Burping of the lambs

[knightfisher]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/envi...icle6350237.ece

Burping of the lambs blows roast off menu

Jonathan Leake, Environment Editor

GIVE up lamb roasts and save the planet. Government advisers are developing menus to combat climate change by cutting out “high carbon” food such as meat from sheep, whose burping poses a serious threat to the environment.

Out will go kebabs, greenhouse tomatoes and alcohol. Instead, diners will be encouraged to consume more potatoes and seasonal vegetables, as well as pork and chicken, which generate fewer carbon emissions.

“Changing our lifestyles, including our diets, is going to be one of the crucial elements in cutting carbon emissions,” said David Kennedy, chief executive of the Committee on Climate Change.

Kennedy has stopped eating his favourite doner kebabs because they contain lamb

A government-sponsored study into greenhouse gases found that producing 2.2lb of lamb released the equivalent of 37lb of carbon dioxide.

The problem is because sheep burp so much methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Cows are only slightly better behaved. The production of 2.2lb of beef releases methane equivalent to 35lb of CO2 Tomatoes, most of which are grown in heated glasshouses, are the most “carbon-intensive” vegetable, each 2.2lb generating more than 20lb of CO2 Potatoes, in contrast, release only about 1lb of CO2 for each 2.2lb of food. The figures are similar for most other native fruit and vegetables.

“We are not saying that everyone should become vegetarian or give up drinking but moving towards less carbon intensive foods will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve health,” said Kennedy.

The climate committee is analysing emissions from farming and will suggest measures to reduce them. However, it has concluded that people will have to change their habits.

Alcoholic drinks are another significant contributory factor, with the growing and processing of crops such as hops and malt into beer and whisky helping to generate 1.5% of the nation’s greenhouse gases.

The Carbon Trust, a government-funded firm, is working with food and drink companies to calculate the “carbon footprints” of products - sometimes with surprising results.

Coca-Cola, for example, generates only about half the greenhouse gas emissions of Innocent’s “smoothies”. Cadbury’s chocolate generates about 4½lb for every 2.2lb eaten - less than half that from theof CO2 same weight of chicken.

Have your say

Those pushing all of this on un have yet to present anything really conclusive in terms of evidence, proof or reproducible experiments that prove all of these global warning theories. When you challenge a global warming fanatic, you get no substance, just profound abuse for one's 'religious heresy'.

Ed, pine, usa

William, yucaipa, USA

We did not create this world and we cannot destroy it. It is arrogant of people to think they have that much power. Get over yourselves. Yes, we are to be good stewarts of the land, but don't think for a minute we are in control.

Brenda King, Norcross, USA

seems that slaughtering lambs to make food is a good way to stop them from burping.

tom gallagher, Greenwich, CT, USA

One word - Tums

Ken Cook, Ozarks, USA

Lamb burps cannot increase CO2 levels. Lambs eat plants. Those plants are made of a combination of minerals taken from the dirt and carbon taken from the air. Whatever carbon a lamb emits by burping CAME FROM THE AIR IN THE FIRST PLACE! It is a closed loop! Lambs cannot magically CREATE carbon!

Its the Carbon Cycle, Columbia,

Let's push the "I Believe" button and assume the statistics are correct. A research article from USD proposes that you can get 45 lbs. of meat from the avg. lamb. That would mean EACH lamb produces the equivaent of >750 lbs of CO2. Still think humans are the biggest problem?

Norm M., North Carolina, USA

lets put a big sun shade in space to block the real problem.

"the sun"

it's to hot and very bright

and also it would stop skin cancer

i'm suprised that al gore hasn't thought of this yet

quack quack quack

David, Fort Worth, USA

If legislators wish to control something, let them control their own flatulence, both oral and rectal.

Concerned about Carbon Monoxide? Outlaw kelp. SOx emissions? Put a cork in a volcano.

Jubal Harshaw, Los Alamos, NM, USA

Just plain stupid. Think I'll go have a can of beans. With no beano.

