Flatulence and its effect on the environment
You know, I have noticed that many of the zealots who insist that we refrain from eating meat also tend to be the environmentally conscious types. Don't get me wrong, we should all be concerned with the environment. I know I am. This is our only planet and if it goes, we go. Enough said.
The thing I find peculiar is that many vegetarians and anti-meat eaters do not realize that they harm the environment more so than us meat eaters. Shocked you say? Nonsense? Let's look at the facts...
Cow Flatulence
Cows, along with the methane gas they emit are one of the top sources of global warming, otherwise known as the greenhouse effect. (oddly enough, termites are also a major source of flatulent greenhouse gasses - a discussion best saved for my anti-termite web site... not coming soon). Further studies have revealed, and I quote:
It has been estimated that 9 to 12% of the energy that a cow consumes is turned to methane that is released either through flatulence or burping (Radford, 2001). A huge number of factors affect methane emission, including diet, barn conditions and whether the cow is lactating, but an average cow in a barn produce 542 liters of methane a day, and 600 liters when out in a field (Adam, 2000).
These estimates were made using a trace gas (sulphur hexofluoride) that was released at known points within a barn containing 90 cattle. Levels of this trace gas and CO2 are then measured 30 metres downwind of the shed and thus they can estimate how much CO2 is released per cow per day. All this methane can add up to a significant amount. Australia's 140 million sheep and cattle are estimated to produce one seventh of the nation's total greenhouse gas emissions, whilst America's 100 million cattle also are major contributors (Major, 2000).
The obvious conclusion here is that by avoiding the consumption of beef, you are keeping methane producing cows alive longer than necessary, and actually helping to expedite the deadly effects of global warming. If you are an active member of an environmental organization and also a practicing vegan or vegetarian - you are living a contradictory lifestyle. I think it's time for a long look in the mirror.
Human Flatulence
It gets worse. You see, studies have revealed that vegetarians and especially vegans, produce more potent flatulent gas than their meat eating counter parts. I would like to cite an article... (emphasis added)
"Gas is basically produced by foods that have undigestible or excess carbohydrates, which are not absorbed when they get to the colon, explains Van Thiel. "Beans, for example, have complex carbohydrates that are maldigested. And the same holds true for mushrooms. Many people don't realize that mushrooms contain a unique sugar called raffinose, which humans can't break down. Cabbages and onions do the same thing." As a group, vegetarians produce more gas than meat-eaters because the intestinal enzymes can't digest the cellulose in vegetables' cell walls. However, the colon's bacteria relish the stuff.
Noxious vegetarian farts are no less offensive to me than second hand smoke. Smoking has pushed otherwise decent, and once-proud people to the brink of exile in politically correct society. The government sees fit to tax the cost of a package of cigarettes so absurdly high, it is an unfair and I dare say criminal abuse of the nicotine addicted smoking population... nothing less than a government shakedown. That's right! What ever happened to personal freedom? Don't bitch about second-hand smoke. You can do all your smoking in an isolation booth - but you will still get fleeced by Uncle Sam just to purchase the product. (if you're curious, no - I don't smoke)
I would like to see the same taxation laws put into effect for vegetarians. Why is there not a $3 tax on every package of tofu? How about a 'flatulence fee' on to every nature burger sold at a trendy health eatery? Instead of Big Tobacco, we should be targeting Big Health Food. Politically correct liberals are very selective in which causes they get behind... namely causes that inconvenience anybody but themselves. We, the majority, should no longer tolerate this.
Oh, about the farts? If you don't want to take my word for it, then go googling for stinky vegan farts. Obviously there is some merit in what I'm saying. This issue is also raised from time to time over at The Poop Report.
Conclusion
I'm not one to tell other people what to do. I am opposed to such pushy behavior, and that is in fact one of the reasons I was inspired to build this web site. But let's set the record straight. Refusing to eat meat and making your diet consist solely of vegetables and other odd substances, is harmful to the environment in more ways than one. I would urge non-meat eaters to consider the ramifications of their behavior. Even if it is a little bit healthier for you personally to avoid the consumption of beef, it is also very selfish - because in looking out for your own health, you are doing extra damage to the planet that we all must share.
