People will need to turn vegetarian if the world is to conquer climate change, according to a leading authority on global warming.In an interview with The Times, Lord Stern of Brentford said: “Meat is a wasteful use of water and creates a lot of greenhouse gases. It puts enormous pressure on the world’s resources. A vegetarian diet is better.”Direct emissions of methane from cows and pigs is a significant source of greenhouse gases. Methane is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a global warming gas.Lord Stern, the author of the influential 2006 Stern Review on the cost of tackling global warming, said that a successful deal at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December would lead to soaring costs for meat and other foods that generate large quantities of greenhouse gases.He predicted that people’s attitudes would evolve until meat eating became unacceptable.
via Climate chief Lord Stern: give up meat to save the planet – Times Online.
Meat gone? I wonder when they will raise the amount of CO2 produced in the fermentation process and ban alcohol too?
@20
That’s what bacteria in the petry dish say when they consume everything and die in their own waste.
The reason that Western civilization is currently on the top of world is that unlike Africa or some parts of Asia, we do control the use of our resources.
The thing that makes man superior to the other species is that we can think through things and make wise decisions for our own benefit — and not act like a wild dog in a room full of hamburgers.
We control our resources #22 ? We divert and pump water unto a desert to raise tropical plants like citrus. We overwork the farmland by pouring chemicals into the soil. We over produce corn for ethanol, even though everyone knows it’s bullshit.
#17: I like animals too, especially the ones that are delicious.
Seriously, the best way to cut down livestock emissions is to range feed meat animals as much as possible, and to get rid of feedlots. Much more humane, and (surprise!) the meat tastes better.
I have to agree with John, this is a Vegan conspiracy. We have to declare war on the planet Vega.
Sorry. I read as far as the words “…leading authority on global warming…” and turned off. Obviously the man is either scamming us (ala Algore) or a kook (PETA, anyone?).
It takes 100 acres a year to feed a carnivore, 1 acre a year to feed a vegetarian.
Ever wonder why there are so many people in India and China. Now you know.
I suggest Lord Stern throw himself under a bus. That should reduce the amount of hot air and brain farts a good deal.
#22 – The reason western civilization is on top of the world is because we took all of *their* (the other continents’) resources. There is precious little resource “control” taking place.
On a lighter note, my wife convinced me to eat vegan for 1 month. It wasn’t that bad and was great for my cholesterol. But one thing I noticed was that I farted up a STORM. Maybe Lord Stern doesn’t realize that a world population eating vegan might not reduce methane emissions as much as he thinks
#3
“Plants supposedly have a solar energy efficiency of 6%.
Producing meat from a primary consumer (cow, sheep, rabbit) is an efficiency of about 10% to 20%.
So meat production waste is a minimum of 80% per calorie versus eating plants.”
Can’t even understand what you’re saying…What DO YOU THINK meat eats???
#24
“Seriously, the best way to cut down livestock emissions is to range feed meat animals as much as possible, and to get rid of feedlots. Much more humane, and (surprise!) the meat tastes better.”
Ever got out of the MidWest? Do you think the World is mostly flat endless plains? Renew your National Geographic subscription, will you?
#27
“It takes 100 acres a year to feed a carnivore, 1 acre a year to feed a vegetarian.
Ever wonder why there are so many people in India and China. Now you know.”
No, it’s the other way around: that’s why they are eating more vegetables, because they are too many.
I dont see any reason why we have to stick to veggies when we can both enjoy meat and veggies at the same time saving the earth from global warmings. There are other ways such as sorting of garbage, planting new seeds for future trees, respect for mother nature..etc. All we need is discipline and true love for nature.
Is anyone else concerned that the global warming logic here can be used as rationale to kill all squirrels and any other wild animals?
I mean, if Rover the dog has a huge ass carbon footprint, then what is the carbon footprint of:
1. The chimpmunks living in your tree
2. The flock of geese by the pond
3. The moose in the northern forest
4. The tigers at the zoo
If carbon footprint is all, then logic follows that we should kill all animal life.
It’s food that leads to all those people in India. Well gee i thought is was cause they f@#ked a lot.
#34
They used to live in Camelot…
(sorry, juvenile flashback…)