i want to make a general comment, though, because we're seeing a trend show up in blaming the issue on cattle farming. i ignored it at first, but it's starting to become a theme, and that's disturbing, because it's not based on any actual science.

it is true that farming is a substantive contributor to global warming, but the idea that it's the dominant factor (and specifically that cows are the dominant factor) is simply wrong and, i believe, ultimately sourced from a dubious hollywood film that took copious amounts of money from the fossil fuel industry. when you hear people talk like this, red flags should go off in your mind. this is pseudo-science, but it's worse than that - it's meant to shift the blame from transnational industry to small farmers that can't really defend themselves.

the host at one point even suggested that the problem would be solved if the whole world went vegan, which is so horrifically wrong as to demand a retraction.

raising cattle is, in theory, actually carbon neutral. why is that? because the carbon that the cattle release into the environment came from the environment in the first place. cows don't create carbon, they use carbon and recycle it. the reason that farming is a substantive contributor is not due to cattle, but due to the use of oil-based pesticides for vegetables, as well as the habit of land-clearing to make room for them.

so, no, you don't have to give up burgers and cheese to solve the problem. nor is giving up burgers and cheese from a state like wisconsin going to make any substantive difference. factory farming is not a significant net contributor. but, soy and corn are.

if you're solely concerned about carbon emissions, your soy burger is worse.

i'm sorry if i burst your bubble of ignorance, but you need to stop watching movies. read books, instead.

i suppose it's not surprising to see this on cnn. i mean, the party itself refused it. so, why wouldn't exxon step in, right?

but understand it for what it is. and, now that the tone is set, i'll do my best to deconstruct the situation further as it happens.

we need to go after industry, not farmers.