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philosslayer

(3,076 posts)
Sun Oct 4, 2015, 07:35 AM Oct 2015

Do you enjoy beef? You're directly contributing to climate change. Beef is the new SUV. [View all]

An excerpt:

Don't blame me alone for bearing the bad news. In a Facebook poll, thousands of you overwhelmingly voted for me to report on meat's contribution to climate change as part of CNN's Two° series. You commissioned this highly personal topic over more widely feared climate change bad guys such as coal, deforestation and car pollution.

But eating beef, as I'll explain, has come to be seen, rightly, in certain enviro circles, as the new SUV -- a hopelessly selfish, American indulgence; a middle finger to the planet. It's not the main driver of global warming -- that's burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat and transportation -- but it does contribute significantly.

Globally, 14.5% of all greenhouse gas pollution can be attributed to livestock, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the most reputable authority on this topic. And a huge hunk of the livestock industry's role -- 65% -- comes from raising beef and dairy cattle.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/29/opinions/sutter-beef-suv-cliamte-two-degrees/index.html

105 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I was thinking about making ribs for tonight. Travis_0004 Oct 2015 #1
I wish I was invited yeoman6987 Oct 2015 #16
When they go after dairy, I'll be left with nothing to eat. hlthe2b Oct 2015 #2
So we can't eat beef or milk or cheese. We can't eat fish because of overfishing. mainer Oct 2015 #3
Nope. you can only eat GM soybeans. hobbit709 Oct 2015 #5
Its the "we" part philosslayer Oct 2015 #6
Bingo get the red out Oct 2015 #10
+1000 smirkymonkey Oct 2015 #33
If we killed all the people who think the planet is overcrowded, would it help? NightWatcher Oct 2015 #32
Barbecuing you would emit too much co2 pintobean Oct 2015 #34
Composting is the way to go. daleanime Oct 2015 #56
You'd have to cut down a tree for that. drm604 Oct 2015 #84
And added to that many of us eat meat more than once a day. jwirr Oct 2015 #38
Oddly, most of the people complaining about overcrowding are the same ones who oppose Marr Oct 2015 #42
Like what? Sisterwife15 Oct 2015 #93
There is no free lunch, no technological fix. We need to return to simplicity. MindfulOne Oct 2015 #103
I was wondering about sheep and goats. LuvNewcastle Oct 2015 #9
See my post #11 -sheep and goats (really all animals emit greenhouse gases) TexasProgresive Oct 2015 #14
Would it be that hard.... daleanime Oct 2015 #55
It wouldn't be that hard. But it wouldn't be that helpful either. GliderGuider Oct 2015 #71
Insects..... we're all supposed to be eating crickets..... Adrahil Oct 2015 #88
Well..... quickesst Oct 2015 #4
I come from a family of cattle ranchers. NaturalHigh Oct 2015 #7
You can buy some carbon credits... ileus Oct 2015 #73
The middle finger isn't to the planet pintobean Oct 2015 #8
Mr. Sutter really likes to spin out the words TexasProgresive Oct 2015 #11
Wonder what the carbon footprint of getting crops to market is. hobbit709 Oct 2015 #12
Could be close to equal. TexasProgresive Oct 2015 #13
+++++++ newfie11 Oct 2015 #24
The problem with cattle isn't the CO2. drm604 Oct 2015 #85
Higher methane production from grain v. grass is debatable TexasProgresive Oct 2015 #91
So now ... hunting is good? mainer Oct 2015 #15
NOOOoooooo hunting is bad...it's mean to the animals. ileus Oct 2015 #18
Opinions are like beefholes... ileus Oct 2015 #17
yes handmade34 Oct 2015 #30
time to ban cows... ileus Oct 2015 #72
animal ag consumes more resources restorefreedom Oct 2015 #19
There is zero chance the Earth will die from green house gasses aikoaiko Oct 2015 #41
The planet, no.... daleanime Oct 2015 #58
there is a chain of events restorefreedom Oct 2015 #87
Depends on how it's raised spinbaby Oct 2015 #20
This made me hungry for steak and eggs for breakfast. nt msanthrope Oct 2015 #21
Or surf and turf for dinner Travis_0004 Oct 2015 #22
Had that for dinner last night....breakfast was the leftover msanthrope Oct 2015 #44
