A vegetarian world would still be heading for climate catastrophe
Re: “Anything for taste”, Letters, January 5-6.
Eric Bahrt reckons that the elimination of factory farming of animals would probably put an end to “global warming”, but that’s just pie in the sky. Climate experts cite various factors which have an impact on the environment, and livestock farming (traditional and factory) is one, but there are plenty others. Among them are vehicle emissions, airline travel, human population growth and increasing urbanisation, extraction and burning of fossil fuels, deforestation (not just to grow crops for animal feed) and even aerosol sprays – and these are just some examples.
Animal rights hardliners try to undermine the commitment of us meat eaters to our preferred diet by heaping accusations of guilt upon us as if we bear a special responsibility for climate change and environmental pollution. Well, I’m not falling for that trick. Just by existing, we all contribute in some degree to these problems, unless perhaps we live in a cave and consume berries and nuts. And I doubt even Eric Bahrt would go that far.
Robin Grant
Bangkok
