Tring in Transition blog: 8/9/09
I look after a small flock of sheep together with three others.
They are Shetland sheep, and are at Aldbury Nowers.
These special sheep graze the area that is a wild butterfly reserve and breeding area.
They are not fed artificial food and survive on grazing (unless there is snow when they might get some hay!).
However, it seems these sheep are not green, and are polluters!
All sheep and cows produce methane which is a potent greenhouse gas and responsible for a sizeable per cent of the world's greenhouse gas production.
Cattle and sheep are responsible for around 16 per cent of the world's methane production.
This traps 25 times as much of the sun's heat as CO2 does.
Cattle alone produce 100 million tonnes of methane a year!
Scientists are trying to provide a cattle food that releases less methane – but this man-made food will be produced from scare grain resources – obviously grass feeding is better.
Another approach is to produce a bacterium for the cow's gut that will not produce methane from digestion.
What can we do as individuals?
Being vegetarian would be best, but I cannot face a meat free diet.
And cheese and milk come from cows – so it would really have to be a vegan diet without cheese, milk, butter or yoghurt.
We can make a big difference by eating less lamb and beef.
Smaller portions and beef/lamb free days.
We can also reduce our intake of dairy products.
Chicken and pigs are not the main methane producers, but they also consume large amounts of grain which is needed by the world's poor.
So, less pork, chicken and eggs too.
Fish from sustainable sources are good – but farmed fish are often fed on artificial blends of grains and fish meal , not so good.
It seems to me best to be vegetarian on a couple of days a week – and much, much healthier too!
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Weather for Tring
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
