Climate Change | CLEAR Center

Burger King’s “breathe the farts of change” not passing the sniff test

July 15, 2020

Burger King has been adding lemongrass to cows’ diets in an attempt to cut down on cattle’s methane emissions. Given the greenhouse gas’ role in climate change, it’s a big deal. If nothing else, decreasing methane would buy us time to try and get a handle on carbon dioxide emissions, the No. 1 elephant in the room – and in the atmosphere.

Misleading climate statements rampant in IATP’s dairy report

June 18, 2020

Imagine if the same time and energy spent attacking livestock were instead spent on the largest climate polluters out there – or even supporting cattle as a part of a climate solution. Yes, cattle can help pull carbon from the atmosphere, and if we work together, we can feed a growing population while also curbing climate change.

Pandemic shows we need a Herculean effort to slow global warming

May 20, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us we’re in this together. A united, global effort stands the best chance of eradicating this deadly virus. Same goes for the all-important charge to keep our planet from overheating to the point of no return. Climate change solutions are possible, with the right approach.

What is a Dairy Digester and How Does it Affect Methane Emissions?

April 23, 2020

Mitloehner lab Ph.D. student Alice Rocha, M.S. explains dairy digesters and their role in combating climate change

Frank Mitloehner Discusses Livestock, Climate Solutions and COVID-19 Impact on Greenhouse Gases on Podcast

April 21, 2020

In the age of information, it’s often difficult to filter facts from noise. In this episode of Elanco’s Rediscovering the Power of Healthy Animals podcast with Michelle Calvo-Lorenzo and Sarah Place, CLEAR Center Director, Frank Mitloehner, debunks common misconceptions around livestock and greenhouse gas emissions.

How California is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

March 24, 2020

California is taking bold steps in the fight against climate change implementing laws and policies, such as the Cap-and-Trade program, designed to drastically cut down on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In the last decade, the Golden State has introduced several new bills, including Assembly Bill 32, Senate Bill 32 and SB 1383, and has been successfully working towards meeting the greenhouse gas mitigation goals outlined in these bills.

Here’s what you need to know:

Why U.S. Beef Isn’t Causing Deforestation and Land Use Change Elsewhere

February 10, 2020

Does eating beef in the U.S. lead to deforestation in places such as the Amazon? That’s an increasingly common question, to which the short answer is no.

But let’s dive into the long answer.

It’s time to stop comparing meat emissions to flying

November 13, 2019

The comparison between livestock and aviation has many nuances, and many times those details get lost in conversations around climate change. The impact of emissions from cattle is often overstated, while aviation's effect on the planet's warming is understated.

Can Cattle Help Mitigate Climate Change?

October 23, 2019

It sounds counterintuitive, but new research is pointing to the fact that instead of merely heating up our atmosphere with the potent gas methane, cows might actually be able to help fight climate change. It all has to do with what happens to methane after it enters the atmosphere, and with the advances American farmers and ranchers have made in the past 70 years.

How Do Cattle Produce Methane?

October 23, 2019

When animals are criticized for the part they play in climate change, most often it’s the cattle that take it on the chin. While beef and other products that come from cattle are popular in the United States and abroad, what cattle are often singled out for is the result of a digestive system that differs from those of poultry and swine, two other favorite sources of protein.