One degree is the difference between freezing and melting. One degree is the difference between surviving and thriving. One degree is the difference between the global average temperature of the year 1900 and the year 2014. The world has seen a 0.66º C increase in temperature, and while it may seem like a small change, it will have a major effect on daily lives and the ecosystem in the near future (Global Land and Temperature Anomalies). The main contributor to this increase is the effect of greenhouse gasses, and in order to decrease these effects, the consumption of dairy products should be reduced. Greenhouse gases are gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, which cloud the air. These gases allow “direct sunlight (relative
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The first major occurrence of climate change was the cooling period that came with photosynthetic organisms (Hardy 24). Due to carbon dioxide and the greenhouse effect, the earth had a relatively high temperature. Photosynthesis started converting carbon dioxide to organic carbon and oxygen, which “reduced the heat trapping capacity of the atmosphere and led to a major cooling trend” (Hardy 24). This was followed by a warming period due to tectonic activity causing volcanic eruptions. More carbon dioxide was released into the environment, which increased the effect of greenhouse gasses and increased the temperature to about 5º warmer than the current temperature. Once tectonic activity cooled down, photosynthetic organisms were able to correct the environment. These spikes and decreases of carbon dioxide have continued to affect the environment and cause climate change without the influence of civilization since then. However, because of civilizations, carbon dioxide levels are at an all-time high. If this were the only contender, photosynthetic organisms could use this and thrive on it, but it is not. While there is a correlation between carbon dioxide and the temperature increase, methane has been another major …show more content…
Of these emissions, approximately 80% comes from enteric fermentation, which is part of the natural digestive process (“Agriculture”). While all livestock goes through this process, cows produce the most methane because they are ruminant animals. Ruminant animals have a four-part stomach that consists of the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum, and the abomasum. Microbial fermentation breaks down the food in the rumen into products that can be metabolized, or stored for energy (Boland). This produces significantly more methane than animals such as horses, which go through this process in the large intestine only (“Agriculture”). Because cows’ digestive processes negatively effect the environment, decreasing the amount of dairy products should be considered to decrease the effect humans have on the environment. While this may seem to be a daunting task, it can be made easy by vegan products. Cutting dairy out of the normal diet is a simple task that does not involve giving up things like ice cream and cheese, it just requires changing the recipes. Stores have recently started selling vegan cheese options and vegan ice creams. While these are on the market due to many people going vegan for reasons such as inhumane conditions or general health, these vegan products can become an environmentally conscious dietary choice. In many homemade recipes, almond milk and soymilk can
The first major occurrence of climate change was the cooling period that came with photosynthetic organisms (Hardy 24). Due to carbon dioxide and the greenhouse effect, the earth had a relatively high temperature. Photosynthesis started converting carbon dioxide to organic carbon and oxygen, which “reduced the heat trapping capacity of the atmosphere and led to a major cooling trend” (Hardy 24). This was followed by a warming period due to tectonic activity causing volcanic eruptions. More carbon dioxide was released into the environment, which increased the effect of greenhouse gasses and increased the temperature to about 5º warmer than the current temperature. Once tectonic activity cooled down, photosynthetic organisms were able to correct the environment. These spikes and decreases of carbon dioxide have continued to affect the environment and cause climate change without the influence of civilization since then. However, because of civilizations, carbon dioxide levels are at an all-time high. If this were the only contender, photosynthetic organisms could use this and thrive on it, but it is not. While there is a correlation between carbon dioxide and the temperature increase, methane has been another major …show more content…
Of these emissions, approximately 80% comes from enteric fermentation, which is part of the natural digestive process (“Agriculture”). While all livestock goes through this process, cows produce the most methane because they are ruminant animals. Ruminant animals have a four-part stomach that consists of the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum, and the abomasum. Microbial fermentation breaks down the food in the rumen into products that can be metabolized, or stored for energy (Boland). This produces significantly more methane than animals such as horses, which go through this process in the large intestine only (“Agriculture”). Because cows’ digestive processes negatively effect the environment, decreasing the amount of dairy products should be considered to decrease the effect humans have on the environment. While this may seem to be a daunting task, it can be made easy by vegan products. Cutting dairy out of the normal diet is a simple task that does not involve giving up things like ice cream and cheese, it just requires changing the recipes. Stores have recently started selling vegan cheese options and vegan ice creams. While these are on the market due to many people going vegan for reasons such as inhumane conditions or general health, these vegan products can become an environmentally conscious dietary choice. In many homemade recipes, almond milk and soymilk can