Links

Grilling the World’s Biggest Meat Producer.

David Gelles. (2023, September 28.) Grilling the world’s biggest meat producer. Retrieved Jan 27, 2024 from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/28/climate/grilling-the-worlds-biggest-meat-producer.html

JBS, the world’s largest beef producer with yearly earnings over $50 billion, is being scrutinized for its huge contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. JBS operates globally, with a supply network that extends into areas such as the Amazon rainforest, resulting in significant carbon dioxide and methane emissions. A study reveals that JBS creates more emissions per year than the entire country of Italy, with a 51% increase between 2016 and 2021. Environmental activists criticize JBS’s listing on the New York Stock Exchange, noting the company’s poor environmental record and governance policies. JBS claims they have a commitment to zero deforestation, but despite these claims, some investigations show JBS’s links to deforestation, raising concerns about transparency and credibility.

This article about JBS is highly concerning to me, shedding light on its significant environmental impact. JBS’ substantial contributions to carbon dioxide and methane emissions, which very surprisingly surpassed the entirety of Italy’s greenhouse gas emissions in a year, make me more concerned about the meat industry’s environmental impact, and not just the abuse of animals. The company’s involvement in deforestation in places such as the Amazon rainforest, is the worst part, as there are many biodiverse ecosystems that are getting destroyed, this highlights the need for immediate action to address the negative effects this company inflicts on the environment. I think that places like the amazon rainforest should no doubt be fully protected with severe consequences if not abided by. Large companies like JBS are hard to change, and as stated in the article they may be lying about their commitment to non-deforestation. If we cannot stop the companies, we need to protect the forests in which they are destroying. I think it is common sense at this point to protect and conserve all of the diminishing biodiversity-rich areas that we have left. In the meantime if possible, I think that JBS must prioritize transparency by giving detailed and verifiable information about their sourcing, animal slaughter rates, and overall carbon footprint.

 

Invasive Species in Panama Canal

1. Invasive Species in Panama Canal

Appleton, Andrea. “Panama Canal: Superhighway for Invasive Species?” National Geographic.

National Geographic Society, 25 Feb. 2015. Web. 22 Aug. 2015.

<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/150223-panama-canal-expa

nsion-invasive-species-environment/>.

With the completion of the Panama Canal already underway, the amount of ships that will be hauling cargo to ports on the Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast is tremendous. The ships will not only be hauling the shipment cargo but intruder species as well. With the canal being made  more wide and deep, researchers believe ongoing ships will bring in invasive species that have a possibility of harming the already unstable habitat. These species are carried within the floating ballast of water of a ship or clinging to submerged parts of the ship. Researchers advise that if there are known hot spots where these species are thriving, to take management efforts as quickly as possible.

This article shows that not only humans are a threat to ecosystems in environments but unknown species as well. Invasive species are a huge threat to environmental science because they can easily adapt to new environments and thrive while hurting other organisms. We as humans are contributing to this factor without even realizing. We have the technology and knowledge to help the environments that we are already exhausting from resources.