Comment on YSK that apart from not having a car, the single greatest thing you can do for the climate is simply eating less red meat

Poxlox@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

• usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  It’s enough to make it difficult to keep to 2C climate targets on its own. Its not something we should ignore - especially since much of it comes in methane emissions which means reduction in it can be felt quicker and reduce chance of hitting feedback loops

  To have any hope of meeting the central goal of the Paris Agreement, which is to limit global warming to 2°C or less, our carbon emissions must be reduced considerably, including those coming from agriculture. Clark et al. show that even if fossil fuel emissions were eliminated immediately, emissions from the global food system alone would make it impossible to limit warming to 1.5°C and difficult even to realize the 2°C target. Thus, major changes in how food is produced are needed if we want to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

  www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aba7357

  ---

  That’s also on top of other environmental issues that it contributes to besides just climate change. Land usage, water usage, waste runoff

  Transitioning to plant-based diets (PBDs) has the potential to reduce diet-related land use by 76%, diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by 49%, eutrophication by 49%, and green and blue water use by 21% and 14%, respectively, whilst garnering substantial health co-benefits

  www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/8/1614/html

  And pesticide and fertilizer usage is lower

  Thus, shifting from animal to plant sources of protein can substantially reduce fertilizer requirements, even with maximal use of animal manure

  www.sciencedirect.com/…/S0921344922006528

  The diet containing more animal products required an additional 10 252 litres of water, 9910 kJ of energy, 186 g of fertilizer and 6 g of pesticides per week in comparison to the diet containing less animal products

  cambridge.org/…/14283C0D55AB613D11E098A7D9B546EA

  source
• rustydrd@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  I agree that systemic change is important, too, but 6% of global emissions attributable to a single factor is HUGE. Plus, it’s not one or the other. Changes by individuals supports change at a systemic level.

  source

  • I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    From a selfish perspective, why should the entire populace be forced to give up small luxuries in their increasingly difficult lives just so that a handful of large corporations don’t have to make any changes?

    Why isn’t it that these large corporations should be forced to change, thus removing the need for everyone getting rid of their small luxuries?

    Just seems ridiculous that the message is “everyone should give up their creature comforts and live as simply and tediously as possible so that billionaires don’t have to change”.

    source

    • rustydrd@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      Just seems ridiculous that the message is “everyone should give up their creature comforts and live as simply and tediously as possible so that billionaires don’t have to change”.

      I never said that. On the contrary: All of it will have to change if life on this planet is supposed to remain livable, and it’s gonna involve quite a bit more than giving up red meat. I also think that having broad public support for that change, built on many individuals who choose to implement it, will make it easier to impose the same demands (e.g., through policy) on corporations and the wealthy. Given that billionaires are not exactly known for being selfless, waiting for them to do the right thing seems like a losing strategy to me.

      source
  • 0x0@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Changes by individuals supports change at a systemic level.

    I’m interpreting that as changes by individuals supports changes by corporations and it’s making zero sense.

    source

    • rustydrd@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      I used “systemic” with regards to policy. I don’t think corporations change much by themselves without a strong monetary incentive (e.g., shifts in customer preferences) or external pressure (e.g., policy). Changes in individuals are helpful for both of these.

      source
• LanguageIsCool@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Emissions are just a piece of it. There’s land use, consequences of this land use, etc, which involve changes in rain patterns, soil acidification, and so forth.

  source
• SaharaMaleikuhm@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Anything to pass the blame away from you, eh? Are you not responsible for your own actions?

  source

  • tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Until billionaires are illegal we’re probably all fucked anyway.

    source
• MellowYellow13@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  You have anger problems as well as responsibility problems.

  source
• stepan@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Exactly.

  source