May 17, 2024
Mark Lutz: The Impact of Animal Agriculture on our Environment

The impact of animal agriculture on our environment is a critical issue that deserves more attention than is presently being given to it. Despite very significant environmental impacts, the attention given to animal agriculture in the media is minimal. And even worse, animal agriculture is growing at a significant rate throughout the world.

Raising awareness about the environmental consequences of animal agriculture is crucial for sustainable and responsible food production. This presentation will cover:

• The various environmental impacts including greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water consumption, biodiversity loss, health impacts and climate opportunity costs.
• A deeper dive into how animal agriculture environmental impacts are measured and assessed – and how easily this can be under-reported.
• An exploration of some factors that may contribute to this under-reporting - including economic interests, cultural norms, and the influence of powerful industries.
• The current state of how these issues are being addressed – and how we, as individuals, have a much more powerful voice than we realize.

Time will be given at the end of this presentation for discussion and to answer any questions.

Mark is graduate of California State University and has been an independent environmental consultant and greenhouse gas verifier for the past 16 years. During this time, he has worked with many industries including wineries, electric utilities, food production, manufacturing, ethanol production, oil and gas production, landfills, and the dairy industry.

This includes working with some well known companies such as Safeway, Bonneville Power Administration, Levi Strauss, Clif Bar, Modesto Irrigation District, Gallo Winery, Rodney Strong Vineyards and Beyond Meat. He was also on a consulting team to assist the country of Ethiopia to monitor and measure greenhouse gases connected to its Paris Climate Accords commitments.