Thursday, 11 October 2018

Where's the Beef?

A  report on the production of foods has restated what has been evident for some time, namely that a UK obsession with daily meat and two veg is not sustainable as well as being relatively unhealthy
(https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/10/huge-reduction-in-meat-eating-essential-to-avoid-climate-breakdown). The authors suggest that the consumption of red meat (mainly beef, pork and lamb) should be a weekly treat; replaced at other times, by beans (hopefully not generating substantial amounts of human-generated methane?). This conclusion is based on the very substantial climate change effects of meat production and our urgent need to reduce it. All the red meat source animals produce methane (a very potent 'greenhouse gas') and their husbandry also results in substantial deforestation (reducing the uptake of carbon dioxide) in many parts of the globe. Further, the rearing of cattle, pigs and sheep occupies substantial areas of the planet (greatly reducing the biota of those areas) as well as using (and polluting) about 70% of global freshwater. Given the changing responses to meat on populations in developing countries (they generally aspire to eating more meat) as well as in ingrained habits in the developed world, it is difficult to see people adopting a dietary change of this nature. Cookery programmes will have to change and personal wealth shouldn't dictate who does and doesn't eat red meat (or take space flights?).

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