Why are meats and cheese so high carbon?
Meat and dairy are especially high in carbon because ruminants (cows, sheep and goats) naturally emit methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide. In addition, North American, Japanese and European data are clear that emissions associated with large animal products are high. This has to do with the energy inputs associated with the product of feed for animals (very high), the length of time it takes to grow animals to maturity as compared to plants (therefore, that much more energy to feed them,) and their weight (a factor in transport emissions.
Meat and dairy are especially high in carbon because ruminants (cows, sheep and goats) naturally emit methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide. In addition, North American, Japanese and European data are clear that emissions associated with large animal products are high.
