PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 30, 2020
Suggestions as to what can be done to mitigate the climate emergency with respect to our food should include the greenhouse gas release involved in the growing of food for the billions of cows, pigs and chickens destined to be our food. Last year, 92 million acres of land in the US was devoted to growing corn and 85 million acres for soybeans. Almost all these crops are destined to feed factory-farmed animals. Tractors that work those acres burn millions of gallons of gasoline and diesel. In addition, the fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides need energy from burning coal, oil and natural gas for their manufacture. Seriously reducing our animal consumption will go a long way in preventing the future disasters that are forecast for us, as Seth Borenstein infers. ~ Len Frenkel, South Portland