Peggy, Virginia

p.s. all the hot air coming out of congress should be stopped!!

peggy, Fredericksburg, usa

This is complete nonsense. For example, growing tomatoes actually sequesters carbon in the vines, roots, and in the bacterial habitate in soils around the roots. I see no accounting for the sequestration of carbon at all.

Richard Karr, Collegeville, USA

Wow...that has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. Let's starve the Irish population by taking away their staple food..potatoes...and their main source of income...sheep, but by golly we're saving the planet. Might as well refrain from farting too.

Meryl, Naples, FL,

Based on the article, the UK thinks we all should be eating lots of potatoes and chocolate and drinking Coca-Cola to save the environment. It looks like the American obesity epidemic is on the verge of becoming a pandemic!

Kris , Hampton, United States

No Booze, No cows, no sheep, no lamb, etc. Is Dr. NO the nutritionis/climate scientistt here? This line of thinking gets nuttier by the second. Let's do the opposite of what the so-called experts say!

Penelope Wilson, Birmingham, USA

I would suggest that anytime you fart you excuse yourselves for having "Gored" or "Tippered"

Deisel, Waterville, USA

What global warming? Everyone seems to ignore the fact that not only are we in a "cooling" trend right now and have been for a number of years, but Mars and Venus are following the same heating and cooling trends as that of the Earth. "Food" for thought...

Vroya, Downhome, USA

And I always thought Americans were the crazy ones. Your government officials are absolutely bonkers!

joe tumeroll, Farmington, usa

They have lost their minds!! The day the government starts telling me what I can eat because of climate change is the day I believe we will have lost the fight to save America from a progressive global state our leaders are so wanting us to be! Can American foot the bill and sacrifice alone...?

Susan, Housotn, USA

Please explain Liberal Doctronine - PETA is for saving animals. However, each year ASPCA euthonizes thousands of animals. In the name of the Planet, the Netherlands killed 1/3 of their Moose Population. Why is everyone convinced we have a few years to save this planet. This Planet is 5 billion years

Scot, NYC, NY

Be Rational - Liberals should be for the consumption of animals. If we eat them, they stop burping and farting. If Liberals allowed responsible logging, we would have many less forest fires that release untold CO2. PS, The Polar Bear population is up!

Scot, nyc, NY

You spineless wimps. Between meekly submitting to this nanny af a govenrment and to sharia, you've become the real lambs.

Dotar Sojat, Kansas City, USA

i think we can agree that most people love butterflies and puppy dogs, and would rather see blue sky than brown. but we should not forgo logic and reason to assuage fears that these happy things will be lost to global warming unless we do *something*--unfortunately CO2 is *not* the causal villain.

steve, Dallas, USA

How brilliant the scientists are on this forum who claim this is all rubbish because "lamb is their favourite dish" or the wags who suggest breathing will be banned next. Ho ho. That level of intellectual reasoning is going to put all those climate quacks out of business.

Stuart, Prague,

How about stopping the illegal logging operations in the Amazon basin that destroy an area the size of wales everyday? Oooh that would cost money not save it and reinforce the "no fun ever" position of the Gov.

James, London,

Kilo for kilo whales emit more CO2 than sheep and destroy (eat) more bio-resorptive organisms

Can we now please thank the Japanese for their efforts to "save" the planet!

Simon, st Albans, UK

Whenever I think this global warming nonsense is out of control here in the states, I just need to look over to England and see how crazy things really are.

Larry, Kamuela, Hawaii, USA

Is this the wrong time to mention that a tomato is actually a fruit not a vegetable?

Gallen, los angeles,

[dave524]

Pretty soon you will get ticketed for excessive flatulence

[smerchly]

Just because a person has the distinction of being called a scientist doesn't mean he/she is smart . And anyone can be paid $$$ to say certain things for the "media" . All these key words they use to brainwash us, ( green , eco-friendly , carbon footprint , smart .....and now fart , etc. etc) .... blah blah, bah ......I believe there is a reason for this & it's not to "save the planet" ......get your checkbooks ready.....