A novel idea: Cows in skyscraper farms

May 8, 2008

Wired.com’s article says each American’s carbon footprint is at least twice as large as those in other countries, and that’s including the homeless and the Amish. Taking our roads, public and government buildings into account and dividing these up per person, we are simply used to using more and more resources than necessary.

So what, you ask? The goal for the future is sustainability and we can’t continue on like this for much longer. Even the foods we eat here take up so many resources and energy and eventually what we eat will have to change drastically. It takes nearly 5 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef, and some critics say the rise of meat-based diets, which have tripled in the last 30 years in the US, are worsening the world’s hunger problems.

Sure we could think of things like feeding cattle in buildings much like the one I posted about earlier. Hey, there’s an idea. Grow grains in skyscraper buildings and have floors and floors of cattle easily fed. The problem lies with the fact that we’d be producing much less beef than grain… but it could be one way to combat or at least slow down the effects. I’m no vegetarian and I’m torn by my desire to save the earth and my love for a good steak. Having no meat in the future would be very bleak indeed but it’s certainly better than everyone going hungry.

Sometimes I can’t believe I am an American. Sure there are lots of government funded perks (libraries, financial aid for college, ease of starting a business) but at other times I am disgusted by how much we consume and waste. When I go out to eat and a huge plate of food is placed in front of me, I often imagine what a kid in Africa would think of all that food, meant for one person.

We are all human. We all live on the same earth, and yet our lives couldn’t be more different. What we do, buy, and eat in America affects people all over the world. When we buy products, it is from manufactured parts from various parts of the globe, put together by underpaid workers in dirty factories that create pollution. So that iPod you bought is using up natural resources and polluting lands in other countries. Do you know where it came from and the journey it took from manufacturing to your hands? For a fascinating look on where our stuff actually comes from, visit StoryofStuff.com.

Let me know what you think by posting in the comments.

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Posted in agriculture, green biz ideas, wasted resources