Numerous factors to global warming may be easily listed. Most notable include chemical waste, automobile pollution, single-use plastics, and deforestation.
However, while discussing the subject on his podcast, “Unconfuse Me,” Bill Gates suggested not many people are aware of one of the most significant contributors.
The Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist observed that agriculture contributes greatly to gas pollution.
Gates told CNBC, “Of all the climate areas, the one that people are probably least aware of is all the fertilizer and cows, and that’s a challenge.”
In 2010, agriculture, forestry, and other land use accounted for 22% of worldwide planet-warming pollution, mostly from agricultural and animal production, according to the EPA.
According to the University of California, Davis, one cow may belch 220 pounds of methane a year, and dung, which is used as fertilizer, produces the same gas.
According to The World Counts, approximately 144 billion pounds (72 million tons) of beef and buffalo meat were consumed globally in 2018, proving that cows are essential to the global food supply chain.
Being meat-free would be environmentally beneficial. The globe has many cows because of meat and dairy demand, not natural selection.
Gates told CNBC on his podcast that he invests in plant-based food firms to find a climate-friendly animal replacement.
Gates also has farming experience. He invested in American farms in recent years to boost productivity and create employment.