According to ThinkProgress, a new study conducted by
scientists with the Joint Global Change Research Institute found that previous
climate change reports had seriously underestimated the environmental
impact of factory farming.
The study revealed that previous estimates of animal agriculture’s
global methane production had been underestimated by about 11 percent. This
could be part of the reason why researchers were unable to determine the cause
of rising methane levels since the early 2000s.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Julie Wolf,
lead author of the study, said:
In most developed regions, the livestock have been bred to be larger—they are more productive, especially with dairy cows. And that will result in a larger estimate of methane emitted by each animal.
Another study
published last year found that agriculture-related emissions, rather than those
from the production or use of fossil fuels, were to blame for the increase in atmospheric
methane. Scientists concluded that methane from factory farming had increased
more rapidly than methane produced from extracting fossil fuels, such as through
fracking.
There are many types of greenhouse gases that trap heat in
the atmosphere, but two of the most significant are carbon dioxide and methane.
While methane doesn’t stay
in the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide, it is more dangerous to the climate
because of how effectively it absorbs heat.
But animal agriculture’s contribution to climate change is
not limited to methane—animal agriculture is also a major source of carbon
dioxide emissions. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
found that carbon dioxide emissions from raising farmed
animals make up about 15 percent of global human-induced emissions, with
beef and milk production as the leading culprits. In fact, raising animals for food produces
more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, planes, and other forms of
transportation combined.
We can each do our part to protect the planet simply by
avoiding animal products. When you consider that a pound of beef requires 13
percent more fossil fuel and 15 times more water to produce than a
pound of soy, it becomes clear how going vegan can cut your carbon footprint in half.
But a vegan diet is not only good for the planet; it also
spares countless animals from a life of misery at factory farms. Animals raised
and killed for food are subjected to unimaginable cruelties: extreme confinement, brutal
mutilations, and violent deaths.
The best way to combat climate change and help animals is to
switch to a healthy and compassionate vegan diet. Click here to get started!