A couple of months ago, when scrolling through my Facebook
news feed I started observing an increasing number of links to news articles
that discussed how consuming beef has a damaging effect on the environment.
Eventually, I decided to explore this topic further and read some of these news
articles I had come across. From further reading and understanding the basics
behind the link between beef consumption and climate change, I decided to stop
eating beef. Although it may seem such a small contribution, I definitely
believe that minor changes in one's lifestyle to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions helps to make a difference on the global scale. This change that I
decided to make is what gave me the inspiration for my blog.
As I just stated, my current knowledge of how consuming beef
contributes to climate change is relatively narrow. However, various statistics
and statements I have come across in the media have particularly shocked me and
have driven me to understand this issue even further.
The
first link I decided to pursue that appeared on my Facebook news feed directed
me to an article from The
Guardian (2010). The article highlighted how unsustainable a diet that is
rich in meat and dairy is, especially as agriculture, particularly meat and
dairy produce, contribute to 19% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. In
addition, the article included a short video which excellently illustrated many
environmental issues involved in our global consumption of meat and dairy
produce, which I strive to explore even further.
According to The
Telegraph (2016), by 2050, if we are able to avoid the dangerous 2oC
global temperature rise as set out as a key aim in the Paris Climate conference (COP21), half of the greenhouse gas emissions humanity can
produce could be as a result of food-related emissions. I found this statement
particularly surprising as I did not even realise the extent to which food
affected global warming. When focusing on the greenhouse gas emissions
associated with beef consumption alone, I came across a statement from 'Climate
Central'. This declared that compared to any other commonly consumed food, beef
generates more greenhouse gas emissions per unit of protein (Magill,
2016).
My
first blog post has hopefully introduced you to a number of statistics that
stress the impact of food consumption, more specifically beef, on our
planet. I believe it is important to be aware
of what one is consuming, not solely from a dietary perspective, but also from
an environmental perspective. As I do not have a complete understanding of why
beef consumption is so detrimental to the environment and how it contributes to
climate change, I aim to develop
a wider understanding of the key environmental issues associated with
humanity's beef consumption throughout this blog. Additionally, it is of
interest to me to explore the controversy surrounding this topic and examine it
from a variety of perspectives.
Hope
you enjoy the read!
Hey Laura! Love this topic. I think it is definitely a controversial topic especially as the demand for meat, similar to that in hunting, has probably caused species diversity to some extent. Many argue in the hunting industry that if hunting was not permitted, the species sought after would most likely not occur in those areas anymore and so the genetic pool may have been greatly declined through habitat fragmentation. What are your thoughts? Perhaps this could be a topic to explore in one of your blogs? Thanks! Courts x
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