Whale meat is less environmentally damaging than beef, pork or chicken, a Norwegian whaling lobby group says. It hopes that a new “carbon footprint” study might ease opposition to the hunts.
So should opponents of the harpoon forget the “Save the Whale” slogan, slap whale steaks on the barbecue, learn to chew blubber or savour whale sushi as part of a wider drive to ”Save the Planet”?
The study, by the Norway-based High North Alliance, says that every kilo of whale meat represents 1.9 kilos of carbon dioxide emissions — because of the fuel used by whaling vessels. A similar survey of the climate costs of livestock on land — from tractors, ploughs or use of fertilisers for growing feed — showed 15.8 kilos of emissions per kilo of beef, 6.4 for pork and 4.6 for chicken.
Norway and Japan have long said that numbers of minke whales — the main whale harpooned — are plentiful in the oceans and are not endangered like the giant blue whale.
Greenpeace says that eating threatened species is not a good way to protect the environment. And it says that catching fish almost always involves less carbon emissions than farming meat.
So will the Norwegian survey sway you – or other people — in favour of whale meat?
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10 comments so far
From the land of bored hippies and unassorted nut jobs: eat whale. The man-made global warming crowd continues to be a rich source of slap-stick humor. Nevermind the scientific facts. It’s too much an emotional issue (not to mention new age religion) to let science get in the way. Please … keep it going! Eat more whale. Right …
- Posted by roosterFor the life of me, I can’t understand what all the fuss is about belching cows being a contributor to climate-change. Cows eat grass which has grown via carbon-capturing photosynthesis. They belch methane, which as I understand it eventually breaks down to CO2 anyway. As new grass grows this CO2 is re-captured. In other words, a closed-loop. Grass eaten by cows is an environmentally-friendly bio-fuel.
This is very different from digging up fossil fuels in which the carbon has been safely buried for millenia, and then liberating it into the atmosphere via tail-pipes and smoke-stacks.
Is the concern over animal-emissions a huge con, or am I missing something here?
- Posted by DaveLOL! I had to read the article twice to see if my LCD gawking eyes were finally having a meltdown! So the High North Alliance says whale meat is good for the climate. OK, so let’s get green and screw up Earth’s species diversity. Excellent idea - someone give em the Nobel Prize please! I’m absolutely certain that if I did enough research, I’d be able prove that canabilism is the most efficient diet for humans! So… will I start eating whale meat? Sure! As long as it comes with a side dish of human brain.
- Posted by ElectroBy this logic, the best meat to eat is human. Easy to catch and least endangered, eating a human reduces their human pollution and meat consumption too. Many humans are very well marbled, for tender meat that is easy to cut and chew. I wonder how Norwegians taste?
- Posted by Louise JonesYou know, they may be onto something here.
Now, if we could just sort out the odd ethical and moral issue (as we seem to be setting precedents already - being secure that some celestial doo-dad with an attitude is not going to lob up to chat with their Humpback Homies (Star Trek… er 3?) that may crop up, how’s about looking at cannibalism? Sorts out a raft of climate-related issues all in one: food supply, over-population…
- Posted by PeterJustifying the kill of whales as more efficient co2 producer is ludicrous, Japan scientific research on whales translate on meat delicacy to fulfill his hedonistic appetite, sad to know that the International Whale Institute is in England and is the one that gives the permits for all this whales killing, probably they receive a monthly package of this precious meat…
- Posted by leoThis is the most absurb idea I have ever heard -
- Posted by Jason“Eat a whale and save the planet”? Sometimes I wonder if there is still hope for humanity. If we allow certain “rich” countries to continue their barbaric traditions then we are no better than viruses that ravages an organism without conscience.
i really think that whaling should be left alone. I mean seriously people. Why do Americans eat beef and pork? Why do Koreans eat kimchi? Why can’t the Japanese just eat the whales? I am not a Japanese, and I am in no way connected to them but it’s there tradition! We are running out of fish and dolphins eat sooo much fish!!!
- Posted by KatherineThis is getting interesting, for one side cannibalism the most efficient and green alternative to our planet, where would start?, what about the obese japanese that have indulged from the cream de la cream meat, later on on norwegians and taste where is more pungent flavor…
- Posted by leohmm I think this would make a great t-shirt. “Save the Planet eat a whale!” Add that to the “Save a plant eat a Vegan” shirts.
- Posted by Nick