Nyree Ambarchian: Time to give beef the hoof?
David Blunkett's recent trampling by an irate cow in the Peak District brings the number of people suffering injury by bovine over the past eight years to 481.
David Blunkett's recent trampling by an irate cow in the Peak District brings the number of people suffering injury by bovine over the past eight years to 481.But the real danger from cows comes not from their fearsome charge, but from their formidable flatulence. Daisy and Buttercup are literally taking the world towards oblivion.
According to a recent United Nations (UN) report cows release more greenhouse gases than the world's cars combined ... it's no wonder politicians and scientists are cowed by the problem. (Sorry couldn't resist).
Cattle produce two thirds of all ammonia emissions, which contribute towards acid rain. They are also responsible for over a third of all methane gas released as a result of human activity. Cows belch and trump their way towards an estimated 60 million tonnes of methane every year. This equates to three quarters of all livestock emissions, and methane is 23 times more potent than CO2 as a heat-trapping gas which contributes towards climate change.
This is no moo-t issue; the human demand for milk and meat is driving the continued growth of the livestock sector, with devastating global impacts. Especially when you stop to consider the deforestation of land to make way for our Friesian friends, the fuel burnt to make fertiliser, and the 16,000 litres of water needed to produce a single kilogram of beef.
If you're thinking that surely this cow shaped catastrophe must be making people stop to consider the impact of their diet, you'd be wrong. In developing countries red meat consumption has risen by a third in the past ten years, and the production of milk and beef is set to double in the next 30 years.
Despite the unequivocal threat to planet Earth's chemical balance, large scale farming (unlike the construction and car industries), does not face stringent targets to reduce emissions. Technology and innovation is focussed on creating less polluting cars, whilst the issue of less polluting cows is largely ignored. World leaders seem to be turning the udder cheek when it comes to reducing our global hoof print; it's time to wake up and smell the methane.
Of course, the easiest way to cut emissions would be to reduce our consumption of milk and beef; but changing people's attitudes towards their lattes and cheeseburgers is harder than you might think. The message is being shouted from the roof tops, but I'm not sure it's being herd. It's time to remember that it's the cows with the multi-stomachs, not us. As my Gran sagely says "I remember when beef was a treat, we only had it a few times a year but it made it special and we made the most of it."
The steaks are high, now is the time to start thinking about the true impact your food choices have on the planet future generations will inherit.
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Weather for Peterborough
Thursday 18 March 2010
Today
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Temperature: 2 C - 8 C
Wind Speed: 14 Knots
Wind direction: North west
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