Is there only ONE way...

To Slow or Stop Climate Change?

SOS #244 -- J. Morris Hicks -- (11-14-23)

I put a question mark at the end of the title above because I am not 100% certain that the ONLY way we can slow or reverse climate change enough to save us -- is by rapidly eliminating all animal agriculture on planet Earth.

In fact, as an industrial engineer by training, I am rarely 100% sure about anything. But, in the case of the possible slowing or reversal of climate change -- I truly believe that we are running out of options.

That said, here is my conclusion:

The single best option, in my opinion, is via an all-out, global effort to encourage, convince or even bribe billions of people to stop eating ALL animal-based foods.

On a related topic. Are you familiar with Jevons paradox? I was not until just a few days ago. Read on, as it quite relevant to what is happening relative to our consumption of fossil fuels.

Sometimes called the Jevons Effect, it occurs when technological progress or government policy increases the efficiency with which a resource is used.

But the falling cost of use induces increases enough that the resource use is increased, rather than reduced. 

Governments typically assume that efficiency gains will lower resource consumption, ignoring the possibility of the paradox arising.

Examples of the Jevons Paradox

from a 10-15-23 article:

Most people have this idea that humans have been switching energy sources for the last few centuries. First we used wood, then we used coal, then we used oil and natural gas, and now we’re switching to renewables. In reality, we’re still using all of the old energy sources. In fact, we’re burning more coal than ever before.

Sure, we’re using renewables too, but they haven’t stopped us from continuing to burn more fossil fuels every year. In 2021, for example, there was a 5% increase in global energy demand, and half of that was met with fossil fuels, especially coal.

Renewables aren’t replacing anything. All they’re doing is making electricity slightly cheaper, which encourages people to use more electricity. This is a great example of the Jevons Paradox.

How does that relate to our non-existent shift away from eating animal-based foods?

For years, we've heard many well-known environmental leaders talk timidly about the climate benefits of "cutting back" our meat consumption.

Of course, "cutting back" means different things to different people -- and I do not believe that very many Americans have decided to stop eating meat completely.

As for eight of the world's best known "environmentalists" -- with the possible exception of Al Gore, none of them may even be aware that animal agriculture is the leading driver of climate change.

And, for Mr. Gore, since speaking up about that fact would not be good for his image, he never mentions it anymore. After all, to him, apparently his popularity is more important than the lives of several billion innocent children.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world

is eating more meat than ever. Why?

Dr. T. Colin Campbell weighed in on that question via email yesterday -- regarding the comments by senior Chinese leaders back in the 80's -- during their visits to Cornell University, a famous school, that is well-funded by the animal agriculture industry -- an industry that has done their best to bury Dr. Campbell's work on that delicate topic for many years.

Here's what he had to say yesterday:

Mainly, the Chinese leaders understood that animal protein was special, very likely accounting for US and other Western nations doing well in the Olympics.

They largely interpreted these successes and our overall economic status to our food practices, that were driven by our consumption of animal protein.

Meat consumption worldwide in millions of tons

from 1990 to 2021, by meat type

With a probable Covid impact slowing growth in the last few years above, there are many reasons why global meat consumption keeps increasing almost every year. Notice that it has more than doubled since 1990. And unless we take urgent steps to reduce consumption, it is almost certain to keep going up.

Two reasons:

• Global population is still growing at a net six million people a month and it will likely keep growing on this finite planet -- driven largely by ignorance, religion and right wing politics.
• More and more people in developing countries -- begin eating meat just as soon as they can afford it. And who can blame them?

In closing, completely eliminating animal agriculture may not be enough to stop or reverse climate change -- but I am near certain that it's the only step humanity can take quickly that might possibly buy us enough time to address these other unsustainable aspects of our civilization:

• Overpopulation, Overconsumption and a Forever Growth Economy
• Grossly unsustainable, automobile-centric, way of life in most of the developed world

How can we get large numbers of people

to give up their favorite foods?

It won't be easy and we won't be getting any help from Cornell University, a leading agricultural science school that is very well-funded by the meat and dairy industries -- as illustrated above by the milk bottle on the Cornell campus.

We're going to have to take our argument directly to the consumers -- perhaps with a lot of help from the 4th Estate.

It's all about taking an aggressive approach to influencing billions of people to completely stop eating meat, dairy, eggs and fish ASAP -- and hopefully buying us the time we need to repair the many other unsustainable aspects of our civilization cited above.

Lately, I have been ending my SOS Memos

with a simple, yet potentially effective vision

of how we might get that done.

That simple idea may not work, but perhaps it will prompt other ideas that will. We owe it to the children of the world to do our best to slay the climate change monster on the ends of our forks, chopsticks and spoons.

Finally, what can YOU do?

Become a healthy vegan -- making sure that over 80% of your calories are derived from whole, plant-based foods. As such, you will be doing your part in dismantling the leading driver of climate change: global animal agriculture.

You'll also be doing your part in dismantling the global, out-of-control "disease management" industry called healthcare.

In the APPENDIX below, you can read all about what we must do to understand much more about the climate dilemma in which we find ourselves -- along with what it will likely take to prevent a collapse of civilization before 2050.

This appendix can help you get that done:

Appendix to SOS Memos

(lots of data, free books, scientific reports, videos & more)

You can join my mailing list and find all of my previous postings by visiting the SOS Memos page on my website. 

Want some FREE professional help getting started eating whole, unprocessed plants? My friends at Rochester Lifestyle Medicine may have just what the doctor ordered. Check it out.

  Sincerely, J. Morris (Jim) Hicks

jmorrishicks@me.com

Primary website, hpjmh.com, with a powerful summary that appears on the landing page. It's all about...

Promoting health, hope & harmony

on Planet Earth

PS: Want to get started nurturing your own health

and the health of our planet?

Take our dietary survey at 4leafsurvey.com (2 min). With your answers to 12 multiple choice questions, the survey provides an estimate as to what percent of your daily calories are being derived from whole, plant-based foods.

Over 80% from whole plants = "4Leaf Level" of eating

(The average American or European gets less than 7%)

Click to learn all about this dietary assessment tool:

About the 4Leaf Survey

For much more about 4Leaf, visit 4leafprogram.com