Meatless Monday

Animal visuals

Rate of Slaughter of Chickens, Pigs, and Cows in the United States, 2008

UN says less meat an approach for global warming

I knew it was only a matter of time when the meat industry would hear the knock from the global warming man. This has been something I have pointed out for awhile.

From Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change:

"In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing about reductions in a short period of time, it clearly is the most attractive opportunity,' said Pachauri. 'Give up meat for one day [a week] initially, and decrease it from there,' said the Indian economist, who is a vegetarian

Animal welfare groups are calling for governments to lead campaigns to reduce meat consumption by 60 per cent by 2020.

Americans have shifted from the SUV gas guzzling addictions, I wonder if they have it in them to change more of their comforts. It will be interesting to see the meat industry's defense.

Full Guardian article here

Is it better to eat locally or differently?

How hamburgers are made by Kyle Starks at Threadless:

Thank to Amanda for sending me this interesting Science Friday interview with Christopher Weber, a research professor at Carnegie Mellon.

Weber found that you reduce more non-energy emissions(methane and nitric oxide) from eating less red meat and dairy products than you do if you ate a completely local diet.

That's good news for Texans that may get sick of summer squash and watermelon in August.

I was also surprised to hear that whether a cow eats grain or grass, they still burp the same amount of methane...I thought that feeding the cows something they were not suppose to be eating (grain) was contributing to the methane gas.

Either way...seems like vegetarians have the most guilt free and carbon neutral diet of 'em all.

Here is the link to listen

http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/200805092