(Fwd) [asa] Cows, diet, and warming

Allan, I have also read that termites similarly produce methane, probably by
synrgistic cellulose digesting bacteria. Does anyone have an estimate of
how much of the greenhouse gases come from this source?

Ho, every one who thirsts,
  come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
  come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
  without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
            Isaiah 55:1 Revised Standard Translation

==========================================================
Lawrence H. Johnston home: 917 E. 8th st.
professor of physics, emeritus Moscow, Id 83843
University of Idaho (208) 882-2765
Fellow of the American Physical Society
http://www.uidaho.edu/~johnston/ =========================

------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent: Sat, 06 Jan 2007 19:51:11 -0500 (EST)
From: SteamDoc@aol.com
Subject: [asa] Cows, diet, and warming
To: asa@calvin.edu

Here's an attempt to inject something constructive and practical into our
current discussion about global warming.

It has been pointed out that methane from cattle plays a not-insignificant
role in the human-caused increase in greenhouse gases. So, it makes sense
that those of us Christians who care about stewardship of God's creation
might
at least consider this in making dietary choices. But one does not want to
make knee-jerk changes without practical effect (especially since some of
my
wife's relatives make their living from cattle ranching ...). So, I have
two
questions where I hope somebody here can supply (or point to) some
practical
information that can inform our stewardship:

1) Is this methane emission issue unique to cattle? Or do other animals
(pigs, chickens, etc.) also produce methane? If I eat pork or chicken
instead
of beef, will that reduce greenhouse gases, or not?

2) What is the relative importance of beef consumption to dairy consumption
in this issue? Can I find a number for how much methane emission
corresponds
to one pound of beef, versus how much corresponds to a gallon of milk?

Allan
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Allan H. Harvey, Boulder, Colorado | SteamDoc@aol.com
"Any opinions expressed here are mine, and should not be
attributed to my employer, my wife, or my cat"

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Received on Tue Jan 9 17:11:41 2007