Will you stop eating beef to reduce your carbon footprint?

Question

Yet another study has shown that eating beef significantly adds to your carbon footprint. In 'Meat production beefs up emissions' (Thursday July 19 Guardian Unlimited) it states that per 1kg (2.2lbs) of beef produced 'The emissions are equivalent to the amount of CO2 released by an average car every 160 miles, plus the energy consumption is equal to a 100W bulb being left on for 20 days' & that 'producing the meat caused substantial amounts of greenhouse gases & other pollutants', because 'the production of 1kg of beef releases greenhouse gases with a warming potential equivalent to 36.4kg of carbon dioxide'.

This would mean that per 1kg of beef eaten you'd have to offset by purchasing the equivalent of ONE TREE EACH YEAR, because the average offset per mature tree per year is 35kg. Bearing in mind that the beef calculations DID NOT include emissions from farm equipment, or from transporting the meat, or from the effects of DEFORESTATION to clear land for grazing, so...(cont below).

(cont.)... it's clear that the figure of 36.5kg is a big underestimate - so will YOU who support the CO2 agenda give up beef, or will you offset? If not then why not seeing as beef is patently a huge contributor to your carbon footprint?

This Q is ONLY for those who SUPPORT the CO2 agenda, so if you reply to say you think it's all cr*p anyway cos the CO2 agenda is cr*p, etc, you're an idiot. I just want the views of those on the CO2 bandwagon. Thanks.

Answer 1

If you believe that CO2 is causing Global Warming and you eat beef, yet aren't even prepared to cut down, let alone give it up, then it's very hypocritical, especially if you won't do so just because you like the taste - what's more important; our Earth and future, or a steak? If you say steak then something is very wrong with your values.

Answer 2

I've never eaten beef or any other meat in my entire life. But I often think that most people don't realize just how environmentally damaging a meat-eating diet is. I often see the "but plants require such and such" as an argument too, which is stupid because farm animals eat as many plants as you would have eaten, had you not eaten the animal.

Not sure if you want to count my answer though. I do care about protecting the environment, though I think the global warming scare is mostly hype and politics.

Answer 3

I don't read newspapers and having read your question I am not at all surprised. Are they saying that we must not breed cattle as they produce to much CO2. In other words dispense with the animal altogether. Surely they must be mad. What gives us the right to extinguish all cattle are we not supposed to preserve life. Yes we eat beef but food is a vital part of life in all living things. With regard to your second paragraph let me remind you and the papers that all food is transported on way or another and the carbon emissions are the same whether it be bee or chicken or, even tinned foods.

Answer 4

No, because I feel my family benefit from having meat in their diet, although I will cut back to do my bit. I have been trying to change other things in my life to benefit the planet such as recycling and walking where possible rather than taking the car. I think if everyone takes little steps it will seem less intrusive if you like and over time make a big impact. We cannot change the world until we change oursleves, I am having baby number 4 and this time intend to use cloth nappies again like I did with my last child so I am making changes.

Answer 5

I will probably not stop completely. Just like I haven't completely stopped flying or driving my car - but I do it much less and I think about how I do it.

What I will do however is:
1. Eat much LESS of it
2. Choose beef from local and ecological farms (which is much better for our environment)
3. Choose chicken more often (which has much less impact on our environment)
4. Choose pork which is also better.
5. Eat more vegetarian food over all.

Answer 6

There is pretty clear evidence that cattle production is quite a significant factor in global warming. Just to add more bad news about cattle is the amount of methane emissions, which affect the ozone layer.

Answer 7

No, it wont stop me driving either, not only am I frowned upon by driving a big car, I cannot eat a beef sandwich now either.
They should scrap all these celebs who have their private jets, bunging up the atmosphere, we get told to share cars why not the celebs!? (see my question on this)

Answer 8

The act of eating beef doesn't directly contribute to C02... so chow down as much as you like.

The solution to this problem is to have the cattle and meat processing industry increase their energy efficiency. Some suggest this could be done through tax breaks and other market-friendly approaches.

It's a misconception among climate skeptics that you have to change your entire lifestyle to mitigate global warming.

Here... click on the pretty pictures...

http://exxonsecrets.org/

Answer 9

Alright I'll play your game, what should I eat? You still have to deforest-ate to plant crops. Preparing the ground, planting, maintaining, and harvesting crops also uses farm equipment and causes emissions. Some of the fertilizers aren't exactly "green" either. Shipping the product to the stores is a whole different subject!

Answer 10

What are you trying to achieve? I really don't understand it.

Are you in business in something that is environmentally counterproductive?

Are you angry about the theory of anthropogenic global warming as a derivative of having opposed it early on and now feeling the need to back yourself?

Are you [shall we whisper it] just an idiot clutching at straws to justify not wanting to change your indulgent lifestyle?

My money is on the latter of these.

Fool.