Michael Buckner | Frazer Harrison, Getty Images Now this is a collaboration that…
Sir Paul McCartney Takes On the Livestock Industry Over Global Warming
- Posted on May 7th 2010 6:50AM by Julian Marszalek
Sir Paul McCartney has managed to incur the wrath of the British Beef Association after making comments on BBC Radio 4's Today show on Thursday, May 6, when he claimed that the livestock industry made more of a contribution to climate change than the combined effects of pollution from planes, trains and automobiles.McCartney was discussing his involvement with the Meat Free Mondays campaign, which calls for people to drop meat from their diets at the beginning of the week in order to help combat global warming.
Sir Paul told the BBC, "It started off with the United Nations saying the livestock industry is a bigger demon, as far as global warming is concerned, than the whole of the transport industry put together."
The committed vegetarian continued, "I wrote to millions of people like Gordon Brown and the leaders of this and that country and saying, 'Do you think this is an interesting idea?'
"Since then, it has caught on and I understand that [chef] Gordon Ramsay has said that one meat-free day a week is a good idea and I understand that [fellow chef] Jamie Oliver too has said that it's a good idea, so that's why I got involved."
However, according to the Independent newspaper, the British Beef Association has reacted badly to the claims and has demanded that the BBC gives it a voice to respond in the interests of the broadcaster's "reputation for balance and accuracy." Whether the BBC responds to their challenge or not remains to be seen, while McCartney has refused to make any further comment.
Add a Comment
Eating less (or no) meat is better for the environment, for your health and better for the poor animals, who seem to be the least consideration to a lot of people.
A very good movie has just become available on DVD. "CAGE FREE" www.cagefreemovie.org Whilst it is actually a very entertaining thriller about a kidnapping, it carries a strong message against factory farming. This is the kind of media we need to support and recommend to the (as yet) non vegetarians that we know.
Paul McCartney should stay in England and keep his mouth shut about American politics and most everything else except his music, which is obviously all he knows anything about. If one of our performers came to Britain and spouted off at the mouth constantly with negative comments about his homeland, I'm sure they would be asked to leave immediately. He seems to be showing his ignorance on a regular basis these days. Our love for him is going down the drain, just like his music in America.
June 24 2010 at 11:28 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplySir Paul McCartney, It's time to "GET BACK, to where you once belonged". Eat Meat, or keep your comments to yourself and have some veggies.
Livestock-ID, Animal Identification Resources
Sounds like Sir McCartney needs to read the news lately. He's basing this claim off of "Livestock's Long Shadow," a study put out by the UN in 2006.
HOWEVER, the scientists who ran the study have since admitted that they did not use the same scales for both livestock and cars which, consequently, downgraded the amount of pollution created by cars and elevated the amount of pollution created by livetsock. The numbers were dramatically skewed.
Don't believe me? Read the CNN article from this March
"Don't blame the cows" by Paul Armstrong
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/science/03/24/meat.industry.global.warming/index.html
Thank you, Sir Paul, for lending your great name to this problem!
May 08 2010 at 8:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHi, again, I even think about the Biotech that according to the FDA of America uses some other critter that has been put in a needle and into the cow that we are commenting about. To put chicken or lizard or human into the needle is too much for me.
I don't like the cows, steers, and bulls that have been produced this way for us to eat. And then the phony strange creatures that the cows become in several photos in the Southern USA.
Also biotech refers to our grains and regular food seeds that won't come back true. A green bean isn't a green bean the next year and the taste is horrible too as well as the medical problems that might arise in the future from eating this stuff.
I am stuck in Elko, NV, USA and the police have taken my pickup and all that I own. I am returning after my daughter Karen's death, Paul. I hope to get in touch with you soon about all the other mess about my life and if you would like my assistance with your recordings etc. since I used to inspire you so your recordings etc in the past. I am still broke and never received anything from the music industry or entertainment industry;
Your an idiot... so sad to see one of our last Fab Four going the way of dementia......Love the Beatles, but Paul shut the heck up!! Just sing!! One volcano caused more pollution in one day than every car ever made for the last 75 years.....So let's attack the beef industry and cause more world hunger and more unemployment...YOU LIBS hurt more people thinking your helping...your all lost!!!!
May 08 2010 at 5:58 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyPAUL SHOULD KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT * ESPECIALLY AFTER HIS HEATHER (PLAY WITH MY STUMP) MILLS AFFAIR * HE IS STICKING HIS NOSE INTO THINGS HE SHOULDN'T & WANTS TO MAKE EVERYBODY EAT ONLY VEGGIES * PAUL GO EAT YOUR CHEAP PASTA * I'M NOT BUYING INTO YOUR VEGGIE LINE B.S. & NEITHER IS MOST OF MANKIND ********************
******************************************************
IT MIGHT BE NICE IF YOU COULD MAKE A DECENT RECORDING RATHER THAN THE TRASH YOU HAVE BEEN COMING UP WITH * IF IT WEREN'T FOR HIS PAST SUCCESS WITH THE BEATLES HE WOULD HAVE NO FUTURE ********************************
A few things: Paul is certainly not a has-been.I respect his musical accomplishments,& he continues to record & tour.His body of work is matched by very few.I am a musician,so I tip my hat.Having said that,Paul,if you really believe that cows farting is destroying the environment,then I'm forced to say that all those drugs you took back in the day are taking their toll.Sad,really.I will eat whatever I want,whenever I want,as much as I want.The end.
May 08 2010 at 5:01 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyCan you expalin why we didn't have global warming when 70 million Amerian Bison roamed the great plains. Also, the natural emission from one volcano in only one hour dwarfs all the pollution mankind has EVER produced, and the emission from the volcano is far more hazardous than all the methane and CO2. Why don't you protest volcanic eruptions instead.
May 08 2010 at 2:14 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply











148 Comments