2008 Woodie Awards
Lecturer addresses trendy 'go green' misconceptions
Guest Editorial
Mike Jaynes
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: Editorial
Teaching English and Western Humanities here at UTC, I am fortunate to have a job I love and feel is important. Not being one who tends to follow the crowd, as my students might tell you, I do enjoy following trends across our campus. I have noticed many efforts to "Go Green" in hopes of saving the Earth from the apparent destruction wrought by humanity's crushing weight. Common ways to combat environmental destruction of the planet include the well known methods of using shower savers, reusing plastic bags, trying to ride a bicycle whenever possible, or even buying a scooter and dumping the SUV. However, the change in your life that may very well be the most effective and practical way you can help our Earth is to eliminate meat from your diet, or at least vastly decrease your meat consumption. Surprising, no? Read on. Disregarding the human health and animal rights benefits of a vegetarian or vegan diet for the time being, concern over our fragile Earth could be enough to convince you to make the jump if you have the proper facts. So, with no further adieu, class is in session and I now present: The Proper Facts.
GLOBAL WARMING
Global warming is all the rage and here's something you didn't hear Al Gore say: According to a 2006 report by the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization, roughly 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions come from the meat industry. This is startling when one considers this is more than all the cars, trucks, ships, planes, and ships in the world combined. Also, a Time magazine article reports cutting meat from your diet has been proven to be more effective in combating global warming than switching from a standard American car to a hybrid according to researchers at Chicago University. Mr. Gore, where were these facts! Similarly, Time Magazine explains that the majority of the greenhouse gasses come from nitrous oxide in manure and methane that occurs naturally from cattle digestion. The important thing about methane is that its warming effect that is twenty three times as great as that of carbon. Nitrous oxide's warming effect, meanwhile, is 296 times as great. Even if you drive a Prius in the rain and a bike on sunny days, a big medium rare steak, in effect, is a Hummer on your plate. Not so Yum. Not to digress, but it is shocking the Hummer corporation can still find people wanting to purchase their anachronistic status symbols. This is an editorial, and you can quote me: Hummer's are gross.
GLOBAL WARMING
Global warming is all the rage and here's something you didn't hear Al Gore say: According to a 2006 report by the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization, roughly 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions come from the meat industry. This is startling when one considers this is more than all the cars, trucks, ships, planes, and ships in the world combined. Also, a Time magazine article reports cutting meat from your diet has been proven to be more effective in combating global warming than switching from a standard American car to a hybrid according to researchers at Chicago University. Mr. Gore, where were these facts! Similarly, Time Magazine explains that the majority of the greenhouse gasses come from nitrous oxide in manure and methane that occurs naturally from cattle digestion. The important thing about methane is that its warming effect that is twenty three times as great as that of carbon. Nitrous oxide's warming effect, meanwhile, is 296 times as great. Even if you drive a Prius in the rain and a bike on sunny days, a big medium rare steak, in effect, is a Hummer on your plate. Not so Yum. Not to digress, but it is shocking the Hummer corporation can still find people wanting to purchase their anachronistic status symbols. This is an editorial, and you can quote me: Hummer's are gross.
