Big Carbon Paw Prints

Companion animals who are fed meat and animal by-products harm the environment more than sports utility vehicles, according to a new study published in New Scientist magazine. The study was aimed to confirm research presented in Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, a new book penned by sustainable living specialists Robert and Brenda Vale. Both research teams found that a medium-sized dog consumes approximately 360 pounds of meat and more than 200 pounds of grain each year. The agriculture needed to sustain this kind of companion-animal diet emits twice the greenhouse gas emissions that come from driving an SUV 6,200 miles per year.