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

Friends: I am not an animal ecologist - only a lowly chemist- but I think this
discussion about methane contributions from cows and termites and other
creatures may be a bit of a red herring. Animal and microbial emissions of
methane have always been part of global ecosystems long before humans were
around and such contributions are part of the normal supply pathway of methane
in natural ecosystems (there are, of course, also natural methane removal
pathways in nature) undisturbed by humans. The question pertaining to animal
contributions would become germane if it is true that the population of
ruminant animals (or of termites) has vastly increased due to human actions. I
don't know the answer to this question but only remember that, before there
were many humans in North America, there were vast populations of bison roaming
the plains who were also probably methane emitters. So the emissions of
increasing emissions of methane we should be concerned about are those that
arise from human activities. And certainly, if global warming leads to
permafrost melting and this results in the release of vast amounts of methane
now trapped in ice as clathrates in what are called methane hydrates, then we
truly have something to be worried about. I will provide a link to a(perhaps
slightly alarmist) paper I read about this possibility this morning.
http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/home/Frontpage/2007/01/08/01291.html
Such an event will likely put all the excess methane contributions from
animals to the atmosphere to shame.
ken piers

Ken Piers

"We are by nature creatures of faith, as perhaps all creatures are; we live by
counting on things that cannot be proved. As creatures of faith, we must choose
either to be religious or superstitious, to believe in things that cannot be
proved or to believe in things that can be disproved."
Wendell Berry

>>> "Lawrence Johnston" <johnston@uidaho.edu> 1/9/2007 5:11 PM >>>
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 Wed Jan 10 12:41:00 2007