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From: Keith ( -206.116.139.94)
This month's Scientific American magazine has some interesting statistics about beef production. Pound for pound, beef production generates 57 time the greenhouse gasses as potatoes. The production of half a pound of potatoes produces the same amount of greenhouse gasses as driving an average car 0.17 mile. Half a pound of beef is equivalent to driving nearly 10 miles. Livestock production (beef, chicken, pork) is the second-highest contributor (18%) of greenhouse gasses on the planet, second only to energy production (21%). Transportation is third at 14%. Other agriculture is tied (with fossil fuel retrieval) for 4th at 12%. Of the greenhouse gasses produced by the beef industry, 40% is from the production of feed, 32% is from emissions by the animals and their wastes, 14% for fertilizer production and 14% from general farm activities. Next time an omnivore hassles you, you can dazzle 'em with statistics. :-) Keith
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