Where's the Beef?

People are eating more meat, and that seems to be causing a lot of problems. Meat production has grown 3 fold since the 60's, resulting in rising costs and environmental stresses spilling beyond the confines of just the meat industry.

Shocking fact of the day (it is actually 2 equally-shocking facts in one sentence...sorry for any confusion):

an estimated 30 percent of the earth’s ice-free land is directly or indirectly involved in livestock production, according to the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization, which also estimates that livestock production generates nearly a fifth of the world’s greenhouse gases — more than transportation.

Of course, as any situation dealing with the economy, there are always numerous complicating factors, which necessarily result in the poor getting screwed over...

Grain, meat and even energy are roped together in a way that could have dire results. More meat means a corresponding increase in demand for feed, especially corn and soy, which some experts say will contribute to higher prices.

This will be inconvenient for citizens of wealthier nations, but it could have tragic consequences for those of poorer ones, especially if higher prices for feed divert production away from food crops. The demand for ethanol is already pushing up prices, and explains, in part, the 40 percent rise last year in the food price index calculated by the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization.

Though some 800 million people on the planet now suffer from hunger or malnutrition, the majority of corn and soy grown in the world feeds cattle, pigs and chickens.

But what should die-hard meat-lovers do if they just can't stomach the thought of quitting cold-turkey (no pun intended...actually, who am I kidding...it was totally intended...)? We could wait for some crazy sci-fi solution (there are actually quite a few interesting ones that aren't to far on the horizon. The article notes a few) or we can let "the market sort it out". One practical step is to eat less beef. Chicken and pork are much more efficient and economical in terms of energy throughput per pound of meat.

Really, can somebody else post something? Anything? My words are lonely and in need of new company...

Sean