How do Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions
occur in the growing process?
1. First, is the use of chemical fertilizers and the manufacturing of fertilizers cause GHG emissions.
2. Second, excess fertilizer turns into nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. The energy used on farms, like running tractors, is also a contributor. With animal agriculture you have cow burps which emit dozens of polluting gases including methane Even when manure is left on pastures, it gives off greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Third, yearly deforestation clears more and more farmland—which releases co2 into the atmosphere as well. Land use contributes 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Fourth, if the majority of emissions associated with food happens at the beginning of the growing process,why is it important to curb food waste, which happens at the very end of the process?
If we were better about curbing food waste, we wouldn't have to produce as much food. On the higher GHG emitting and higher land-using side, there are the ruminant meats: the beef, lamb, and goat. Comparing beans’ land use and their greenhouse gas emissions, beans are 20 times more efficient of a protein source than beef.
Ruminant meats are on the high end of GHG emissions, while plant-based foods are on the lower end. In the middle are all the other animal proteins. Chicken is about three times as greenhouse gas intensive as beans, beef is twenty times more GHG intensive.
Over its life, a dairy cow will provide much more food in terms of calories, protein, and other nutrients, than a beef cow, because a dairy cow is milked continuously throughout its life, always providing food. The beef cow only turns into beef at the end.
2. Second, excess fertilizer turns into nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. The energy used on farms, like running tractors, is also a contributor. With animal agriculture you have cow burps which emit dozens of polluting gases including methane Even when manure is left on pastures, it gives off greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Third, yearly deforestation clears more and more farmland—which releases co2 into the atmosphere as well. Land use contributes 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Fourth, if the majority of emissions associated with food happens at the beginning of the growing process,why is it important to curb food waste, which happens at the very end of the process?
If we were better about curbing food waste, we wouldn't have to produce as much food. On the higher GHG emitting and higher land-using side, there are the ruminant meats: the beef, lamb, and goat. Comparing beans’ land use and their greenhouse gas emissions, beans are 20 times more efficient of a protein source than beef.
Ruminant meats are on the high end of GHG emissions, while plant-based foods are on the lower end. In the middle are all the other animal proteins. Chicken is about three times as greenhouse gas intensive as beans, beef is twenty times more GHG intensive.
Over its life, a dairy cow will provide much more food in terms of calories, protein, and other nutrients, than a beef cow, because a dairy cow is milked continuously throughout its life, always providing food. The beef cow only turns into beef at the end.