Would you or have you reduced your meat consumption to lower your greenhouse gas emissions?

Question

I went vegetarian about ten years ago, when I was twelve years old, and global warming wasn't a big thing then. Now it seems to be the biggest problem we're facing environmentally speaking and vegetarianism, or even simply reducing meat consumption, have been heralded as ways to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Meat production is very energy intensive and (beef production specifically) produces methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide. Have you or would you consider this to reduce your own emissions?

Answer 1

I would reduce my meat consumption if it would help. Eating beans and some vegetables causes a lot of gas anyway, but farm animals probably produce more overall so I would have to say yes I would reduce my meat consumption.

Answer 2

I have been thinking green for a while now and I have done a lot of research on the subject. As a result I have cut my red meat consumption considerable and have contemplated giving up beef altogether.

From data I collected from a report on the beef industry by Japanese researches and another report from the state of New Hampshire I was able to calculate the global impact of beef. The following numbers include transportation of feed to the cows/bulls/heifers, raising the animals to appropriate age (4-7 years), butchering and packaging the meat. They DO NOT include the number for transportation of the meat to supermarkets:

1 Pound of Beef pollution results:

CO2 = 80.02 lbs.

SO2 = 0.748 lbs.

Methane (CH4) = 0.009346 lbs.

Energy Used = 169 mega joules. (1.207 gallons of Oil, or 3% of a barrel.)

Now Methane although much more potent than CO2, in order to get an understanding of its impact you have to look at its GWP (Global warming impact) which is related to CO2. Methane is relative to CO2 at a ratio of 24-1 so 0.009346 lbs of CH4 = 0.224304 lbs of CO2 equivalent.

Also here is a nother way to look at the impact from eating beef.

Compared to the emissions from the state of CT power industry, eating 1 pound of beef would send the same amount of CO2 as watching a 17" television 24 hours a day for 79 days straight.

Answer 3

well in general i am becoming a vegetarian for religious(buddhist) ethical/moral environmentalist and animal activist

as well as just health its wrong to eat meat because it rots and doesnt digest has bad saturated fats in it that are linked to cancers and heart attacks as well as animal cruelties

Answer 4

I've been a vegetarian for around ten years and a vegan for only two, but it was always animal welfare related.  I didn't find out until later that it was good environmentally as well.  Meat eating (and of course the way in which meat is produced owing to the constant and huge demand for it) does such a catastrophic amount of damage to the world, not merely from an animal welfare perspective but also environmentally speaking, so even if I was not vegan presently I would certainly consider becoming so given the extent to which global warming is being discussed lately.  But all the same I don't want to preach the matter, because everyone should do personally what they want to do and I wouldn't ever want to judge anybody anyway for any reason; if people know the facts then they can make their own decision based on that and do whatever they feel is the very best thing to do within themselves.

Answer 5

What, are you talking about flatulence? Haha...

I don't think that is a very big impactor.

Veggies cause a ton of flatulence in themselves anyway, especially cauliflower.

Answer 6

I eat less meat because of cruelty reasons.. and have almost dropped eating chicken..

I do have free range hens for egg production though.. and have a garden...

beef produciton is intense... except in some areas where they are pasture grazed.. but I know what you are saying.. in most places they are not..

most people eat meat portions that are unhealthy for them too.. way too much..

Answer 7

No, I would not reduce my meat consumption even if man were behind global warming, period.  I like eating meat.  I was designed to eat meat.  I am going to eat meat and I don't care how energy intensive it is or how many greenhouse gases it may create.  Would you advocate that lions stop eating meat?  Would you advocate that wolves stop eating meat?  I am going to guess that you are going to say no.  Why then would you advocate that man stop eating meat?  That's just stupid.  This is just nature at work.  Lets just say that everyone did stop eating meat, what do you do with all the animals, which have been raised for food, who are producing methane and carbon with every breath?  Should we kill them all and let them lay?  If not, they are going to keep reproducing regardless of whither humans eat them or not.  Even if we stop raising them for a food source, all the pastures that are used for grazing will grow up and then support other wildlife like deer, bison, rabbits, etc.  The bottom line is that when the population grows to an amount where the earth has trouble supporting them, it will regulate itself.  Humans have not advanced beyond nature.  We are still part of the cycle, regardless of whither we believe it or not.

Answer 8

Personally, I think they should alter ninety percent of the male cows so they can't produce any more cows.  Stop production of the cattle farmers and their slaughter of these innocent creatures.  With less cows to maintain, less greenhouse gases produced by them.  However, I do love milk, so they need to keep the cows for milk, cheese, & butter.  But that doesn't hurt them.

Answer 9

i rarely eat red meat

Answer 10

yes..as Americans we tend to eat way to much meat.  we can solve this by eating the correct amount which is about the size of a deck of cards instead of that 16 oz. steak.

Answer 11

no

Answer 12

Can't say that I have reduced my meat consumption. Instead, I buy locally produced & grown stuff so it cuts down on CO2 from long distance travelling. Also,it's important to me, not to waste any meat that I buy. Say if I had left-over roast, it gets reused for another meal.

Answer 13

I'm too old and set in my ways and habits to become a vegetarian, but yes, I have been thinking about my consumption of meat.  For one thing, I eat more red meat than is considered healthy.  But it's so convenient to grab a burger...

Of course, when you think about it, meat production also uses a lot of grain-mostly corn-and that is a very inefficient use of a product that uses a lot of petroleum to make and contributes even more to greenhouse gas emissions.  Actually, using corn to produce ethanol and then using the byproduct as feedstock makes a lot of sense when you look at it that way.

Still and all, I am trying to cut back on meat consumption some.  My wife manages the menu for our whole family and is pretty good at meal planning, we are at least eating less red meat and have good meals with fruits and vegetables daily.  It's more of a problem for me when I am away from home working during the day.