Vegetarian here but have two horses that poop lots newfie11 Oct 2015 #23
Lol!! darkangel218 Oct 2015 #25
Horses are (for the most part) completely unnecessary eaters.... pipoman Oct 2015 #26
I'm driving through Nebraska. roody Oct 2015 #27
. geek tragedy Oct 2015 #28
... handmade34 Oct 2015 #29
Good thing we killed all those Bison way back when GummyBearz Oct 2015 #31
I got a vasectomy before I had any children. Shoulders of Giants Oct 2015 #35
True, having kids is very bad for the environment Major Nikon Oct 2015 #57
I know this is supposed to be some sort of "witty sarcasm" Shoulders of Giants Oct 2015 #60
Good point, but it needs a snappy catchphrase like kids are the new coal burning power plant Major Nikon Oct 2015 #61
Actually, having kids is far worse than using coal power. Shoulders of Giants Oct 2015 #63
Then perhaps it should be kids are the new VW Major Nikon Oct 2015 #65
No offense, but... Adrahil Oct 2015 #90
High horse? Did you miss the part where I said I had little will power and am part of the problem? Shoulders of Giants Oct 2015 #101
I'm going to eat lots of beef because PasadenaTrudy Oct 2015 #83
Same here - sterilized, no kids REP Oct 2015 #66
So you suggest that humans just stop reproducing? nt Adrahil Oct 2015 #89
I already addressed this point Shoulders of Giants Oct 2015 #102
i am vegan restorefreedom Oct 2015 #95
If you're vegan and have no kids... Shoulders of Giants Oct 2015 #100
thanks but i know there are some areas for improvement restorefreedom Oct 2015 #104
If people want details, here's an FAO report on the variations around the world muriel_volestrangler Oct 2015 #36
Asparagus and artichokes, grown within walking distance of the back door. cherokeeprogressive Oct 2015 #37
This thread demonstrates why we fail to actually deal with Climate Change. Meldread Oct 2015 #39
A prepper fantasy. pintobean Oct 2015 #45
No. Meldread Oct 2015 #52
This is a good post. TransitJohn Oct 2015 #47
It's not even just that... Meldread Oct 2015 #49
This may be too reasonable to get much reaction. OldHippieChick Oct 2015 #86
Most individuals are trapped. GliderGuider Oct 2015 #51
Thanks for that... Meldread Oct 2015 #53
Preparation is now the name of the game. GliderGuider Oct 2015 #54
Agreed. Meldread Oct 2015 #64
a sad statement of a bleak future restorefreedom Oct 2015 #96
By all means ignore all corporate polluters TBF Oct 2015 #40
From an article I just posted over on E&E GliderGuider Oct 2015 #43
India contributes a major part of the problem and they don't eat beef. librechik Oct 2015 #46
No, but that's beside the point. frogmarch Oct 2015 #48
But hurt the environment how, because cows farts produce more methane? Reter Oct 2015 #50
From page 26 of the report linked to in reply #36 muriel_volestrangler Oct 2015 #59
Directly. cherokeeprogressive Oct 2015 #62
I haven't eaten meat in just over a year IVoteDFL Oct 2015 #67
Human being are responsible for far more of the greenhouse MineralMan Oct 2015 #68
Wheat is killing us all workinclasszero Oct 2015 #69
Wheat is evil shit. Damned near killed me. So, I switched. GliderGuider Oct 2015 #70
I agree! workinclasszero Oct 2015 #75
Damned skippy! opiate69 Oct 2015 #94
Yep, you gotta watch out for those buns. Damned things will give you a heart attack. GliderGuider Oct 2015 #97
"a hopelessly selfish, American indulgence" EX500rider Oct 2015 #74
good luck when you tell MUslims and Jews DonCoquixote Oct 2015 #76
Reminds me of an old Joe Jackson song derby378 Oct 2015 #77
Beef Polly Hennessey Oct 2015 #78
Do you drive a car, air condition your homr, Agnosticsherbet Oct 2015 #79
...and just as most people can't give up driving entirely... brooklynite Oct 2015 #80
I like Chicken and shellfish way better than Beef anyways nt LostOne4Ever Oct 2015 #81
Yu are using a very energy īntensive medium (the internet) to tell us this. ;-) CentralMass Oct 2015 #82
Beef is the new SUV? So what are massive refineries!? Rex Oct 2015 #92
I rarely eat beef... one_voice Oct 2015 #98
I'm a human drawing breath in an industrialized nation. Iggo Oct 2015 #99
Not to mention the torture and slaughter of millions of cows oberliner Oct 2015 #105
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