Target: Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States
Goal: Charge farmers for their livestock’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Factory farming is a damaging industry. Not only are animals there subjected to prolonged psychological and physical trauma, but these farms are also terrible for the environment. Waste from factory farms pollutes waterways, air, and land in neighboring communities, posing serious risks to natural ecosystems and human health. In addition, agriculture is one of the leading contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. The clearing of forests to make room for livestock and livestock feed, the mass application of fertilizers, and cattle belching all release significant amounts of detrimental gasses into the atmosphere.
Some countries have taken initiatives towards reducing factory farmings’ environmental impact. New Zealand, for example, has developed a plan that is likely to be passed within the upcoming year. According to the plan, farmers will be expected to pay for their gas emissions from the year 2025 onwards. Total gas emissions will be calculated using a single, universal measure. The idea behind creating an effective emissions pricing system is that it will reduce the number of animals on individual farms, thereby, reducing climate impacts. In addition, the plan will include incentives for farmers who successfully reduce emissions and all revenue generated from this plan will be invested in environmental research escapades.
While this will clearly not solve the problem of agricultural emissions, it is a great first step. Sign this petition to demand similar legislation be considered in the U.S.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear President Biden,
Each and every day, we are seeing the escalating effects of the global climate crisis. New Zealand has recently become one of the first countries to introduce legislation that would help curb the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted by one of the largest contributors to climate change across the world–the agricultural industry. Livestock farming requires the mass destruction of entire carbon-absorbing forests, the wide scale application of toxic fertilizers, and the breeding of hundreds of millions of belching cattle, all of which release significant amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.
New Zealand has devised a plan whereby farmers will be expected to pay for their gas emissions from the year 2025 onwards, encouraging them to reduce their environmental footprint by housing less animals, and therefore needing less land and fertilizer. Farmers will be incentivized and all revenue generated from this plan will be invested in environmental research projects.
We are asking you, Mr. Biden, to consider enacting similar legislation in the U.S. and help follow through with your alleged climate change initiatives.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Punya
