Greenhouse Hamburger
Notes:
- Our diets and meat causes more CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, than transportation or industry.
- Greenhouse gases store solar energy which causes the warming of the earths surface.
- We have found that production levels of meat contribute between 14 and 22 percent of the 36 billion tons greenhouse gases we produce every year.
- Producing half a pound of meat for someones lunch is equivalent to releasing enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere with a 3,000 pound car driving for 10 miles.
- Every food we eat has many environmental costs from production to transportation to refrigeration.
- Cows emit 2.5 to 4.7 ounces of methane for each pound of beef they produce.
- Large amounts of feed also have to be planted.
- With all of the factors included, 14.8 pounds of greenhouse gases are emitted into the ozone for a pound of meat.
- Improving waste management and farming practices can reduce the carbon footprint of beef production.
- Methane capturing systems can use animal waste to produce energy.
- Consumers can help too.
- All of our diets are with choice.
- We should eat locally grown foods.
- We should eat less meat.
- If we do not change our diets, we are contributing to more greenhouse emissions.
Summary: Meat causes more CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, than transportation or industry. Production levels of meat contribute between 14 and 22 percent of the 36 billion tons greenhouse gases we produce every year. Producing half a pound of meat for someones lunch is equivalent to releasing enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere with a 3,000 pound car driving for 10 miles. Every food has environmental costs that add up from transportation costs to farming costs to other internal costs. When all of those are added up, we have realized that 14.8 pounds of greenhouse gases are emitted into the ozone for a pound of meat. Luckily there is some stuff we can do. We can improve waste management and change our farming practices, so that we reduce the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere. We can even use methane capturing systems that can use animal waste to produce energy. Consumers can chose to eat locally grown foods and we should also eat less meat. If we do not change our ways soon, we are greatly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Reflection: After reading this article, I had no idea that hamburgers or meat was contributing to greenhouse gasses! I had never thought about the environmental costs that go into this such as the transportation of foods and refrigeration. The most shocking part of this was when they were talking about how someones lunch is equivalent to releasing enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere with a 3,000 pound car driving for 10 miles. But I think that I can substitute a couple of days out of the meat to not eat meat and focus on more salad based items. I hope that more people can make these same changes so that we can help reduce the amount of greenhouse emissions!
Reflection: After reading this article, I had no idea that hamburgers or meat was contributing to greenhouse gasses! I had never thought about the environmental costs that go into this such as the transportation of foods and refrigeration. The most shocking part of this was when they were talking about how someones lunch is equivalent to releasing enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere with a 3,000 pound car driving for 10 miles. But I think that I can substitute a couple of days out of the meat to not eat meat and focus on more salad based items. I hope that more people can make these same changes so that we can help reduce the amount of greenhouse emissions!