“There is no doubt that reducing consumption of meat, especially red meat, is one of the most effective things the individual can do to reduce their greenhouse gas pollution. Producing meat turns vegetable protein very inefficiently into animal protein, using large amounts of energy and water in the process. Secondly, meat production takes place a long way from the main population centres, so large amounts of fuel energy are needed to transport meat to urban consumers. Thirdly, meat products need to be cooked to be safe to eat, generating more greenhouse gas pollution. Ruminant animals also produce large amounts of methane a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, in the process of digesting grass. So overall, meat production in general and beef production in particular is a serious contribution to greenhouse gas pollution and hence global warming.” ~ Professor Ian Lowe, 2005. President of the Australian Conservation Foundation and Author of ‘Living in the Hothouse’ Scribe Publications 2005.

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A 24 min. documentary by New Zealand Filmmakers Kat Gawlik & Sonya Walker

Global Warming and Climate Change have become, literally, the hot topics of the 21st Century. New Zealand sells itself with its “100% Pure” image: we are supposedly clean and green. However, one of the most significant contributors to global warming is methane gas – and with millions of sheep and cows, New Zealand is a veritable methane gas factory. As this film shows in its Monty Pythonesque way: we may not have obvious great smoke stacks spewing out pollutants, but we have bovine digestive tracts that are equally insidious. “Silent but violent” takes on a whole new meaning in this film that is as much fun as it is serious.

Watch it here!