this post was submitted on 28 Jul 2023
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Climate

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Discussion of global heating, Climate and related issues of mitigation. Other active communities: !climate@slrpnk.net (climate@slrpnk.net) !climatecrisis@lemmy.ml (climatecrisis@lemmy.ml) ClimateAnxietySupport - * Manage your grief.

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In this Our Changing Climate video essay, I look at the validity of vegan and plant-based diets as a solution to climate change. I dive into the human and planetary toll of the meat industry, looking at the massive emissions toll of beef production as well as the exploitative conditions in meat processing plants. Ultimately, I consider whether veganism is an effective tool to dismantling the meat industry and mitigating climate change.

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[–] FrostBolt@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

I celebrated my 5th anniversary of being vegan yesterday. I didn’t originally start doing it for climate reasons, but I know the meat and dairy industries are huge sources of pollution so I’m glad I’m on it.

[–] monobot@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

Most people will defend strongly against veganism, as we can motice in comments.

I think it is about reduction and that reducing consumption can be enough.

That would also enable us to take better care of those animals and at least make them a nice life until that one really bad day. I am really disgusted by the way we grow animals.

[–] Sam_uk@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

@Athena5898 there isn't a single globally applicable answer. It depends.

[–] Athena5898@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

this is addressed in the video...and actually, meat consumption is down which tells me the person who responded to you didn't watch the video. (meat consumption is down, but production is not because of capitalism especially huge parts of it like the meat industry is such a huge thing that it just keeps going because of all the top-down things keeping it going. Which is why you can't fix these things from a consumer-only perspective)

[–] PabloDiscobar@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

this is addressed in the video...and actually, meat consumption is down which tells me the person who responded to you didn't watch the video.

To be fair a video is not really a good way to start a debate. It's impossible to quote. Why not a text version instead?

[–] Athena5898@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

...i wasn't trying to start a debate, i was trying to share a video. The title of this is the title of the video.

[–] Sam_uk@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@Athena5898 did that include Asia /China? I can't watch video on slow connection

[–] Athena5898@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

It was globally if I recall correctly

[–] aroom@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If you can stop consuming animal products you should. It’s part of all the other solutions like renovations of our building and change our habit about transportation, etc

Continuing to consume animal products with the science we have today is a choice anyone can do but we know the consequences. It’s not up to debate anymore even if it’s not popular.

We can’t deny it anymore. Period.

[–] PabloDiscobar@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago

Science is crystal clear on the effect of production of meat on the climate. Not just about methane or co2 but also N2O. The Haber Bosch process is our doom.

Frankly denying any of this today should be put on the "denial" pile and shouldn't warrant too much investigation.

[–] admiralteal@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Also it's very nearly a pointless debate.

Global meat consumption IS going to increase over the course of the next century. This trend is already happening and it isn't going to reverse any time soon.

On the horizon of history, perhaps we will be able to lab-grow meat efficiently or there will be some global change of consciousness on the issue, But if we're relying on veganism to solve climate change, that means we're not going to solve climate change. The models we build MUST account for the increase in meat production that is going to happen just as surely as they already account for the increases in energy consumption that are going to happen.

I enthusiastically support anyone choosing to themselves go vegan for whatever reason, be it ethical, health, financial, or whatever. It's clear it is a lower-impact way to live and we should all strive to lessen our impacts. But Betteridge's Law of Headlines applies here.

I'll bet when I get to this video in my Nebula queue it is going to say much the same.

[–] PabloDiscobar@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago

Global meat consumption IS going to increase over the course of the next century. This trend is already happening and it isn't going to reverse any time soon.

No, the yield of crops is slowly collapsing. There are already countries refusing to export their crops.

We will become vegan, by choice or by lack of meat.

[–] monobot@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

I also don't think veganism can help here, but limited resources and price can.

I work in agriculture, meat just takes too much of our limited resources. There is not enough of arable land and efficiency of land use might increase with gaining knowelage and GMO, but can also decrease because we have to preserve soil (which is currently destroyed) and reduce usage of fertilizers.

[–] Sam_uk@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@admiralteal whether we can switch that to lab grown remains to be seen.

@Athena5898

[–] PabloDiscobar@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

"lab grown meat" is an unfunny joke designed to deter us from the real efforts required to be made.