Should meat be taxed?

Question

"The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization found in 2006 that livestock production generates 18 percent of greenhouse gases worldwide — more than the entire transportation sector of cars, trucks, planes, and ships combined. Cows constantly belch methane from their four stomachs, and lagoons of pig effluent release the gas into the air. Much of the world's beef comes from deforested areas (70 percent of former Amazon rainforest is now used for cattle grazing), a one-two punch from the loss of carbon dioxide-absorbing trees and the addition of more animals."

Answer 1

are methane levels rising?  if so, at what rate?

Methane breaks doen in UV light, it doesnt last long in the atmosphere.  The fact that there is any at all indicates it is constantly being produced, and broken down.

Eatting meat is natural.  We need it as a source of protien.  Im sorry but peanuts arent good enough.  You cant say dairy because that comes from the animals that you want to eliminate!  So its not that you are asking people to become vegetarian, you are asking people to become VEGAN  which is very unhealthy in my book.   Protien is good for you, and your body wouldnt be happy without it.  Most vegetarians I know complain of not being able to sleep, have a weak immune system, and constantly get headaches, oh and are far less productive at work.

Answer 2

Everything we buy is taxed somewhere along the line so am I for extra taxes on Meat. h**l NO. Taxing stuff you do not like or find offensive is not the answer.  That would be like me saying should we tax homosexuals for their behavior because they have a higher rate of aids which causes great medical expenses but I would be deemed a homophobe and stricken from the record.

I think we should tax stupid people.

If we taxed meat more what about the ranchers who breed them and depend on cattle for their lively hood? What about the drivers who drive them to market? what about the butchers and slaughter house employees. All of these people would be out of work but hey if it feels right do it. Am I correct. You have to think of the bigger picture and cow farts do not make that much of a difference.

Answer 3

How will taxing meat stop cows from passing gas?

What about the WILD animals that contribute to global warming as well?  How should those be taxed?

Also - what about dairy products - should they tax that because of all the cows it takes to produce our milk?

Just in case you greenies haven't figured things out yet - WHY did the last ice age end about 10,000 years ago?  I doubt that it was because of grazing cattle................

Answer 4

Go ahead and tax store bought meat....I'll just start eating puppies.

It's been my experience vegetarians are more gassy than the general population.  I guess if you eat like a cow, you f**t like one.  Should we tax the vegan lifestyle, too?

Answer 5

Should meat be taxed??

Yes, but only if the individual eating it is overweight.  

An option would be for that overweight person to purchase 'Porker-Credits'.  (I think that Gore is investing in such a company).

Answer 6

So what's the answer?  Dairy products also come from animals.    Should we all be vegans?  I have known some vegans and few of them were very healthy.  Human beings are omnivores.  The real problem is population.  We can all be vegans and drive hybrids and use mulch, but if we keep expanding our population, we will run into trouble somewhere along the line.  It is inevitable.  yet no one addresses this side of the issue.  Why not?

Answer 7

Save the planet; eat more vegetarians.

Answer 8

Sure. Why not. Tax everything that can have even the remotest association with global warming. Then when we are all poor we’ll eat rice. Oh wait; rice paddies are supposedly a major contributor to methane. Well, looks like we can’t eat.

Cattle are not the problem – enteric fermentation emits less CH4 than landfills and natural gas systems.

http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarmin...

For a solution to reducing emissions from enteric fermentation even further, see:

http://www.holisticmanagement.org/n7/cli...

The more inane ideas the AGW camp comes up with, the less credibility they have, so keep it up!

Answer 9

That is an excellent idea, but unlikely to ever happen; too much stick and not enough carrot.

You're missing the degredation of amazonian soil allowing it to hold less carbon.

My current hobby horse;

http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/

Answer 10

No.It already is right along with all the other groceries you buy.