Today is Blog Action Day in which this year Climate Change is being highlighted. In the past climate change basically referred to the measurement of the variation in regional and global climate over a set period of time but today due to the rise in the Earth's surface temperature it mainly refers to modern measurements to find what the escalation and time frames are in rising temperatures, causing global warming.
It is greenhouse gases which, when out of balance, raise the Earth's temperature causing extreme weather patterns. The gases which are under scrutiny are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N20). It is not only industrial and vehicle emissions that are at fault, like many politicians and members of the media like to state, but also factory farming of animals for human consumption which is also one of the main factors. At every stage of this production gases are produced.
It starts with deforestation of the land for livestock and growing their feed, reducing oxygen and giving off carbon stored in the trees. For example livestock production is responsible for 70% of the Amazon deforestation. Growing of the tremendous quantities of animal feed needed to feed the 1.4 billion cattle and 1.1 billion sheep on the planet requires heavy use of fertilizers which releases substantial quantities of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is about 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. According to the U.N., the meat, egg, and dairy industries account for a staggering 65 percent of worldwide nitrous oxide emissions.
The billions of animals produce methane during the cud-chewing process. Methane produced from all these animals and gases from their excrement add to the greenhouse gases. Methane has around 25 times the global warming impact of carbon dioxide. Then there is transport of the animals which as we know can take many, many hours of trucking with it's carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions. Processing of the carcasses also creating further greenhouse gasses.
What can you do to reduce your carbon footprint? Buy local, buy free range and organic, become vegetarian or even better Vegan....the choice is yours to make! The University of Chicago reports that going Vegan is 50% more effective than switching to a hybrid car in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
It is greenhouse gases which, when out of balance, raise the Earth's temperature causing extreme weather patterns. The gases which are under scrutiny are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N20). It is not only industrial and vehicle emissions that are at fault, like many politicians and members of the media like to state, but also factory farming of animals for human consumption which is also one of the main factors. At every stage of this production gases are produced.
It starts with deforestation of the land for livestock and growing their feed, reducing oxygen and giving off carbon stored in the trees. For example livestock production is responsible for 70% of the Amazon deforestation. Growing of the tremendous quantities of animal feed needed to feed the 1.4 billion cattle and 1.1 billion sheep on the planet requires heavy use of fertilizers which releases substantial quantities of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is about 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. According to the U.N., the meat, egg, and dairy industries account for a staggering 65 percent of worldwide nitrous oxide emissions.
The billions of animals produce methane during the cud-chewing process. Methane produced from all these animals and gases from their excrement add to the greenhouse gases. Methane has around 25 times the global warming impact of carbon dioxide. Then there is transport of the animals which as we know can take many, many hours of trucking with it's carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions. Processing of the carcasses also creating further greenhouse gasses.
What can you do to reduce your carbon footprint? Buy local, buy free range and organic, become vegetarian or even better Vegan....the choice is yours to make! The University of Chicago reports that going Vegan is 50% more effective than switching to a hybrid car in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
*********************
Our generation has inherited an incredibly beautiful world from
our parents and they from their parents. It is in our hands
whether our children and their children inherit the same world.
Richard Branson
*********************
Useful Links
Blog Action Day
350 International Day of Climate Action - 24.10.09
Change.org - Stop Global Warming
Vegan Society
Vegan Society (South Africa)
Technorati Tags : blog action day climate+change global+warming richard branson
