THOSE concerned with the environment may be interested to learn that livestock production is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than those generated by transport.

These findings form the basis of a new report published in November, 2006, by the Food And Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. The report goes on to state that the livestock sector accounts for nine per cent of the CO2 deriving from human-related activities and 37 per cent of all human-induced methane, it also uses 33 per cent of global arable land to produce feed (land which could of course be used to grow crops to feed humans).

At the same time, herds cause wide-scale land degradation from over-grazing with around 20 per cent of pastures damaged in this way; in the Amazon, 70 per cent of former forests have been cleared to provide grazing.

In view of the fact that global meat production and milk output is projected to more than double by the middle of the century, we must wake up to the fact that this just isn't sustainable.

Maybe it's time to go vegetarian.

Chris Flanagan, Alma Terrace, Fulford Road, York.