How the cows contribute to the global warming?
“I drink milk”, “i have milking cow”, or “lets do a barbecue!”, this words won’t be a innocent phrases anymore. Do you know already that the cow’s FORKS have became one of the most polluting agents of the planet?.
The men have over 1200 million of heads of cattle without including horses, sheep, pigs, camels and goats; it happens that all this animals together eject to the air around of 73 million of tons of methane.
Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula CH4. It is the simplest alkane, and the principal component of natural gas. Methane is a relatively potent greenhouse gas with a high global warming potential of 72 (averaged over 20 years) or 25 (averaged over 100 years). Methane in the atmosphere is eventually oxidized, producing carbon dioxide and water. As a result, methane in the atmosphere has a half life of seven years.
To obtain more information about this matter we consult to an expert on this field, mrs.Cow, she lives in a farm on Mérida state.
Interview:
-M.V: misses cow: what do you have to say about this methane’s emissions and other gasses who are taking control over the atmosphere?.
Mrs. Cow answer:
-Cow: according to my sources, over 18% of the gasses emissions are from the greenhouse effect which is the heating of the surface of a planet or moon due to the presence of an atmosphere containing gases that absorb and emit infrared radiation.[1]Greenhouse gases are almost transparent to solar radiation but strongly absorb and emit infrared radiation. Thus, greenhouse gases trap heat within the surface-troposphere system.This mechanism is fundamentally different from that of an actual greenhouse, which works by isolating warm air inside the structure so that heat is not lost by convection.- cow continue- over the half of the gases emissions proceed from the manure and enteric fermentation, this is a consequence of our digestive process. “Mooo”
- M.V: it’s clear that you mrs. Cow, I mean the breeding represent a massive contributor to the global warming.
What would you say about your friends, European’s cows?, it says that they are highly dangerous and their methane’s emissions are a big problem.
-cow: first of all, they are not my friends!- says misses cow a little upset- those European’s cows eject as much dangerous gases as a car when travels at least 50 Km, contribute more to the global warming that all the cars and trucks together. They are one of the biggest plagues of the planet.
M.V: it really surprise us and leave us shocked all the information you’re giving us.
- Now we want to know. What does that the cow’s digestion produced methane?
Cow: I’ll explain you slowly. We have an enzyme that let us digest all the cellulose plants contains, and that little enzyme is the only difference and the reason you humans can’t eat a delicious grass salad or with leaves. Joined to this, in our intestines are lots of anaerobic bacteria, they take part in the cellulose’s decomposition of the plants we eat.
- M.V: ok Mrs. cow.
And how do you feel about all this troubles? Knowing that you’re the main problem.
- cow: it’s clear that our digestion let escape methane and is extremely toxic- says Mrs. Cow with tears in her eyes- this is reason why every time I eat or I let escape a burp, depression attack me, anti-depressives I take everyday doesn’t affect me anymore; sometimes I would like to give my body away to the slaughterhouse.
- M.V: we’re really shocked by your sadness Mrs. Cow, but we need to know more about the breeding.
Which are the problems that breeding cause?
- Cow:- she sighs and continues- the breeding doesn’t cause only global warming, it cause lands and water degradation. The breeding is responsible for 37% of the uses of pesticides and the 50% of antibiotics. Now in days, a quarter of the lands on earth are pasture. Worst, the third part of farming lands are use only to feed us; don’t be surprised by us, the milking and slaughtering animals, constituting the fifth part of all animals biomass on the planet.
- M.V: we have information that says all the meat and milk consumption will be the double and will increase by the 2050. it’s shocking because a we have a society that get bigger and bigger every day, and the problem will become enormous.
Este artículo fue traducido por una amiga (Amelia Gonzalez), de un escrito de una amiga de ella. enjoy!
Y la foto proviene de este usuario en flickr
