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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Amazon is burning because the world eats so much meat
The vast majority of the fires have been set by loggers and ranchers to clear land for cattle. The practice is on the rise, encouraged by Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's populist pro-business president, who is backed by the country's so-called "beef caucus."
While this may be business as usual for Brazil's beef farmers, the rest of the world is looking on in horror.
So, for those wondering how they could help save the rainforest, known as "the planet's lungs" for producing about 20% of the world's oxygen, the answer may be simple. Eat less meat.
It's an idea that Finland has already floated. On Friday, the Nordic country's finance minister called for the European Union to "urgently review the possibility of banning Brazilian beef imports" over the Amazon fires.
Brazil is the world's largest exporter of beef, providing close to 20% of the total global exports, according the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) -- a figure that could rise in the coming years.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/23/americas/brazil-beef-amazon-rainforest-fire-intl/index.html?utm_term=link&utm_content=2019-08-23T13%3A30%3A03&utm_source=twCNN&utm_medium=social
tman
(983 posts)Regenerative agriculture can be a solution.
Oh, and eat local meat.
demmiblue
(36,744 posts)eppur_se_muova
(36,227 posts)... so US slaughterhouses blend American and Brazilian beef in just the right proportion of fat to beef to get just the right blend for hamburgers.
Boycott hamburgers and ground beef, wherever they are sold. Try an Impossible Whopper, even if you don't eat at BK for any other reason ever.
And make your own bean burgers.
theophilus
(3,750 posts)I hope we can make imitation meat in vast quantities and quick if it is better for the planet. The Republican Planet Killers will not go quietly though. We will all starve if this continues. Let's just choose to eat much less beef. It would be better to restore the plains and let the bison roam again. They could produce meat at much less cost to our planet.
roody
(10,849 posts)BruceWane
(345 posts)Hearing about this over the past few days, in the context of the climate crisis, the thought occurred to me........
This is like setting fire to your fire truck. For a barbecue.
Pantagruel
(2,580 posts)Too many people eating anything is the problem. We need GLOBAL population control FAST!!!!
It's going to be ugly if we let Malthusian solutions do it for us.
demmiblue
(36,744 posts)That is why they are burning the rainforest. To make room for cattle.
MFM008
(19,776 posts)They are awesome!
Coventina
(26,846 posts)Please join me!
Save the planet!!
airmid
(500 posts)against the guardians of the Amazon.