Milk/Dairy CowsWhat effect does milking a cow and dairy cows in general have on the environment?
If cows were a country, they would be third in the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases. Dairy cows and more specifically, their manure emit greenhouse gases into the environment that contribute to climate change. What are greenhouse gases? A greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the atmosphere and create a layer that envelopes and warms the earth, almost like a blanket. These layers absorb heat that is reflected off of the Earth's surface. Examples of some greenhouse gases are methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and water vapor. When thinking about greenhouse gases, it is simpler to try to find equivalent amounts of carbon dioxide. What is methane and what is its effect on the environment? Methane is a greenhouse gas emitted from cows, like carbon dioxide. However, the negative effect on the environment from methane is 23 times higher than the negative effect of the environment from carbon dioxide. This means that the release of about 100 kilograms of methane is equivalent to the release of about 2,300 kilograms of carbon dioxide. How does this tie into cheese making?
Most of the greenhouse gas emissions are from dairy farms. Modern dairy farms produce about 1.2 pounds of carbon dioxide for every pound of milk. Around 10 pounds of milk are needed to create one pound of cheese. This means that for every pound of cheese, 12 pounds of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere. The lifetime greenhouse gas emissions of a kilogram of hard cheese is about 8.8 kilograms of carbon dioxide. This is similar to driving a car around 20 miles or leaving an incandescent 100 watt light bulb on for one hour. |
Adding AcidityWhat effect does adding acidity have on the environment?
A type of acidity used in cheese making is lemon juice. Experts have proven that for each half-gallon carton of juice, 3.75 pounds of carbon dioxide are released into the environment. About 1/2 cup of lemon juice is used for 2 cups of cheese. This means that for 4 cups of lemon juice , a gallon of cheese is produced. A half gallon carton is equivalent to 8 cups - 2 gallons of cheese. This means that For every two gallons of cheese (that is made with lemon juice) produced, 7.5 pounds of carbon dioxide is released into environment. |