Stop the cows farting (and the manure rotting)

Farmed animals produce more greenhouse gas emissions (18%) than the world’s entire transport system (13.5%). That’s according to the campaign website of National Vegetarian Week (thanks Mary for the tip) who cite rotting manure as the main cause. I’m not sure how they have calculated that figure, but the global warming impact of farming is unquestionable. I’ve not eaten meat for years and years, so I’m not contributing on that front at least. It’s beneficial in plenty of other ways too.

The veggie week analysis specifically looks at the emissions from manure, but there’s an amusing post at the Berlaymonster blog about cows farting, and what the Commission should do about it, and a similar thread on David Miliband’s blog about pills to stop cows burping methane. Neither of these solutions is as elegant as just stopping eating meat…