BEEF BAN: Environment Bites Wrong End of the Steak

Picture Courtesy: The Indian Express

After the just concluded Paris Climate Summit, this seems like an apt time to promote my idea towards the welfare of the planet. We have had long discussions on whether the beef should be banned or not, where the freelancer columnists have been thoroughly promoting themselves as liberals voicing their opposition against the ban. I too agree with them to just a certain extent but if you look at the broader picture, the ban might serve to be an important ingredient towards the health of the environment. While burning fuel might be a strong proponent of air pollution, another valid factor is livestock, mostly reared for milk or meatAs Times of India puts it:

The animals themselves emit an enormous amount of methane which is generated in their digestive system. Almost a quarter of the world's arable land is used to grow feed for this livestock, including soy bean and corn. Fertilizers are used profligately for this, contributing to nitrogen oxides emissions, besides the loss of forests to clear land. This contributes another 21% of emissions. The manure produced by these animals runs into millions of tons and produces 26% of emissions, mostly nitrogen oxides. The remaining 14% are generated from various energy uses for transportation, processing and from land use changes - like deforestation - to provide land for growing feed.

Various scientific studies show that among all meats, beef has the highest carbon emitting potential. An analysis of 27 European Union countries found that a kilogram of beef is the cause of 22.6 kg CO2 emissions compared to 2.5 kg from pork, 1.6 from poultry, and 1.3 kg from milk. Which means consumption of one kg beef emits as much greenhouse gases as driving a car 160 kilometers. Cutting down on meat - mainly beef - consumption will be a big contribution to the fight against climate change provided the big meat eating countries take it up.

Even the US who mocks the Indian’s opposition to cow slaughter, themselves have a ban on horse meat. In efforts to promote the ban in US, Equine Advocates once elevated the horses invoking the nation’s cultural heritage. “Dog, cat and horse slaughter are not part of our culture or heritage. We should no more be slaughtering our horses for export than we should slaughter our dogs or cats for export to countries where their meat is eaten.”Many predominantly Muslim countries have a dog meat ban again on religious ground. Tasleema Nasreen recently was quoted as saying Indian is selective liberal, but that’s how things will work, order will be established. With history we have learnt that not everything can be left to public opinion that too especially of the public that is barely aware of environmental data.

I have been long pledged to serve the cow but how can my religion also be the religion of the rest of the Indians? It will mean coercion against those Indians who are not Hindus.

-MAHATMA GANDHI

The Beef Ban is totally out of question if one only considers the prohibition on the basis of religion, even if many influential countries have implemented their own. In a secular country, India it would just seem dictating rules on the minorities which would further complicate the tensions already begging for a spark. But looking at the bigger picture and using strong statistics and if needed also adding a little flavor of the whole culture card won’t harm anyone as long as it is used in strict limits. The reasons of ban if thus presented might even win support from the western countries whining for a serious measure towards climate change. And this clearly would be much easier sacrifice than going into the odd-even except if you are the odd one out.

(Sources: India News, Latest Sports, Bollywood, World, Business & Politics News - Times of India , Dog meat , Cat meat ,Everyone has a ‘sacred cow’: Horse slaughter banned in US , Beef ban debate has wrong end of the steak ,Debate on beef ban , The Dadri debate: Here's why most arguments about beef are flawed - Firstpost , Beef ban justified, have power to do it: Maharashtra government tells HC - Times of India , What Mahatma Gandhi Said to Those Who Wanted Beef Banned in India , IndianExpress, Livestock causes 15% of all emissions worldwide: Scientists - The Economic Times  )