Going vegan to fight climate change?
I can hear your inner voice keep asking how can being a vegetarian or vegan slash the global warming?
I am the best person to answer your questions. Take a seat, please :)
NASA defined the Global Warming as a long-term heating of Earth’s climate system observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) because of mainly human activities which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere. Most people are confusing the differences between global warming and climate change and use them interchangeable. But NOT! Climate change is the one of the consequence of global warming.
Cowspiracy theory?
“Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean “dead zones,” and virtually every other environmental ill. Yet it goes on, almost entirely unchallenged.”
Have you watched the #Cowspiracy:Sustainability Secret documentary streaming on Netflix? if not, I strongly recommend you to watch it. This blog makes you more sense after you look at it.
What is wrong with cows?
The problem is not a #cow; it is all about #ruminants that release the methane from their breath and fart. Methane is the second important greenhouse gasses after carbon dioxide due to heat-trapping capacity. The agricultural sector is responsible for about one-third of total global anthropogenic methane emissions (Saunois et al., 2020). Believe me, this is huge!
Fossil fuel-related activities coming from the exploitation, transportation, and usage of coal, oil, and natural gas emit methane emissions at almost the same ratio of the agricultural sector.
Spend all efforts to slash usage of fossil fuel but not livestock sector
“I barely understood why people play ostrich when it comes to agricultural sector.”
Almost every country has a net zero carbon commitment and every new day they share their strategy with us. Every time when I am reading their 2050 strategies, I keep my eyes peeled for actions planned to cut methane emissions from the agricultural sector. But I wallow in my disappointment again and again and do not understand why they ignore the agricultural sector emissions.
In addition to #methane emissions, ammonia is also coming from manure, slurry and fertilisation, which is a leading precursor of the particulate matter that pollutes the air we breathe.
The agricultural sector is receiving public money through the Common Agricultural Policy, while there are no efforts to curb pollution and #GHG emissions. If we consider the polluter-pays principle, all polluters require taking responsibility for and remedy their pollution. It cannot be accepted that industrial farming is exempted from obligations deriving from existing air quality and climate regulations.
Sorry dear, but all sectors must play their part!
Change the Lifestyle and diet
I do not want to list cliches. You can ask Google "ten things to stop climate change at home".
Let's go back to the main issue. According to the Oxford University study, meat-eaters are responsible for almost twice as many dietary greenhouse-gas emissions per day as vegetarians and about two-and-a-half times as many as vegans.
It is time to change lifestyle and get an experience on vegetarian or vegan. Becoming vegan might be tough, but going #vegetarian first can help you enter the smoothly #vegan world!
If you are thinking to be vegan and you can join the Veganuary 2021 community, @weareveganuary at Instagram.
References:
Saunois et al. 2020. The Global Methane Budget 2000-2017. Web site: https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/12/1561/2020/
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