Small Town Optimist Column

Meat the Barbecue on Earth Day

By Cyndy Robinson

I was looking around at ideas for an Earth Day related article when it hit me. Considering we are on the cusp of what some people think of as the greatest season of all, BBQ season, this article is timely.

Growing up surrounded by good food was a blessing. I remember my parents saying that no matter how tough times were, that we would always have enough food to eat. They stayed true to their commitment, raising a plump daughter who also bit into their philosophy. Dad was a butcher by trade, and Mom planned and hosted functions in the hospitality industry. Needless to say, groceries were everywhere. The cupboards of both the house and cottage were always stocked with the yummiest of foods. Hearty stews and lasagnas were prepped on a weekend basis. Barbeque was the staple of our diet in the spring and summer. "If you're too full to eat anything else, then finish the meat on your plate and leave the rest", he would say.

One of the most unusual Earth Day related reports that I came across studied the contribution of cattle produced methane to the Green House Effect. That's correct, a very, very small wedge of the pie chart involves organically produced gas. When dissected even further, the hair-like wedge is found to be generated by the bovine population. Had this report been released and discovered quite a few years ago, it would have made for an interesting discussion at home. I chuckled to myself when I pondered Dad's reaction to the reports of how cattle farts are being monitored.

One report stated that cows, both beef and dairy, release approximately 250 to 500 L of methane per day into the air. This equates to about 2% of Global warming over the next 50 to 100 years. There seemed to be quite a bit of literature related to this topic. According to Wikipedia, "Cattle belch methane accounts for 16% of the world's annual methane emissions to the atmosphere. The livestock sector in general (primarily cattle, chickens, and pigs) produces 37% of all human-induced methane."

Speaking of human induced methane, what type of quantities do we produce as a population? Typically human of us, pointing the finger outward. Let's not let the animals take all of the credit, we own a slice of the graph too.

Some experts say that the solution lies in dietary issues. Change the ingredients, and we change the product. "Early research has found a number of medical treatments and dietary adjustments that help slightly limit the production of methane in ruminants". I suppose this holds true for humans too.

Returning to the real issue at hand, approximately how much does operating your barbeque alone cost the environment? If you use charcoal, you may want to switch to gas. It's cleaner and more efficient, and produces about one third of the carbon emissions as briquettes do. Charcoal comes from wood waste, but has a byproduct that is disposed into landfill. To expert grillers, gas is lacking in the character, the flavour and the experience. Gas or wood, it's a "chicken or egg" situation based on personal preference.

If you haven't already done so this year, get to it! Fire up the grill. For all of the environmental shame that it is, it remains a rite that is rooted as far back as the caveman. So go ahead, huddle around the fire and make food good, "green" meat isn't good for you anyway.