Intensively Reared vs Grass-Fed

A very different type of farming, thousands of cattle confined in grass-free, mud enclosures and fed a diet based on a carefully formulated mix of corn, fat, growth hormones and antibiotics.
It looks the opposite of eco-friendly farming. Yet it is "greener" than raising cows on the prairies -  greater efficiency leads to less environmental impact.
The scientifically formulated diet means cows put on weight faster and produces 40% less methane than grass-fed cattle.

Intensively reared, corn fed cattle may be the most environmentally friendly.

If you really want to be environmentally friendly eat half the beef you currently eat.

Plastic made from Methane

At the company’s research lab, methane gas—is mixed with air in a steel tank. Newlight’s patented biocatalyst then strips out the carbon from the methane and chains the molecules together to form different grades of plastic resin. At the end of the production line, the resin is chopped into pellets. Newlight sells the pellets to manufacturers to be molded into products. The company operates a plant in California and is building another one in the Midwest that will produce 50 million pounds of plastic annually. The company will obtain greenhouse gases from landfills or farms.

Scientists are experimenting with creating an AirCarbon replacement for plastic water bottles and foam packaging, those other ubiquitous scourges of modern life.

Dell says the computer maker next wants to use AirCarbon to replace foam packaging and, eventually, plastic parts in its computers and servers. The biggest challenge Newlight faces, he says, is scaling up production to meet the demand of global corporations like Dell.

"Why would you ever use a plastic bag that emits carbon again?"  "We want to see this replace plastics everywhere." AirCarbon plastic is biodegradable and recyclable.

AirCarbon is an independently-verified, cradle-to-grave (including all energy inputs, transportation, and end-of-life) carbon-negative material, quantifiably reducing the amount of carbon in the air in every ounce of AirCarbon we make.

Source:http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28858289 

Meat, especially red meat, is very high in a type of fat called arachidonic acid (AA). Small amounts of AA are vital for health and it is an important nutrient for the developing brains in children. In adults, however, large quantities of AA form inflammatory chemicals.

 In fact AA has been associated with the development of various diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and cancer.

Arachidonic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid. It must be formed from other omega-6 fats like those present in corn and soy, the major types of commercial animal feed.

The good news for carnivores is that grass-fed animals have a different fatty acid profile than standard animals raised in feed-lots. Green grasses are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are transferred to the meat. Grass-fed beef still contains AA but it also has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. These omega-3s are very beneficial; they reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol and reduce anxiety and depression.

For an optimal fatty acid profile it is important to choose meat that has been 100 percent grass-fed and never grain-finished.

 There are numerous local resources (Marin Sun Farms and Tara Firma Farms) for 100 percent grass-fed beef and lamb so that you can have your steak and eat it too.