G. Impact of the industrial meat system on the atmosphere

This chapter discusses the impact of the industrial meat system on the atmosphere. This is examined in terms of the amount of energy that is needed for various operations of the meat industry, which is subsequently converted to the amount of greenhouse gases produced as byproducts. The energy that is used in this industry comes primarily from machinery needed for farming and from transport of animals between various livestock facilities. In addition to this, the raising of animals, including the production of feed needed to sustain them, their release of natural gases, and their generation of fertilizer (i.e. manure) contribute enormously to farm-related greenhouse gas emissions. A great amount of these gases are produced specifically in Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs. They are also produced in abundance during the slaughtering and processing of livestock. The main sources of these gases are the animals themselves, the equipment used to run the many operations of farming, and the transport between centers of operation involved with meat production. This industry is currently the sole most significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions due to these different activities, and is responsible for the world’s current climate crisis, according to most scientists, and an overall decline in atmospheric health and quality.