Is It True that the Meat Industry Causes More Pollution Than Cars?

[Cheekymonkey]

My understand is that the main pollutions from them that are problematic are the run offs from rain post cow poop, and that there are harmful parts that end up in the water system, as well as stuff from suplements and fertilizers placed on their foods.

 

[Damselfish]

I've read some pretty nasty stuff about the air & water pollution from hog farming. I imagine any intensive animal production like that would have similar issues.

 

[jefffalcone]

It depends how you think about it. There are several fairly abstract reasons why eating meat causes pollution. Being a primary consumer (something that gets its energy from something that gets its energy directly from the sun) is something like 1000 times more efficient than being a secondary consumer (something that gets its energy from eating primary and other secondary cunsumers). All of this extra energy is going to lead to pollution. The beef industry is also one of the largest threats to the rain forests. Cutting down lots of trees also contributes to excess greenhouse gasses.

These are just two examples. There are several others that I can't remember. If you're really interested in this read a book called recipes for a small planet. I'm not sure, but I think cars are probably still poluting more than the meat industry, but vegetarian diet does has more to do with conservation than you might think. I stopped eating meat more for conservation than any other reason. I don't think it is wrong to eat other amimals, I just think it's better for the planet if we don't. Not to mention, beef is pretty bad for you.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

This is sort of like "Organic" produce being better for the environment than using Newer farm/land management techniques.

 

[ONESPEED]

Whatever.....

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Yes so we should get all the PETA freaks and other wackjobs to eat beef.

 

[Ann Marie]

Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.

Hey Jeff!! Wouldn't it be great if humans could be producers instead of consumers? Hungry? Go lay out in the sun for half an hour!

 

[ONESPEED]

Yes so we should get all the PETA freaks and other wackjobs to eat beef.

People
Eating
Ttasty
Animals

 

[Cacia]

Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters.

thank you. So...how much does it impact the ozone layer, relative to automobiles, world wide?

 

[Karibelle]

well ... it depends what you mean by "pollution"

if you mean greenhouse gas emissions, then probably not ... the three main sources of greenhouse gases are:

1. power plants
2. industry stacks
3. transportation (cars, buses, trucks, planes, boats, trains)

i would imagine that the greenhouse gases put out by the meat industry (including rasing the cows, shipping them, processing them, shipping the meat, and then end-point preparation) probably are not greater than automobiles

but i don't really know

When you're dealing with feedlot meat, the processing needs are quite significant. Transport to your local grocery store is also significant... add to that the fertilizers and pesticides used to create the food for the meat, and the fact that it takes a whole wack more (can dig up a number if required) energy to create one pound of meat than it does to create one pound of grain (which is used to feed the meat but could be used instead to feed people)...

Maybe Al Gore does need to be a vegetarian - maybe we ALL do. That's unlikely though, isn't it. My current effort is a) to only eat meat at one meal each day and b) to eat not-meat one day each week and c) make my meat choices local and organic.

A few problems with the above plan: First, meat at one meal each day pretty much cuts out bacon and other breakfast meats. and let's face it - who wants to live in a baconless world? Second, I'm not clear on where fish falls in. I have the seafood watch guide (get that, it's very informative - www.seafoodwatch.org) as a starting point. My "research" tells me that farmed fish is as harmful to the environment as feedlot beef - but other "research" says that wild fish (salmon in this case) are endangered... so it's a question of who do you believe.

kari