People are used to seeing stark warnings on tobacco products alerting them about the potentially deadly risks to health. Now a study suggests similar labelling on food could help them make wiser choices about not just their health, but the health of the planet.

The research, by academics at Durham University, found that warning labels including a graphic image – similar to those warning of impotence, heart disease or lung cancer on cigarette packets – could reduce selections of meals containing meat by 7-10%.

It is a change that could have a material impact on the future of the planet. According to a recent YouGov poll, 72% of the UK population classify themselves as meat-eaters. But the Climate Change Committee (CCC), which advises the government on its net zero goals, has said the UK needs to slash its meat consumption by 20% by 2030, and 50% by 2050, in order to meet them.

  • alcamtar@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    arrow-down
    25
    ·
    1 year ago

    How so? Cow farts? The grass is going to emit the same gasses whether it decomposes in a cow stomach or in the dirt. I guess the solution to carbon emissions is to pave the earth! No more organics polluting everything.

    • Sharkwellington@lemmy.one
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      20
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      Not necessarily cow farts, but manure, fertilizer, and landscaping.

      Methane comes primarily from livestock digestion (known as enteric fermentation) and the way livestock manure is managed. It contributes the most to agricultural emissions of greenhouse gases.

      The second largest contributor is nitrous oxide, which results mostly from agricultural fertilizer application to soils and from manure management.

      Carbon dioxide emissions come from increased decomposition of plant matter in soils and from converting lands to agricultural uses. Those emissions are partially offset by the increased plant matter stored in cropland soils.

      You’re not wrong about the same gasses being created by decomposing grass and digested grass, but like most things, it’s a multifaceted issue.

      As they say, you can’t get snakes from chicken eggs.

        • Sharkwellington@lemmy.one
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          Truth be told the nugget about the same gasses being released from digestion and decomposition was news to me, so thank you for that. My knee-jerk reaction was to refute it but I realized that I truly didn’t know for sure. So I checked, lo and behold, I was wrong, and now I’ve learned something today.

    • KapiteinPoffertje@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Most cows eat soy which is produced on former rainforest grounds.

      Additionally, we are better off eating/using what is produced on farmlands directly instead of feeding it to animals. That is much more energy efficient!

      • commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        we are better off eating/using what is produced on farmlands directly

        we do. what we feed to animals is mostly the parts of plants that people can’t or won’t eat.

        • jose1324@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          That’s just not true lmao. 90% of soy production is for animals. Not humans.

          • commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            85% of all soy is put into an oil press. the byproduct of oil production is called soycake or soy meal.

            that makes up the vast majority of the soy that is fed to animals.

            • jose1324@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              So… What i said? Lmao what trap card. Your source doesn’t say anything about “soy humans can’t eat”. It’s just normal ass soy pushed into soy cakes.

              • commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                3
                arrow-down
                1
                ·
                1 year ago

                “soy cake” is the industrial waste from the production of soybean oil. exactly what i said. also, your estimate of how much soy ends up as animal feed was off by a lot.

              • commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                2
                arrow-down
                2
                ·
                1 year ago

                85% of all soybeans are pressed for oil for people. that can’t be true if 90% of soy production is for livestock. but i have the facts on my side. i’ll accept your apology any time.

      • Aux@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        No cows in UK eat soy.

        Also idk about you, but I can’t eat grass