2024 March Board Book

Why can't we just quit cows?

Naoki Nitta for Grist Jan 24, 2024

Grist looks into our deep dependency on the beef and dairy industries, despite clear evidence that cutting consumption would curb emissions. Why can't we just quit cows? Updated Jan 24, 2024

Cattle play a colossal role in climate change: As the single largest agricultural source of methane, a potent planet warming gas, the world's 940 million cows spew nearly 10 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions — much of it through belches and droppings. As such, there's an astonishing amount of time and money being funneled into emission control. On-farm biodigesters, for example, take a backend approach by harvesting methane wafting from manure pits. A slew of research aims to curb bovine burps by feeding them seaweed, essential oils, and even a bovine Beano of sorts. The latest endeavor, a $70