Earth matters

[PartyOf5]

Cambridge University is right in the middle of the city. There are plenty of nearby options.

While Cambridge pats itself on the ass for reducing their carbon emissions, the earth is no better off as the people just eat beef somewhere else.

[Speaker to Animals]

Meat consumption does not affect the climate. For fuck sake stop this farce.

[Montegriffo]

It produces large amounts of CO2.

[Hastur]

How many CO2 molecules can dance on the head of a pin?

[Fife]

It produces large amounts of CO2.

Good!

[Montegriffo]

Watch out, we're coming for your beef.
You have been warned, it's time to start stockpiling quarter pounders

[Otern]

It produces large amounts of CO2.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again; it depends how the meat is produced.

If you're producing pork and chicken, raised on concentrates grown in areas where crops for human consumption is possible, then transported to the farms for consumption. Basically factory farming where economics is the most important factor, then yes, it release a lot of CO2, compared to the alternatives.

But if you're producing it in the more traditional way, which is having cattle and sheep grazing in land where it's not possible to grow edible crops for human consumption, it's far more environmentally friendly than most forms of vegetable production.

Where we see the net release of CO2 in agriculture, comes from fossil fuel. And the fossil fuels are really the only thing that matters in this equation, as the rest of the carbon is just part of the natural carbon cycle. Almost no fossil fuels are being used in sheep production. Just a little bit for the winter harvest, as most lambs get slaughtered before winter. Then a little bit for transporting the sheep to the slaughterhouse, and to the stores afterwards. The end result is a very energy dense food, with extremely little CO2 release. Add in the bonus of the land they're grazing on not being usable for crop production, it's extremely environmentally friendly.

There's way more fossil fuel use in growing crops. As it's less energy dense, needs a LOT more harvesting, and a lot more transport. And then we also have the added pressure on valuable agricultural land.

If we're just stopping meat production, of all kinds, we're just going to have way less agricultural land, as the most valuable land is already being used. And the land suitable for meat production won't be used at all. The use of fossil fuel in transport will go up, and so will the use of fossil fuels in harvesting.

[Montegriffo]

Did I say stop all meat production?
Factory farmed beef is very high in CO2 emissions, that's what goes in your fast food burgers.
Sheep release large amounts of methane and are often raised on hillsides which used to be covered in trees.
The land used for growing animal fodder can be used to produce fodder for humans and eventually, it can be farmed with electric tractors using cleaner energy.
A carbon tax would reflect the true cost of meat production and encourage people to think more about what they eat.

[Speaker to Animals]

Climate change is like the devil to you, always lurking around the corner to become the ultimate cause of every problem, real or imagined. Those who do not believe are the most dangerous because they invite catastrophe. They should be marked and shunned.


You realize you adopted the modern form of Puritanism, right?

[Montegriffo]

I care only for the future of your grandchildren and biodiversity. I care little for your soul.