Recently New Scientist magazine published an article called 'How the obesity epidemic is aggravating global warming' - have you read this? You need to be a subscriber to read it. I've not seen/heard this matter covered in the news, and it sounds pretty crackpot as a concept, so what's the gist of the theory? How is obesity aggravating Global Warming? If this is something valid then what do you think supporters of the CO2 bandwagon will do about it? A CO2 fat tax maybe?
2007-07-28 12:19:42 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment ➔ Global Warming
There are so many different contributing factors that adds to the obesity epidemic that it seems unlikely that anyone would be able to conclusively point to people in that demographic and blame them... Honestly, it seems that people who are fat are the last ones who can be called to blame for things or made fun of without a group of people picketing in front of the persons door... so I guess that makes it acceptable?
Poor, cheap food is one cause... It seems to me that the production of this food itself could be a cause more than a person who consumes it.
There are also medical issues to consider. Medical issues that cause the obesity seem unlikely to cause global warming unless a study can point to something outrageous like... retired NASCAR drivers who were hurt on the job and gain weight... but then if they were no longer driving, the global warming issues would go down... lol!
Yes, it was an outrageous example... as I believe that the statement is outrageous.
I would also not believe that obese people are less likely to take steps to reduce the impact of global warming in their lives, just like others do.
It sounds like a terrible article and just one more thing to blame on the fat guy.
2007-07-28 15:38:45 · answer #1 · answered by Ibblekinib 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I haven't read the article either so can comment specifically on it. Is it a fairly new issue of New Scientist, we get that delivered to work but I've not seen anything about obesity (but then I tend to only flick through anyway).
Excepting medical conditions, obesity is a consequence of a poor diet and / or a lack of exercise. Food production and agriculture is one of the main contributors to climate change, this is the result of many different aspects - land use, possible deforestation, use of fertilisers, chemical treatments, distribution and transportation, packaging materials, the processing and storing of the food etc.
It also seems reasonable to suggest that some obese people are more likely to travel by motor vehicle than they are to walk or cycle and thus contribute more through the burning of fossil fuels.
Bad diet and lack of exercise slow down metabolic rate, a consequence of which is that the body is less able to regulate and maintain temperature. Obsese people are more likely to sweat than non obese people and when the weather cools will need extra heat, this too is a source of greenhouse gas emissions and a contributor to climate change.
In short and in general, the more resources a person uses the more they contribute to climate change.
2007-07-28 19:40:45 · answer #2 · answered by Trevor 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Haven't read yet, but will soon (which issue?)
A few reaons fat people are bad for the environment:
1. Probably directly produce more methane and carbon dioxide due to greater size, and when they try to loose weight the fat is converted to CO2.
2. They eat more and there are many ways in which food production and associated things release CO2 (production, transport, packaging etc.)
3. They are heavier and take more space on transport, so it burns more fossil fuel to transport them (calculated on a per passanger basis).
4. As a cause, or an effect, of their obeasity they are more likely to take fossil fuel burning transport than walk or cycle.
There are many reasons. My conclusion would be that obeaseity has a real, but minor, effect on global warming.
There is a not-too serious, but none-the less facual story on this on RN yesterday.
2007-07-29 00:43:29 · answer #3 · answered by K 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
-The more weight in a vehicle, the lower fuel efficiency that vehicle gets. So the larger the person, the more gas burned to travel the same distance, the more pollutants (more than just CO2) are released into the atmosphere.
-Larger people are also eating many times more than a typical person, which requires more resources, which creates more pollution.
-Obese people aren't usually eating super healthy diets. Diets high in meat and highly processed foods require enormous amounts of energy and resources to produce package and transport them.
-While normal Americans are slow to adopt a life of biking and walking, for obese Americans green transportation is next to impossible.
CO2 fat tax, No. But steps should be taken to combat obesity, not just for the environment but also for the people who's lives it ruins.
2007-07-28 20:04:14 · answer #4 · answered by joecool123_us 5 · 2⤊ 3⤋
This is pure BS. The notion that obesity could be related to global warming is so ludicrous I'm amazed anybody even bothers to repeat thsi particular bit of junk science.
2007-07-28 21:12:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Wow! My friend came up with this as a joke the other day. I didn't know there was actual research!
I don't really see the connection myself though ;-)
2007-07-28 19:29:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Oh yes, it's well documented. Increased flatulence.
2007-07-28 19:30:40 · answer #7 · answered by Tufty Porcupine 5 · 0⤊ 5⤋
have you ever felt the heat while standing next to a fat person. its torrid!!
2007-07-28 19:22:42 · answer #8 · answered by BOB H 4 · 1⤊ 6⤋