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Plant-Based Diet
The cheapest, fastest, easiest way to rapid
planetary cooling
Be Veg so that we have time to Go Green and Save the Planet
S
Table of Contents `
 Livestock: Over 50% of greenhouse emissions
 Methane: An underestimated emissions time bomb
 Meat, Dairy and Global Warming
 Bio-fuels don’t cause starvation, meat does
 A Vegetarian diet uses less water
Methane
An Underestimated Time Bomb
Cool Earth
Solution
Reducing Methane: the fastest
way to take heat out of the
atmosphere
Reducing meat & dairy
consumption: the cheapest,
fastest way to reduce methane
Methane being collected from a cow
Methane Reduction:
Buys us time in the fight
against global warming
“...many of us are saying if you want to make an impact
soon, slow down the melting of the glaciers, slow down the
rise of sea level, and so on, give us more time to deal with
things, give society more time, shouldn’t you work more
on methane?”
Source: An Interview with Dr. Kirk Smith, Professor of Global Environmental Health at UC Berkeley, Part 2
http://www.suprememastertv.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=sos_video&wr_id=21&url=link2_1#v
Methane:
Key To Rapid Emissions Reductions
“The mitigation of non-carbon dioxide (Non-CO2)
greenhouse gas emissions can be a relatively inexpensive
supplement to CO2-only mitigation strategies.”
“Methane Mitigation has the largest potential across all the
Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases.”
US Environmental Protection Agency
Global Mitigation of Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases
June 2006
“Control of methane
emissions turns out to be a
more powerful lever to
control global warming than
would be anticipated.”
Drew Shindell, PhD
Atmospheric Physicist
NASA Goddard Institute for Space
Studies
Source: NASA/Goddard Report:
Methane’s Impact on Climate Change May Be
Twice Previous Estimates
Cooling Happens Fastest by
Reducing Methane
Global Warming
Potential after 20
years
Global Warming
Potential after
100 years
Global Warming
Potential after
500 years
Atmospheric
Lifetime (years in
atmosphere)
CO2
1
1
1
10’s of 1000’s
of years to
experience
cooling
Methane
68 times
hotter than
CO2
23 times
hotter than
CO2
7 times hotter
than CO2
9 to 15 years
to experience
cooling
298
153
114 years to
experience
cooling
Nitrous Oxide 289
Methane: A more potent gas
over shorter periods
Methane 23 times hotter than CO2
(100 yr time period)
Methane GWP est. = 23
Methane 68 times hotter than CO2
(20 yr time period)
Methane GWP est. = 68
Methane plays a greater role in global warming as seen on the right.
Source: Estimates from data in : US Environmental Protection Agency Report: Global Mitigation of Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases, IPCC , UN Livestock’s Long Shadow
Billions of tons (CO2 Equivalents)
1 billion tons of methane*
will dissipate faster than 1 billion
tons of CO2
Carbon Dioxide Remaining
Source: UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group I, Table 6.7
Meat & Dairy: #1 Source of
Human – Caused Methane Emissions
Globally (37%)
Methane from Meat & Dairy = Manure + Enteric Fermentation
United Kingdom
#1 Livestock (42%)
#2 Landfill (18%)
#3 Oil & Gas (17%)
Germany
#1 Livestock (62%)
#2 Landfill (13%)
#3 Oil & Gas (17%)
Sources: US Environmental Protection Agency, UN FAO
United States
#1 Livestock (30%)
#2 Landfill (25%)
#3 Oil & Gas (24%)
Being Vegan 1 day per week eliminates
1 billion tons of methane
Billions of tons of emissions saved per year
(in CO2 equivalents with GWP of 68) *
Note: Does not include emissions reductions for CO2 or Nitrous Oxide
*In CO2 equivalents over 20 years with an estimated GWP of 68
Source: UN FAO, Livestock’s Long Shadow, IPCC
Benefits of Being Vegan to Cool
the planet
S We need to act NOW to
address global warming
S We don’t have time to wait
for long term adoption of
sustainable technologies and
practices.
S Even if widespread adoption
of sustainable solutions are
adopted today, the heat from
CO2 will continue for
centuries.
S A widespread embrace of a
vegan diet requires no
infrastructure build out.
S Embracing a vegan diet will
save money for consumers by
lowering their food budgets.
S It will begin cooling the
planet immediately, giving us
time for widespread use of
CO2 reducing sustainable
solutions.
