Global Warming - Vegetarians to Blame

It was reported on the radio that scientists in Australia are try to breed more efficient cows. The problem, it appears, is that the current bovine converts its feed into milk or meat... but creates about 250-400 litres of methane a day, as a by-product. The concern is that this is a major contributor to global warming.

The Gorse Fox's interest was raised so he hit Google, and found that this is a serious subject - not just a lot of hot air.

• In New Zealand there was talk of a "flatulence tax"
• An article: "Does my gas cause global warming? Belches and flatulence are harmless, right? Wrong! When cattle and sheep burp and pass gas, the entire planet reels - Earth Science: Global Warming Methane Gas" explains that

  "Molecule for molecule, methane's heat-trapping power in the atmosphere is 21 times stronger than carbon dioxide"



• We hear from the Guardian (so it must be true!):
  

  In the war against global warming, bovine and ovine flatulence does not immediately spring to mind as an obvious battlefront. But sheep and cows are responsible for a quarter of the UK's methane emissions.

  and goes on to tell us

  In Scotland, where there is a greater concentration of agriculture, the animals produce 46% of all methane emissions.

  (the rest is predominantly caused in the Scottish Parliament).
• Discovery Channel reported on the Scottish research... concluding that successful research into reducing these emissions:

  would benefit [us] as well because it would make the cows a little bit more environmentally friendly.

There are numerous other arcticles on the subject, and the unconscienable use of the word "cowabunga".

What is clear, however, is that vegetarians are to blame for global warming. Cows and sheep are vegetarians and we have discussed them above... but the Gorse Fox knows the impact that vegetarianism (and radical vegetarianism) has on the digestive tract of homo flatulens sapiens and believes this to be conclusive proof that they are to blame!

Update: Gorse Fox discussed this with the Silver Vixen. She wandered off muttering. Gorse Fox only caught the words pot, kettle and black. Not sure what she meant!

[File under: Global Warming]