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Save-Ferris1 t1_j2v5iyw wrote

> According to the analysis, beef generates 49.9kg of  CO2 equivalent, or CO2e, per 100g of protein.

For the Americans, thats 110lbs of CO2 equivalent for every 3.5oz of protein; that's less than a quarter pound. Cheese comes out to about ~24lbs of CO2 equivalent to the same 3.5oz.

Jesus Christ that's a lot. I've always been told animal protein was carbon intensive, but even if the numbers are over estimating by a gigantic amount, like 20%, those numbers are massive.

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CarryThe2 t1_j2wkhaw wrote

It's because on top of rearing the animal you also need to feed it. You can either grow X amount of calories for people to eat, or ten times that to feed a cow and get X amount of cow calories.

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sharksnut t1_j2zad7a wrote

... or feed the cow agricultural waste like cotton seeds and almond husks.

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babyyodaisamazing98 t1_j2wphnz wrote

It’s because they assume the most carbon intensive route possible at every step. They grow corn in Texas, ship it to Brazil to raise a cow, import water, and then ship the beef to New York. Of course it comes out to some absurd number.

That isn’t how most people actually get beef though. The beef I get comes from the cow eating grass in the field at the end of my street and the water comes out of the local well.

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keziahw t1_j2y53p2 wrote

>That isn’t how most people actually get beef though. The beef I get comes from the cow eating grass in the field at the end of my street

Rural equivalent of "It's a banana, Michael"

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