One of the biggest complaint that vegan and vegetarian environmentalists have against meat-eating is that eating it causes a huge amount of waste. Well, for those of you who have been avoiding meat for that very reason will soon be able to get back on the meat wagon. Well actually the meat car.

You see, Tyson, the largest meat company in the world, has decided to get into the diesel-making business with a company called Syntroleum. This effort will use meat fats that were just going to be dumped and actually turn them into diesel. The key is that this waste was already going to be created and now has the potential to not be waste at all.

It also should do more good by detracting from biodiesel  The fun of biodiesel is that it takes some of the oil control away from scary countries like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, but the harsh reality of it is that the soybeans used to make it take a huge toll on the environment. Plus, the diesel made from animal fats is chemically the same as regular diesel, where biodiesel is not.

According to Sify.com, “It’s a low-carbon fuel, releases far fewer sulfur dioxide, particulate, and 58 to 80 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than petroleum diesel and can go directly into the petroleum pipeline and refining infrastructure.” So…cleaner, better for the environment, a supply that is already being created, and a chance to move away from energy dependence? That’s right. Oh, and it’s also cheaper. With a business plan like this one, meat cars might just be the way of the future.

(via Sify.com)

Once upon a time there was a group of people called vegans. Among other things, these people claimed that their diet was better for the environment than eating meat. Had they been right, the world would be a much different place, but luckily for us, they were wrong. In fact, they eventually learned that their diet was actually worse for the environment than eating meat.

Ok, so maybe the vegans haven’t learned yet, but new research shows that vegan staples like soy, chickpeas and lentils are doing more harm than good. It’s enough to make you want to sing “Killer Tofu,” by The Beets. Remember that fictional band from Doug on Nickelodeon? If not, here’s a refresher:

But I digress. The WWF found that in Great Britain, since most of the land is unsuitable for growing soy and other vegetarian crops, these products have to be imported from thousands of miles away. This transportation itself is bad for the environment, but to make matters worse, these crops are grown in countries like Brazil, where they are clear-cutting the rainforest. I won’t get into all the details of the effect this clear-cutting has on the environment, but it’s pretty terrible.

So next time you opt for the vegetarian option in a meal (which I’m sure you would never do), make sure you think about the environmental implications first.

(via Times Online)