Since livestock production is the #1 cause of global warming, why don't the government address the main issue?

I'm vegan and I agree that livestock production is a big cause of pollution. But I think that governments aren't addressing this (and neither is the media) because most people still eat meat. Politicians don't want to be unpopular. Also, the meat industry has a huge lobby that gives a lot of money to the government.

I think that if we want to see vegetarianism and veganism really take off, it's up to us. The more people stop eating meat, the more "normal" it will seem. The more of us there are, the more restaurants and grocery stores will start selling vegetarian foods. More people will learn about the situation. The livestock industry will shrink, and other more environmental businesses will take its place. It's up to us! :)

Funny you should mention that because majority of the scientists who came up with the stats are not vegetarians... Maybe because they are really smart people and realize that advancing urbanization into natural habitats and over population are the root causes of the problem and not livestock.. Livestock raising is only a symptom... What's funny about it is that after reading on propaganda from agenda driven vegetarian websites, "armchair experts" always think they know more than the people who actually dedicate their lives to such studies..

And livestock production causes 17% of greenhouse gasses while human industrial activity, especially urban centers cause 75%. It would actually be more efficient for the government to kill all the people in and destroy the cities themselves if effectiveness is what you are looking for..

Lol... YouTube as a source of "factual" info?

Well, I don't believe in global warming and don't consider CO2 a pollutant (we exhale CO2...we can't help it), but I do understand that raising animals for food is extremely wasteful and pollutes way more than cars, buildings, etc.

But the answer is a) the government is honestly incapable of accomplishing or improving anything and b) like an earlier answer, the politician doesn't want to be unpopular.

I don't understand why all of this is still happening because they like the taste. I was just recently at camp on a college campus, and they had lots of great vegetarian and vegan food (soymilk, Kashi cereals, vegan patties, pasta etc). People would ask me why I was vegetarian and they'd exclaim how meat "tastes soo good". Selfish, selfish, selfish! It doesn't go any further than that.

I know veganism is more efficient, kind, and healthy, but I'm currently a vegetarian because I'm only 13 and living in a household with huuuuge meat eaters (Italian cooking; athlete brother; all around greedy family).

Trees aren't burnt to grow vegetables, its burnt to made profit and because more and more land is being used for livestock. Do u even know how much food is needed to feed those livestock's, smarty pants?

Not only that but most of the fecal matter of those livestock's end up in rivers, ponds and some even end up in ocean, its a fact/especially in Australia where they are having most of the problem.

I don't know which meat company website u get ur information from. I watch the "CSPN2", "CSPN", "FXNWS" were they don't take sides but give real prof. SO if u just think the forest's are burnt for us vegetarian and vegan then u and just dead wrong.

If global warming is the fault of mankind, then nearly everything we do will impact on it. Lets all walk to work, work locally and do away with holidays, trains buses, cars, trams, food, because to harvest the worlds food crop you need tractors, combine harvesters etc. You need to run them on fuel.

The list is endless. Why don't statisticians get a proper job than figuring all of these facts out, which in the end may be wrong!

If in fact there is global warming and if in fact it is caused by humans then the best way to counteract it would be for humans to stop their indiscriminate breeding like a bunch of rabbits. Any other solution is a stopgap and temporary at best.

Follow the money. It's not really that difficult to figure out. Big corporations control what happens in the country, just look at the healthcare "debate" going on right now.

Because government is in the pockets of the very industries that are causing harm, hello! Why do you think school lunch programs require students drink cows' milk and make vegans and the lactose intolerant jump through hoops to be able to get a substitute?

the government is supposed to do what the people want. not tell them what's right or wrong...

but why do the common people not see it?

Ignorance?

Maybe not though. What about the people that know this? And know about animal cruelty? And etc (i'm lazy)? I just don't understand... looking at the comments of the video, I see a few people simply don't believe it...

Because it would effect them financially. It is awful what we have been lead to believe is healthy and what we put into our bodies. The real issues are never made totally public. It is quite disturbing!