Kangaroo Farming Could Reduce Global Warming
What if you could drastically reduce greenhouse gases just by changing your eating habits?
According to a new study by the University of New South Wales, farming kangaroos instead of sheep or cattle could lower national greenhouse gases in Australia by 3 percent a year.
Methane from burps and farts of cows and sheep is an often overlooked contributor to global warming, but it accounts for 67% of Australia’s agricultural sector methane emissions. It also contributes 11% of Australia’s total emissions. In contrast, kangaroos barely produce any methane.
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Of course, changing an entire nation’s eating habits isn’t easy. Australia sells relatively little kangaroo meat for consumption compared to other types of meat, and then there’s the issue of kangaroos being a national icon. But Australia produces 1.5 of the world’s carbon emissions, so drastic steps certainly shouldn’t be out of the question. If the farming project actually takes off, the authors of the University of New South Wales study estimate that rangelands could support 240 million kangaroos—and only 175 million kangaroos are needed to produce the same amount of meat currently harvested from rangelands.
Fortunately for those of us living outside of Australia, other countries are embarking on similar projects to reduce methane by farming low-emissions animals. Examples include springbok in South Africa, red deer in the UK, and bison in the United States. With CO2 emissions from other industries showing no signs of slowing down, eating a red deer burger doesn’t sound so bad.
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I know a way to curb emissions anymore. Don’t eat any meat. (At least in places where plant-based foods are available). That would help more than all the fuel economy and emissions regulations combined and prevent needless pain and suffering.
UH2L
http://www.thingsivenoticed.com
[...] Kangaroo Farming Could Reduce Global Warming By Ariel Schwartz According to a new study by the University of South Wales, farming kangaroos instead of sheep or cattle could lower national greenhouse gases in Australia by 3 percent a year. Methane from burps and farts of cows and sheep is an often … CleanTechnica - http://cleantechnica.com [...]
So, UH2L, I present a problem. First, how do you get EVERY person on Earth to stop eating meat? (something we are biologically adapted to do.) Second, what do you propose we do to the existing livestock herds and processing buildings?
I can speak from experience when I say bison meat is a tasty alternative to beef.
I completely aggree with UH2L. If we really want to make a difference for the environment (and our own health) we should stop eating meat. It’s better for the animals too.
I know an even better way to curb emissions…eat vegans (or vegetarians where vegans are not available)! That would save the animals, and the plants, and free the rest of us from their annoying preaching!
Wrap mine in bacon, smother in cheese and deep fry it in whale blubber, America-licious!!
It’s not feasible to request people stop eating meat entirely. It’s an important part of the human diet; also, it tastes delicious.
And wouldn’t it be easier to simply raise fuel mileage standards and switch over to solar? We can curb a much greater amount of emissions by merely doing these two things, as opposed to changing the human into a herbivore.
Hi,
I think this is not a bad, of-course, it would take some infrastructure modification too, as these things can really jump and move so the average truck and fencing system would have to change.
Better to just stop eating meat altogether, like me!
Also please note that this is the university of NEW south wales (Australia), not south wales (UK)
Thanks Michael, I just fixed that.
Kangaroo Farming Could Reduce Global Warming | Deliggit.com…
\r\nWhat if you could drastically reduce greenhouse gases just by changing your eat…
Dude Kangaroos like totally rule. I really would love to have a kangaroo. Go to any US courthouse and you should find many, being the US is full of “kangaroo courts” LOL
JT
http://www.FireMe.To/udi