From the University of Edinburgh via Eurekalert, just scratching the surface of this press release suggests something’s gone sour, the numbers they cite don’t make for much concern in the larger context of things. See below.
Milk poured down Britain’s kitchen sinks each year creates a carbon footprint equivalent to thousands of car exhaust emissions, research shows
Scientists say the 360,000 tonnes of milk wasted in the UK each year creates greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 100,000 tonnes of CO2. The study by the University of Edinburgh says this is the same as is emitted by about 20,000 cars annually.
The research identifies ways that consumers could also help curb greenhouse gas emissions – by reducing the amount of food they buy, serve and waste. They also suggest the food industry could reduce emissions by seeking more efficient ways to use fertilisers.
Researchers also say halving the amount of chicken consumed in the UK and other developed countries to levels eaten in Japan could cut greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 10 million cars off the road.
Figures show that if average chicken consumption in developed countries fell from the current level of 26kg each per year to the Japanese average of about 12kg each by 2020, global emissions from poultry would fall below current levels, despite increased output from the developing world. This would cut the predicted global output of nitrous oxide, a key greenhouse gas, from this source by almost 20 per cent, based on current growth rates.
Demand for food, particularly meat, is expected to increase over the next few decades as the world’s population continues to grow and emerging countries consume more.
Agriculture is the biggest source of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas that is emitted by soil and fertilisers. Producing meat produces more emissions than growing crops, as large amounts of cereals are grown to feed livestock.
Researchers arrived at their findings by examining data for global agricultural production of greenhouse gases together with consumption of food in various regions of the world. The study, carried out in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen and partners in Europe and the US, was published in Nature Climate Change.
Dr David Reay of the University of Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences, who led the study, said: “Eating less meat and wasting less food can play a big part in helping to keep a lid on greenhouse gas emissions as the world’s population increases.”
Well, wasting food is never a good thing, I agree with that, but is this a big problem or not? I decided to have a look at the numbers.
From DairyCo Datum in the UK, here’s a table of worldwide milk production based on FAO data, highlight mine:
The 360,000 tonnes of milk said to be wasted in the press release seems like a huge number, but when compared to 13.96 million tonnes of milk produced in the UK in 2010, it is literally a drop in the milk bucket. It works out to about 2.6%, which given such a perishable product, isn’t a bad number at all. I expected it to be much higher, like 25% the way the article was written.
And since they are concerned about global warming, the comparison globally:
Even if the UK stopped wasting all milk, the impact against the global milk carbon footprint is nil.
And while they bemoan the waste in the press release, they offer no solution. What are citizens supposed to do with spoiled milk? Drink it? I’ll bet this will go over well in UK schools like this program: Climate Craziness of the Week – let the kids freeze, all I want for Christmas is a zero carbon footprint
A headmaster at a British school decided a great lesson in sustainability would be to turn off the heat for a day. In December:
Pupils at Ansford Academy in Castle Cary, Somerset, were forced to grip their pens through thick gloves and wear their coats and hats in class as temperatures dropped to 1C. The school’s headmaster, Rob Benzie, shut down the radiators as an experiment to show students how the school could cut its carbon footprint.
The milk waste researchers also seem clueless about how the carbon cycle works, as if somehow that milk if consumed magically loses all of its carbon content via the other route that eventually ends up down the sewer.
Idiots.
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When I still used full cream milk (now have to use semi-skimmed ) on the odd occasion it started to “go off” I made cottage cheese, very easy and my children loved it!
Anthea
It’s actually ZERO carbon “footprint”– because milk taken from farm animals (cows etc) represents the carbon that the animals eat in the form of plants– those plants produced the carbon themselves by absorbing it from the earth– pouring the milk down the drain is simply returning said carbon back to its SOURCE…….these freaking globalist eugenicists posing as environmental experts are annoying, and STUPID.
“those plants produced the carbon themselves by absorbing it from the earth” .
No ! They take it from those 4 molecules of CO2 in every 10,000 of air . They take H2O and some minerals and nitrates from the earth .
All life is more than 90% CO2 from the air combined with H2O by sunlight .
Milk never lasts long enough to be wasted here with a farmer husband, 2 teenage boys and a 9 year old girl having a major growth spurt.
dave ward says:
May 14, 2012 at 7:45 am
This isn’t the only lunacy going round the UK at moment.
“Join the Caravan for Climate Jobs: 12th – 25th May 2012
Fighting for a million new jobs
Fighting the threat of catastrophic climate change”
http://www.climate-change-jobs.org/caravan
I intend to pay them a visit – perhaps I should take some rancid old milk along, and accidentally spill it?
If they were visiting near me I could have some fun. last week I thought I was going to when I saw the wwf out after people’s cash in town. Everyone was crossing the road to avoid them but I decided not to, waiting for them to approach me. I’m not sure whether I looked like I had no money or I had a ‘f off’ look on my face but the girl backed away! My husband reckons that my photo has been sent around with a warning to avoid me at all costs 🙂
Bob Armstrong, blow it out your rear end– I said THE EARTH– I DID NOT SAY WHAT PART– air or ground– now go back to your Tinker Toys.
Here’s an earth day challenge for the green cult: man’s global carbon footprint could be cut in half if all of the green cult members sacrificed themselves in a mass Jonestown style suicide day. But of course this will require a real demonstration of their faith unlike the impotent turn your lights off for an hour circus. Are they up to a real challenge or do they only want to make meaningless gestures?
I for one have no plans to live a paleolithic lifestyle, decline to make any sacrifices to their god Gaia and will resist any attempts by them to impose their religious beliefs on me. If they want carbon reduction they will have to do it all themselves and only by changing their own carbon footprints.
They sure know how to milk an issue.
@sep ,
My apologies . Given the level of ignorance I run into on so many blogs , I lost track of which I was replying on .
Unhappily, not until the proponents of the idea that so-called ‘greenhouse gases’ produced by man are causing dangerous ‘climate change’ either retire, die, or are just kicked out of office. When they are replaced by sane people who know how ludicrous that idea is, the ‘debate’ will be over—but not, I fear, until then.
/Mr Lynn
Willis Eschenbach says:
May 13, 2012 at 9:03 pm
“so for a family of four, they’re pouring six gallons, twenty-three liters, of milk down the sink every year.”
Um, Willis, you do remember that the British use the Imperial gallon which is 4.55 litres? They are therefore wasting 6×4.55 which comes to err carry 1 plus um 4 oh 27.6 litres per family per year. OMG its nearly 20% worse than you thought.
Why would the Brits dump milk down the drain? Rolling blackouts, windmills that don’t run, sun that doesn’t shine. Didn’t some one over there say that the Brits must get used to the idea that when they flip the light switch, there may not always be electricity on the other end? First thing I thought was what about your frig/freezer if there is no consistent flow current.
Maybe consumers heeded the dire warnings from Edinburgh’s (relatively) near-neighbour – Robert Gordon University – and threw away only full-cream milk?
This “study” is a perfect example of why they are mocked..
This HAS to be taking the piss.
Honestly.
Make the people poor and they’ll waste no milk.
“They also suggest the food industry could reduce emissions by seeking more efficient ways to use fertilisers.”
That could only be written by someone who doesn’t know much about farming. Farmers are always looking for more efficient ways to use fertilizers for the simple reason that it saves them money.
“halving the amount of chicken consumed in the UK and other developed countries to levels eaten in Japan could cut greenhouse gas emissions ”
Cluelessness incarnate. You know what else would cut GHG emissions? If we cut our wheat consumption to the same level as Japan too.