New report out by the Food Climate Network, on the environmental impact of eating meat. But I think we're still a long way from winning - or even beginning - the public debate.
And here's what Boris Johnson thinks: "It's not eating meat that does the damage. It's the huge and remorselessly growing number of people who want to eat it." It's over-population we really need to tackle, says father of four, Boris. I like the suggestion in one of the comments that the obvious solution is therefore to allow the meat-eaters to eat vegetarians.
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I've failed miserably to alert the world to the environmental impact of keeping pets. Some sources suggest that keeping a dog (they eat loads of meat and produce loads of gasses) could be considered as irresponsible as owning a 4x4. Perhaps the trouble is that so many in the allegedly green movement are allegedly animal lovers and, as we all tend to do, only believe that things of which they disapprove could possibly be harmful.
The key thing for me is the amount and type of meat/animal products and whether people give proper attention to its contribution to their total ecological footprint. Meat eating can be pefectly consistent with sustainability if people eco-budget (eg using the various online footprinting tools). People then decide where to 'spend' their carbon emissions for instance!
What needs to be cut out or reduced on environmental, health, animal welfare, economic and in fact taste grounds is large scale meat eating, eating meat produced unethically and via poor welfare standards, meat fed on grain, some imported meats...There are other things that could be listed I'm sure, the key thing is - get information and be selective!
I'll do a blog on meat and the environment in the coming week or so with some facts and fgures in it. If you are interested keep an eye on:
vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com
We used to have a bulldog, called Buster, when I was growing up. He certainly made a substantial contribution of methane emissions during his lifetime!
I seem to remember that River Pheonix's dogs were vegan. No details on their methane emissions though.
Howard Jones had a vegetarian dog. But cats can't be vegetarian, they need something in their diets you can only get from fish. So I'm told.
Dogs are omnivorous, cats are carnivorous...
What you get out of a dog (and human) depends a lot on what you put in!! Emissions would be nothing compared to cows and other ruminants though - they give out more methane from the front end than the back end due to the partial fermentation, regurgitation and rechewing of food - so I would not advise having a cow as a pet!
Not sure where this thread could end up...
I had a cat who loved marmite on toast, and another who was obsessed with crisps; the moment he heard a russle he'd charge into the room, and wouldn't leave you alone until you started sharing with him. And have you ever seen a cat try to eat a Dairylea triangle? It's hilarious.
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