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'''Meat''' is [[animal]] [[flesh]] that is eaten as [[food]].<ref name="Lawrie 1">Lawrie, 1.</ref It often refers to the flesh of [[mammal]]ian species (pigs, cattle, lambs, etc.) and not to the flesh of [[Seafood|fish and other seafood]], [[poultry]], and other animals. | |||
==Impacts on the environment== | ==Impacts on the environment== | ||
The environmental impact of meat production greatly depends on factors such as: | The environmental impact of meat production greatly depends on factors such as: | ||
Revision as of 08:24, 9 November 2012
Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag[1][2]
- the feed used
However, regardless of these factors, traditional meat production will still have following negative effects:
- Production of methane by ruminants (mainly cows). Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. Is this worse for grain-fed cattle than for grass-fed cattle?[expansion needed]
- Destruction of natural habitat to create land for cattle
- Destruction of natural habitat (e.g. rainforest) to grow food for cattle.
- Competition for food with humans - this means that wealthier people eating lots of meat increases the price of agricultural produce, which makes life harder for poorer people. This may not be an issue where:
- The animals live on scraps
- The animals live on other feed which humans do not eat, e.g. grass (cattle), household scraps (pigs, goats, chickens) and insects and seeds found in a garden (chickens, ducks).
See also
External links
- Meat is murder on the environment - New Scientist, - 18 July 2007. "A kilogram of beef is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions and other pollution than driving for 3 hours while leaving all the lights on back home."
- ↑ According to Livestock Farming Systems and their Environmental Impacts (see Quest magazine, september 2009):
- 1 kg of porc meat produced 3,9 to 10 kg CO², 8,9 to 12,1 m² of land is required (land use)
- 1 kg of beef (cattle) produced 14 to 32 kg CO², 27 to 49 m² of land is required (land use)
- 1 kg of milk produced 0,8 to 1,3 kg CO², 1,1 to 2 m² of land is required (land use)
- 1 kg of chicken meat produced 3,7 to 6,9 kg CO², 8,1 to 9,9 m² of land is required (land use)
- 1 kg of eggs produced 3,9 to 4,9 kg CO², 4,5 to 6,2 m² of land is required (land use)
- ↑ http://edepot.wur.nl/138168 and http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871141309003692