Is the obesity problem in America providing a significant carbon sink?

Question

Is all the extra weight that the American populous is carrying around a significant amount of carbon? If every person in America became optimal weight what would be resultant effect on the environment? Where would all that mass go? Into the air as CO2 or into the sewer as solid waste? Or does it not matter because most of the weight is H2O because the human body is over 90% H2O?

Answer 1

I am such a science nerd, I laughed when I read your question.

good thinking! If I lose the 20 lbs, I'd be damaging the enviro!

hah!

Answer 2

1) The H20 thing is a pretty valid argument. You really don't add that much extra carbon to you when you add pounds.

2) Even if you did, you have a highly exagerated view of human beings relative to the rest of the animal planet. Everytime I eat a hamburger, an elephant doesn't die. And there are probably 1,000,000 insects for every human on this planet.

3) You are confusing Carbon the element/metal with Carbon Dioxide the gas. A carbon-based lifeform simply means that life is made up of organic compounds, that is carbon-based compounds.

4) You probably shed more dead skin cells in a day than you know it. All of that carbon is going to the same place all of the other dead animals go to...the Earth. It just decomposes.

5) The amount of carbon in human cells is miniscule compared to the amount of carbon elsewhere on this planet. The effect would be negligible.

Answer 3

Obesity of Americans is indeed environmental pollution. Over weight people cause significant problems to the infrastructure as well as to the medical systems. Some medical professionals are calling it an epidemic. I agree. But then again I think Americans have become fat, lazy and ignorant. Sad. But many share my thoughts.