Paddler is very green......

[binky]

Now I knew that farming animals isn't particulalry good for the planet, but it would seem it's actually worse than all the fossil fuels we burn. So in short, as @Canoeboy is a veggie, he is very green. NB they mosly go on about beef, but this applies to all farmed animals. So, rather than fit low energy lightbulbs, drive electric cars etc etc, we can all effect a greater change to the planet by changing our diet. (and have less people of course). Interesting figures, plus methane is 4x worse than CO2

http://www.cowspiracy.com/facts/

 

[Essex1]

i don't think changing diets is required. A lack of waste will make a huge difference. 

 

[ProDave]

Isn't there an opportunity to "extract" the methane and burn it to produce energy?  A sort of cow based "combined heat and food" plant? :run an

 

[Tony S]

How much methane does a veggie produce?

 

[Tony S]

Isn't there an opportunity to "extract" the methane and burn it to produce energy?  A sort of cow based "combined heat and food" plant? :run an

Many sewage plants are self sustaining regarding power by the use of “digesters”, some even export power.

 

[ruston]

Or a good veggie compost heap.

 

[ProDave]

No, I'm talking of cows roaming the fields with a tub up their aris and a gas bag on their back.

 

[binky]

on a good day you really could have flying pigs...

 

[Rob_the_rich]

No, I'm talking of cows roaming the fields with a tub up their aris and a gas bag on their back.

tube up the arris won't work, they would just poo it out. Those cunning Argies found a way to do it though http://bigthink.com/design-for-good/this-is-how-you-turn-cow-fart-gas-into-energy

 

[Rob_the_rich]

How much methane does a veggie produce?

If you think about a veggie's carbon footprint and a meateater's one then a lot less, obviously.

But veggies probably have the central heating on higher for longer

 

[Sharpend]

Not so sure. How many tractors does it take to run up and down a field to produce the veg??? 

As opposed to a small vehicle to check on a cow? 

 

[Rob.]

Not so sure. How many tractors does it take to run up and down a field to produce the veg??? 

As opposed to a small vehicle to check on a cow? 

Not really as direct comparison. The large vehicles are still needed for transportation. Moving silage round etc etc.

Still, not going to stop me enjoying a nice steak every once in a while. 

 

[Andy™]

if people were not meant to eat meat, it wouldnt taste as good as it does

 

[bluetobits]

if people were not meant to eat meat, it wouldnt taste as good as it does

Very true.   Lettuce and salads are what food eats 

 

[sprocketflup]

If we weren't meant to eat animals, they wouldn't be made of meat.

 

[Tony S]

That’s cruel, funny but cruel.

 

[binky]

the reality is no-one should stop eating meat, but reducing the quantity could have a very positive imoact on the environement. It has been known for many years that  acertain burger chain was buying cheap beef form Brazil / Argentina resulting in large land clearances of virgin Amazonian forest. Trouble is we all like meat and it's hard to turn down the cheap stuff, but what I woud urge is eat less, better quality meat ideally from UK farmers to reduce the carbon-footprint even further.

The whole cospiracy doesn't actually look at how much reource goes into growing crops, but then the farm animals are often fed on Soya grown for animal feed, so I suppose that uses water anyway. A little statistic from many years ago - 1 acre can feed 1 cow for a year, or be used to grow veg and feed 20 people. So why do we have world hunger?

 

[Rob_the_rich]

I haven't eaten meat for 36 years

I do eat dairy products though and fish.

I am a bit of a fish and chipocrite.

 

[binky]

Fish are seriously under threat too, though which species at anytime varies enormously. Was watching a programme about sea-birds on some island off Iceland. Apparently the warming oceans have encouraged Mackerel to travel further North wiping out the sand-eel population that smaller sea-birds like Puffins depend on leading to a major decline of this species on this island.

 

[Andy™]

I haven't eaten meat for 36 years

I do eat dairy products though and fish.

I am a bit of a fish and chipocrite.

fish is made from meat...