html5-img
1 / 8

The Cost of Consumption: Pollution of the Livestock Industry

The Cost of Consumption: Pollution of the Livestock Industry. Clemente Velasco-Annis University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Livestock. Estimated 1.3 billion cattle worldwide 26 % of the world’s landmass US Cattle and Beef Industry in 2010: $74 Billion. Impact. Greenhouse Gasses

cooper
Download Presentation

The Cost of Consumption: Pollution of the Livestock Industry

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Cost of Consumption: Pollution of the Livestock Industry Clemente Velasco-Annis University of Massachusetts, Amherst

  2. Livestock • Estimated 1.3 billion cattle worldwide • 26% of the world’s landmass • US Cattle and Beef Industry in 2010: • $74 Billion

  3. Impact • Greenhouse Gasses • Climate change and air pollution • Deforestation • Grazing land and degradation • Water Pollution • Water depletion and poisoning • Loss in Biodiversity • Policy Options

  4. Greenhouse Gasses • Energy reflecting off of Earth is trapped by greenhouse gasses inside the atmosphere. • Enteric Fermentation • CO2, CH4, NO2 through belching • In 2002, created 5.5 million tons of methane in the US • 19% of the country’s methane emissions for the year. • Emission through manure • 4% of the country’s methane emissions for the year. • Global CO2 emissions due to livestock processing: ~10 million tons / 30 million tons. • Due to processed livestock transport: 0.8 million tons • 65% of global NO2 emissions • 64% of ammonia emissions

  5. Deforestation • 26% of the world’s landmass and increasing • Pasture • “Feedcrop” land • Inflated price of land • Intensification • Multiple cropping • Shorter fallow period • Demand for meat • Consequences of intensifiation” • Erosion • Decreased soil fertility • Reduced biodiversity • Eutrophication of rivers and lakes • Pollution from application of fertilizers and degradation of land. Deforestation in the Amazon rain forest for grazing and feedcrop land

  6. Water Pollution • 2.5% of the world’s water is fresh water • 70% of freshwater dedicated to agriculture • Water use increasing • Population of people living in water-stressed areas increasing. • Feeding livestock • Cleaning and processing • Runoff from feeding area • Over abundance of N and P in nearby bodies of water. • Diseases transferred through water (for drinking or further for livestock processing. • Feedcrop watering • 45% of agriculture use water is for feedcrop

  7. Biodiversity • Habitat and climate change • Invasive species • Narrowing genetic base of livestock and crops • Overexploitation • Competition with wildlife • Direct competition • Indirect competition over food and water • Pollution The endangered Peruvian Plantcutter of the Amazon Rain Forest

  8. Policy Options • Greenhouse gasses • Sequestering emissions • Improved diets • Improved manure management • Water depletion/poisoning • Improved efficiency • Improved waste management • Land use • Limitations on livestock land requirements • Correcting distorted land prices • Institutional development • Awareness building, education and information

More Related