Meat, Dairy
and Global Warming
(other emissions)
S
Meat & Dairy: #1 Source of all
Human-Caused Greenhouse Gas
Emissions (24%)
Assumes global warming potential = 68
Emissions from all Livestock
 Methane: 37%
67% from
Meat, Dairy
 Carbon Dioxide: 9%
 Nitrous Oxide: 67%
37% from
Meat, Dairy
9% from Meat, Dairy
Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization & UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group I, Table 6.7
Meat & Dairy: #1 Source of all
Human-Caused Greenhouse Gas
Emissions (24%)
Assuming global warming potential = 68
Global Warming Potential = 23
Global Warming Potential = 68
The UN FAO states that the livestock industry causes 18% of global warming over a 100 year time
frame. Over a shorter time period, meat and dairy are responsible for 24% of global warming due to the
higher global warming potential of methane over shorter periods of time.
Assuming Methane Global Warming Potential = 23 @100 years, 68 @ 20 years
Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization report Livestock’s Long Shadow & IPCC Working Group 1, Table 6.7 &
Our calculations using UN estimates
Meat & Dairy: Cause 9 % of Global
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
28
41
90
100
CO2 release from cultivated soil
Fertilizer manufacture
On farm fuel use
Desertification
Deforestation and other land use change
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2400
2500
Annual tons of CO2 Emissions from Livestock (millions of tons)
Source: Livestock’s Long Shadow, UN Food & Agriculture Organization, Nov. 2006
3000
Stop eating Meat & Dairy to end 30% of
Tropical Rainforest Deforestation
28
41
90
100
CO2 release from cultivated soil
If we want to end
tropical rainforest
deforestation in the
Amazon, stop
eating animal
products.
Fertilizer manufacture
On farm fuel use
Desertification
Deforestation and other land use change
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2400
2500
Annual tons of CO2 Emissions from Livestock (millions of tons)
Source: Livestock’s Long Shadow, UN Food & Agriculture Organization, Nov. 2006
3000
Meat & Dairy: #1
Source of all
Human-Caused
Nitrous Oxide
(67%)
Nitrous oxide is released from
manure and from nitrogen
fertilizers used in growing feed
crops for animals.
The manure and nitrous oxide
flow out of the rivers and into the
ocean, where they are a
significant contributor to the
oceanic dead zones.
Nitrous Oxide is 296 times
more potent than CO2 &
dissipates in 114 years.
Meat & Dairy: #1 Source of all
Human-Caused Nitrous Oxide (67%)
Bio-fuels don’t cause
starvation
Meat & Dairy do
S
Bio-fuels don’t cause starvation
Meat does




Every 2.3 seconds, a child dies from
malnutrition
The 760 million tonnes of grain fed to
animals could feed 2 billion people, and
could cover the global food shortage 14
times over
1 ha produces:
- enough potatoes to feed 22 people
- enough rice to feed 19 people
- lamb to feed only 2 people
- beef to feed only 1 person
800 million hungry – 1 billion obese
Sources: UNICEF, World Health Organization, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Earth Policy Institute
Bio-fuels don’t cause starvation
Meat does
Global Population (2007):
6.7 billion
2007/08 Global Grain Crop Production:
2109 million metric tons
Global hunger happens when the impoverished compete for grain with animals fed to the wealthy.
Biofuels only use 5% of global grain production.
Sources: UN Food & Agriculture Organization, World Food Organization
Vegetarian Diet
uses less water
than meat & dairy diets
S
A Vegetarian Diet uses less
water than Meat Diet
S Global Warming Threatens
our already-dwindling water
supply
S Africa’s water availability in
2025 forecast to be < 50% of
1990 levels
S US Southwest – Lake Mead
(serving 23 million people
with water) forecast to be dry
by 2021.
S Spain fining people €9,000
for watering flowers
Vegetarian
Diet uses less
Water than
Meat Diet
S70% water usage is for
agriculture;10% is used at
home, and 20% by industry.
S19,737 litres of water are
needed to produce one pound
of beef in California. This is
enough to take a 7 minute
shower everyday for an entire
year.
Sources: Stockholm International Water Institute,
University of California-Davis, UN Food & Agriculture
Organization
Vegetarian Diet uses
less water than
Meat Diet
WATER
 An entire vegan meal uses 371 litres
of water
 One average serving of chicken uses
1,249 litres
 One serving of beef uses 4,664 litres
Source: Water Inputs in California Food Production, University of California - Davis
Call to Action
 Together we can work to make the world a better place
 Invest maximum effort and resources in eliminating meat, fish & dairy:
 to save the environment
 to feed the hungry
 to ensure adequate water resources
 By:
 Ending all subsidies on meat, fish, dairy and feed stocks
 Introducing tax on meat, fish and dairy
 Banning the sale of meat, fish and dairy in all government institutions
 Including agricultural emissions in emission reduction plans
 Labeling all meat, fish & dairy in supermarkets, restaurants, flights, etc.
with emission levels
 Informing all citizens about devastating consequences of livestock
industry & introducing the healthy and life saving vegan diet
END
For more information, please see:
www.SupremeMasterTV.com
www.MeatTheFacts.org
www.EcoFoodPrint.org