There are so many things important regarding global warming: cars, industry, lighting and the list goes on. I would like to address something completely different; something you would not come up with at first: FOOD! 

CO2 emission exists in many types, but also animals have great influence on this. Intensive livestock-farming ensures an enormous increase of the emission of CO2. According to the food- and agriculture organization of the United Nations, FAO, worldwide livestock produces more greenhouse gasses than cars. “Livestock makes an important contribution to one of the largest environment problems of today, namely global warming. We urgently must search for solutions”, says Henning Steinfeld of the FAO.

When also the emissions of land-use are taken into account, livestock is responsible for 9% of the CO2-emission, which originates from human activities. Regarding greenhouse gasses, this amount is even higher. Livestock-farming is responsible for no less than 65% of the emission of laughing-gas, which is 296 time more detrimental for the reheating of the ground then CO2. Of the total methane emission livestock is responsible for 37%. Methane claims to be 23 times detrimental than CO2. Also 64% of the ammonia emission, which causes acid rain, are produced by the livestock-farming sector. The FAO also emphasizes the scope of damage by over-fertilizing grounds. This way, livestock-farming has developed into the primary source of phosphorus pollution in the South-Chinese sea.

How can we ourselves influence the decrease of livestock-farming? Where you normally would have to do something, now you must avoid to do something: EAT LESS MEAT! Instead of eating meat every day, you could eat meat once every other day. If we all would do that, we would already achieve a 50% reduction. When you do not want to miss your nice piece of meat, then just be aware of your choice. Don’t choose products of the intensive livestock-farming, but choose biological. But….. the impact on reduction is less then the first option and it’s also an expensive option. I know which option I would choose………..