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Climate scientists have a beef with beef


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By Geoffrey Mohan, Los Angeles Times

If you want to slow climate change, white meat may be the right meat, according to two studies that tally the environmental effect of the beef industry.

Raising cattle in the U.S. requires 28 times as much land and 11 times as much irrigation water, and pumps at least five times as much planet-warming gases into Earth’s atmosphere than producing the equivalent calories of dairy products, poultry, pork or eggs, according to a study published online Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

And from 1961 to 2010, worldwide emissions of planet-warming gases from livestock increased 51 percent, with the bulk of the increases coming from developing nations that are rapidly adopting the U.S. model of meat consumption, according to another study published Monday in the journal Climatic Change.

“For people, the obvious answer is: whenever possible, replace beef with something else,” said Gidon Eshel, a geophysicist at Bard College and lead author of the study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The beef industry, not surprisingly, is not impressed.

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Comments

Comments (19)
  1. hmmm.... says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    If you remove the corporate welfare subsidies, what would that burger really cost? Time for the denialists to pull their faces out of the trough and start their high-pitched screeching….

  2. david dewitt says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    There are 10 times more wild animals out there just count the Deer and you exceed the cattle count there is always some one out there with a computer making up stories.

  3. Dogula says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    Hmmmm. It’s that government that you so vociferously defend that allows (encourages!) corporate welfare to happen. Time for ‘denialists’ of liberty to pull their faces out of the trough.

  4. hmmm.... says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    @Dogula-something is seriously wrong with you.

  5. legal beagle says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    Just as I put my shovel away I had to get it out again.
    Darn. It requires 20 lbs. of plant protein to produce 1 lb. of animal protein so more land and water is obviously needed to produce animal protein. Humans like meat and developing countries are just doing what comes naturally, not adopting something because the USA
    does it. More science from the toilet bowl. How sad.
    How much more guilt can they lay on me?

  6. Dogula says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser
    -Socrates

  7. A.B. says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    You know the Global Warming narrative has gone off the rails when you read articles like this. At this point, there is nothing that can’t be blamed on Global Warming, right?

  8. rock4tahoe says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    Hey AB. Define climate?

  9. legal beagle says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    Dogula, “When the debate is lost, hemlock becomes the tool of the winner”, Legal Beagle.

  10. cosa pescado says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    Indeed dawg, that is why you cretins go after Al Gore and stay as far away from science as possible.

  11. Dogula says - Posted: July 24, 2014

    @Fish: Exactly WHAT is why we “cretins” . . .??? What? Explain yourself, you supercilious buffoon.
    @Beagle: Hemlock becomes the tool of the winner? Are you suggesting I kill myself? Really?
    @ Rock: Hey Rock. Come up with a new challenge. The Fish has been using that same one over and over and over again. For years.

    You guys are great. Can’t argue, just continue to insult people. Real original. Deep.

  12. hmmm.... says - Posted: July 25, 2014

    “@Fish: Exactly WHAT is why we “cretins” . . .??? What?….Explain yourself, you supercilious buffoon.”
    I get it: late in the month, running low on your psych meds.

    AWESOME!

  13. admin says - Posted: July 25, 2014

    Grow up people. Name calling is not necessary.

    Move on and learn how to disagree without being disagreeable.

    LTN staff

  14. go figure says - Posted: July 25, 2014

    I believe it was interior secretary james watt, the worst thing to happen to the natural world, that tried, but eventually failed, that was instrumental in letting corporate grazing ruin many range and forest areas. That was back in the 80’s and his presence in the political world was directly responsible for the forming of many successful environmental organizations who have gone on to be the fighters for trying to keep our public lands out of the hands of giant corporations. The fight isnt over yet but progress has been made. We need to get clive bundy off the range (by force preferably) , Raising beef on public lands is not good for the land.

  15. legal beagle says - Posted: July 25, 2014

    Dogula, I tried to be humorous because as you know Socrates was forced to drink hemlock when he lost to the ruling class. Don’t be so serious, life is to short. Sometimes my quips fall very flat as in this case.
    “Because I am involved with mankind, every mans death diminishes me, so do not ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee”, John Donne, English poet and philosopher and cleric.

  16. hmmm.... says - Posted: July 25, 2014

    Note-my post consisted of ‘Dogula’s’ quotes…in order to point out how outrageous her attacks are, not intended to be a comment on Fish. My reference was about Dog’s running low on her psych meds.

  17. rock4tahoe says - Posted: July 26, 2014

    Hey Dog. Until AB answers the question, it will stand. And “insults?” Are you calling the kettle black as in the pot calling the kettle black?

  18. hmmm.... says - Posted: July 27, 2014

    Careful Rock….someone might accuse you of playing the race card!