DAISY'S DIET
Today I consider methane (CH4), the most efficacious green house ?gas, 84 times more effective at trapping the global heat driving global warming than? Carbon? Dioxide. Not all but large quantities of it come from the meat producing animals we eat, predominantly cows but sheep too. In many countries methane from cows makes up 40+% of all green house gas emissions. In the UK alone the farming sector produces 10% of all GHG emissions (around 50 million tonnes) and 47% of our methane emissions (around 25 million tonnes) with ?circa 75% of the methane coming from cattle.
The methane coming from cows is a product of enteric fermentation whereby microbes and bacteria in the animal’s gut or rumen break down the cellulose in grass and other vegetative matter such that the animal can absorb the nutrients. The resulting gas produced by the microbes is then belched or burped out by daisy? and? buttercup, escaping to the atmosphere.
Methane is far more? potent in terms of global warming than carbon dioxide, but its efficacy is relatively short lived, around 12 years. Therefore, as we are already consuming meat, and so rearing cows, and so generating methane, if we don’t increase our meat consumption then no? additional effect on global warming would not occur, i.e the methane produced 11 years ago which has become ineffective being replaced by new methane in a? cyclical process.
Of course unfortunately that? is? not? is? what? will? happen.?? No politician with? any pretentions? of? governing will? ban? meat eating,? particularly ?one? led? by? the likes? of? Sunak and Hunt. ?Global consumption of beef and lamb has been ?increasing significantly over the last 50 years, a 4 fold increase in fact. Those of us in Europe are if anything cutting back on meat consumption, a circa 25% reduction since 2000, ?but it is the obstinacy of the Americans and the emerging economies of South America and Asia, together accounting for 70% of emissions, that are driving this trend. In short, poor people are becoming richer, or at least less poor, and so, guess what? they fancy eating a bit more meat, and you can hardly blame them. The highest ratio of meat consumption relative to GDP per capita is Luxembourg with Ireland a close second, the lowest is Burundi and then Congo, so the Burundians and Congolese quite understandably fancy some of what we have enjoyed for some time, i.e. one of the? 5? billion? Ronald? McDonald beef patties? sold each? year.? Allegedly? McDonald’s? are? the? largest? consumer? of global? beef? and yet? many? countries? don’t? have? a? single outlet,? most? of? Africa? is? a? McDonald’s? free zone and? of course Russia, Iran, Iraq? don’t? have them for? political reasons,? and? weirdly? Bosnia and? Herzegovina and Albania.? Hold on a? minute,? that’s where? those crossing the channel? in small boats come from,? Rishi,? stop? trying to fly people? to Rwanda,? just open? up a? branch? of McDonalds? in Tirana,? problem? solved!
So to cut methane, which we absolutely must do? if net zero is to remain a reality, the world will have to either cut down on consumption or make the cows burb less, or less? badly. As you can imagine that is actually what scientists are trying to do. They either genetically modify their herds so that they rear cows and sheep which burb less, yes they do exist, or they modify ?the food intake using additives such that the activities of the microbes are reduced or ?modified. In Australia they are trialling seaweed extracts to do this, with claims of an 80% reduction in emissions , in Europe extracts of garlic are being trialled (reduction 50%).? So? next? time? you? eat a? naughty? burger? look? out? for? a? feint whiff? of? seaweed over? the? super? saturated? fats,? emulsifiers, bleaching, gelling? and glazing agents, modified? salts and? sugars! ?ENJOY!
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READING
Agri -climate report 2021
AgLEDx- Enteric Fermetation
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