Introduction
Environmental protection is the prevention of undesirable changes in ecosystems and their components. Programs aimed at mitigating the environmental risks posed by pollutants such as hazardous chemicals and wastes, fuels and oils are included in environmental protection (Jones, 2010). These programs involve preventive maintenance processes, safe handling practices, and inspections of storage containers and sites. In the event of a spill or release, the environmental contingency plan details the steps that should be implemented.
In terms of the environment, carbon has devastating effects. It is harmful to human health and the health of other organisms. In addition, it damages the growth of plants, making it a bad practice in agriculture. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the sources of carbon emissions in the atmosphere to the maximum extent possible. Therefore, its impact on the environment should be reduced.
Carbon released into the atmosphere due to human activities or processes is an example of a source of greenhouse gas emissions (Hanna, 2021). It is essential to talk about them because they are the most critical emissions in terms of quantity. They contribute to climate change and respiratory problems caused by smog and air pollution because they hold heat. Climate change may also lead to more wildfires, food shortages, and other weather-related disasters, such as floods and storms.
Afflict of Human Beings with Respiratory Illnesses
Due to the rise in air pollution, carbon emissions directly impact human life by producing more respiratory problems. As a result of carbon emissions, some animal species are wiped out, and food supplies are decimated, directly impacting humans.
Changes in Plants’ Biodiversity
Researchers at the University of Washington claim that carbon dioxide emissions affect plant growth, even though carbon dioxide is necessary for growth (Nunez, 2020). These researchers believe that excessive carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are causing thick leaves. Using these thick leaves to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere can have devastating consequences.
Carbon from Meat
The primary source of carbon emissions into the atmosphere is livestock. Carbon is found in the meat of various animals, such as cows and pigs. Sadly, many people around the world eat this type of meat regularly. It’s essential to educate them about the dangers of eating a lot of this meat because most aren’t aware of it.
Cows Produce Methane Gas As They Eat Grass.
Throughout 20 years, this gas has had a global warming impact 84 times greater than CO2 while being a shorter-lived greenhouse gas. Additionally, cow manure emits methane and nitrous oxide, both of which are significant greenhouse gases. If the cattle are raised in different places, their carbon footprint will be different. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by cattle raised on deforested land is at least 12 times more than that produced by cattle raised on natural pastures.
Theme A: Reduce Carbon Emissions
Other types of meat are better for the environment because they contain little or no carbon. Chicken and fish are among the options available (Lamas, 2021). People throughout the world may help reduce carbon emissions by eating less beef and pork and more chicken and fish. Consequently, individuals will be able to prevent the adverse effects of carbon pollution on their health.
Chicken and Turkey
Unlike sheep and cows, these birds do not create methane and do not require as much food and water. Reduce your carbon impact by eating chicken instead of beef or pork. Before transit and processing, a kilo of chicken flesh creates 2.33 kg of carbon dioxide. Despite this, slaughter and processing have their challenges. Compared to the killing of ruminant animals, butchering chickens consume more energy (Lamas, 2021). An industrial chicken farm’s waste also has a detrimental effect on the environment. If it gets into local soil and waterways, it contains hazardous heavy metals, pesticide residues, and microorganisms. Additionally, it’s important to note that duck and goose sustainability figures aren’t widely available. Despite this, these birds are confined to factory farms.
Theme B: Obstacles
However, when people eat a lot of chicken and fish, it becomes problematic. Chickens, in contrast to cows, are too little, and as a result, billions of them must be murdered each year to supply the world’s growing meat demand. Chickens will be subjected to abuse, persecution, and horrible life, violating their rights (Hanna, 2021).
Emissions from beef consumption can be reduced in two ways: by increasing the number of plants in people’s diets and cutting down on food waste and loss. Regarding emissions intensity, beef production systems worldwide are vastly different. It means significant emissions can be reduced through improved beef production. There is a strong likelihood that beef production will continue for many years, as global demand for beef continues to rise and much of the world’s pastureland cannot support crops or trees. There must be a reduction in beef’s environmental impact to keep this process running as a sustainable one
Theme C: Finding a Solution
To reduce emissions connected with beef consumption, switching to a plant-rich diet is essential and reduces food loss and waste. Beef production systems vary widely worldwide in terms of emissions intensity or the number of emissions produced per kilo of beef. It means that improving beef production can reduce emissions by a significant amount. As worldwide demand for beef continues to rise and the bulk of the world’s pasturelands are incapable of growing crops or trees, beef production is likely to continue well. Reducing the climatic impact of beef production is critical to the long-term viability of this current production level (Jones, 2010).
Therefore, finding a meat substitute is the best way to deal with this issue. Eating less meat and more plant-based foods can provide the same nutrition. Alternatively, they can consume meat that has been genetically modified to look and taste identical to that of conventional livestock. It is in everyone’s best interest to go vegan and entirely cease consuming animal products.
Enhancing Methods and Tools
Enteric methane (cow burps), manure management, feed production (pasture or crop-based), and land clearing are the primary sources of emissions from beef production systems. By 2050, beef producers might reduce emissions from ruminant cattle by up to 1.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year by implementing one of four primary strategies.
Improve Productivity And Efficiency.
Meat producers have an enormous potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by increasing efficiency. The term “improved efficiency” can apply to various things, including better land usage, minor clearing of land, lower emissions of greenhouse gases per kilogram of beef produced, and better feed use. Producing more digestible feeds, improving feeding techniques, planting pastures with superior grasses and legumes, breeding cattle for more significant growth rates, improving veterinary care, and improving grazing management are all ways farmers can increase efficiency without compromising animal comfort.
Over time, beef production emissions intensity has decreased due to these types of efficiency improvements. However, the total emissions from beef production have continued to increase. It is also possible that the increased profits from efficiency will encourage producers to grow their business in a way that clears additional land. To avoid a “rebound effect” of more land clearing, productivity increases must be complemented by local ecological protection.
References
Jones, N. (2010). ‘A taste of things to come?‘, Nature, 468(7325), pp.752-753. Available at: Food: A taste of things to come? | Nature (Accessed: 1 Apr 2022)
Ritchie, H. (2021). ‘Should we kill trillions of animals to save the planet?’, WIRED UK. Available at: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/meat-carbon-footprint-animals (Accessed: 1 Apr 2022)
Lamas, M. (2021, May 5). ‘How scientists make plant-based foods taste and look more like meat.’, The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/how-scientists-make-plant-based-foods-taste-and-look-more-like-meat-156839 (Accessed: 1 Apr 2022)
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