1. By Amber Stacy Which one do you think contributes more to global warming? OR Methane vs. Carbon Dioxide
2. The Meat of the Matter is…… Methane (CH4) gas released by the livestock industry is more damaging to the environment than the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) released by the transportation industry (Motavalli)
3. The Facts According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), The American meat industry produces more than 60 million tons of waste annually = 5 tons for every U.S. citizen 130 x the volume of human waste
4. So…What’s Your Point? Climate change and global warming are very real problems which have lead to: Rising temperatures Rising sea levels Melting ice caps Shifting ocean currents Changes in weather patterns Livestock industry is a major player in global warming due to its release of methane Responsible for 18% of the greenhouse gas, Methane (Steinfeld, et. al.)
5. I Know What You’re Thinking While 18% doesn’t seem like much, keep this in mind… According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Methane is 21 x more potent than carbon dioxide Methane's chemical lifetime in the atmosphere is approximately 12 years.
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7. What Are We Doing to Solve This Problem? Some individuals choose to convert to a vegetarian or vegan diet Scientists say that adding cashew shell oil to cattle feed will reduce the methane gas they release by as much as 90% (Patton) Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd (Japanese oil refiner) has already applied for a patent for this new feed additive
8. Bring on the Nuts The Cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale L.) Related to the mango tree and the pistachio tree Hearty and fast growing evergreen Native to Brazil and Peru (South America) Favorable Conditions: Hot & Humid U.S. largest importer (Kohler)
9. Nuts Really Do Come Out of the Woodwork Cashew Trees produce both fruit (cashew apples) and nuts (cashews)
10. Let Me See What’s Inside Cashews – Not Shelled Cashew – Inside View
11. Did You Know…??? Cashew shell oil can become toxic Toxic resin located on the outer shell coat (Urushiol), in addition to another toxic resin in one of the inner linings of the shell If shell not removed properly, the cashew nut inside becomes exposed to the toxic resin The oil extracted from the shell can also become toxic Most companies have special tools and techniques to properly and safely remove the shells
12. OK…What Was I Talking About? While there are other techniques to combat this global warming trend, I found this one to be very interesting and I hope you did too! Ol’ Betsy sure did!
13. Sources: Kohler, John. "Raw Cashew Nuts - Are They Really Raw?" 1998. Living Foods. 16 November 2008. <http://www.livingfoods.com/articles/rawcashew.html>. Motavalli, Jim. "The Meat of the Matter." The Environmental Magazine XIX.4 (July/August 2008): 26-33. Patton, Jessica Rae. "Better Belching." The Environmental Magazine XIX.5 (September/October 2008): 24. Steinfeld, Henning, et al. “Livestock's Long Shadow.” Environmental Issues and Opinions. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2006. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Methane. 19 October 2006. 16 November 2008. <http://www.epa.gov/methane/scientific.html>. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). "Agricultural Fact Book." 16 November 2008. <http://www.usda.gov/factbook/index.html>.
