In the past decade, we have been told repeatedly by environmental campaigners, the UN, and scientists the world over that cows are a major contributor to climate change. The logic goes something like this:
1. Cows (and all ruminants) eat grass and other plants.
2. Ruminants release methane while digesting their food.
3. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.
Conclusion: Ruminants are a major contributor to climate change.
It also makes for great headlines: "Cows fart, burp. World Burns." It is funny, catchy, and true- to an extent.
While it is undeniable that ruminants produce greenhouse gases, there is one major flaw with this logic- nowhere in this reductionist line of thought do the ecological services provided by ruminants enter the equation.
This diary will introduce what is known as Holistic Management and how its implementation is akin to setting a bull into a china shop of reductionist thought. It also runs in tandem with my previous diaries on ecological gardening, but since its content is more applicable to larger land areas than a garden (at first glance), I've broadened the title to the umbrella of agroecology.
[Edit- The title of this diary is a direct lift from the title of Allan Savory's lecture which I discuss in this diary. I think it fits, but if anyone is truly concerned, let me know and I may change it.]
[Edit 2- Thank you to gmoke for informing us that Allan Savory will be speaking at The Fletcher School in Medford, MA on Friday Jan 25th!]
[Edit 3- 28.03.2013: Attaching proper citation for the photographs from China.]
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