more beef to drive down the supply.
Second, once the beef supply has dwindled to a trickle all dairy products will be moved to the controlled substance list. Any remaining nonessential cows will be sent to predominantly Hindu countries.
Third, we must all then take a vow of poverty as the growth in meat and dairy product consumption is due to “increased prosperity”.
Fourth, rodeos will be restricted to using mechanical bulls and stick horses.
Fifth, the World Cow Chip Throwing Contest will switch from using cow chips to more environmentally friendly tofu patties.
Sixth, an extensive cow chip harvesting campaign will be enacted with cow chip collection centers being set up all across the nation. The collected cow chips will then be used as fuel for the UN building. The benefit of using them here is obvious - there is a ready supply of BS once the cow chip inventory is exhausted.
Oh, and this Texas ranch must be an example of how "pastures are degraded into desert."
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Clarification/Follow-up by Itsdb on 12/12/06 1:40 pm:
I swear I did not read the report before posting this.
In terms of health and nutrition, therefore, livestock products are a welcome addition to the diets of many poor and under- or malnourished people who frequently suffer from protein and vitman deficiencies as well as from lack of important trace minerals.
However...
While not being addressed by this assessment, it may well be argued that environmental damage by livestock may be significantly reduced by lowering excessive consumption of livestock products among wealthy people.
By wealthy they mean Americans I'm sure. Even though it's beneficial to the poor, the report 'determined' that everything to do livestock is basically responsible for every environmental ill, from more cow farts, to the loss of forests, greenhouse gases from shipping, processing, fossil fuel consumption in feed production, nitrous oxide emission from leguminous feed crops, chemical ferilizers, 68 percent of total ammonia emmissions, water depletion and pollution, health concerns to wildlife, "invasion by alien species" of aquatic life, and yes, overfishing.
I just wonder when the UN delegates will lead the way by changing their menu. That SKILLET SEARED ATLANTIC SALMON with Lobster Potato Purée, the NEW ZEALAND RACK OF LAMB, or the BONELESS BRAISED SHORT RIBS WITH CARAMELIZED SHRIMPS sound pretty good. I'd try the TOURNEDO OF FILET MIGNON but I'm not so sure about the SKILLET SEARED FOIE GRAS that comes with it. Wait a minute, is Foie Gras one of the hottest new bans?
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