The Inconvenient Truth:
 
The Hidden Cause of Climate Change
 
Taking a look at an often-overlooked part of the environmental threat to our planet, this is an essential issue for all environmentalists.
 
It causes more greenhouse gases than cars and trucks. Avoiding it, scientists say, is better than converting to an Eco-friendly car, yet it seldom attracts a high level of attention. What’s more it’s something most of us contribute toward regularly. So what is it? It’s animal agriculture, when one tucks in to a bit of beef, ones climate change ‘meat footprint’ becomes very much part of the problem.
 
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations animal agriculture creates 65 percent of human-related nitrous oxide with a massive 296 times the Global warming Potential of CO2!
 
Beyond climate change, the livestock industry is one of the most dangerous sectors when it comes to the world’s water supply creating water pollution and damaging coral reefs. The livestock industry is also responsible for rainforest destruction, and Eco system problems.
 
We truly do have a chance to make an impact on our Carbon Footprint by cutting out animal products from our diets. According to a an article in the New Scientist the simple act of cutting animal products from ones diet is better than switching to a Eco-friendly car, based on a typical US diet.
 
KFC has been dubbed ‘Amazon criminals’ by environmental campaign group, Greenpeace, because of the sale of chickens fed on Soya grown in deforested rainforest. But this is simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ‘meat footprint’ problem. However, the world’s ‘meat footprint’ is something that we can all cut from our own lives. Those that consider themselves environmentalists have a particular obligation to take this threat seriously. Now is the time for environmentalists to take a stance against the livestock industry, its time to wake up and smell the Beef or more importantly see what its doing to our world.
 
Animal rights group PETA among others has already taken up the issue, PETA has even run an advert aimed at Al Gore with the question ‘Too Chicken to go vegetarian?’ Whatever ones view on animal rights groups the message is a sound one, unless environmentalist want to be left behind on there own subject, now is the time to act.
 
Some sources:
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Livestock a major threat to environment
- New Scientist: It's better to green your diet than your car
- PETA: PETA to Gore: Too Chicken to Go Veg?
- UN News Center: Rearing cattle produces more greenhouse gases than driving cars, UN report warns
 
Source of the article: www.indymedia.org.uk