Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Haarlam to ban meat ads

The city of Haarlam in the Netherlands will ban advertising of meat in an effort to curb demand and greenhouse gas emissions.

City officials are delaying the ban until 2024 to give time for advertising contracts to expire.


Supporters of the ban cited research from a climate scientists at the University of Illinois that shows that the food production system – especially for beef products – have a detrimental effect on the environment in terms of water use and greenhouse gases from cattle.


 The researchers also said that cows, pigs and other animals raised for food are responsible for 57 per cent  of all food production emissions and 33 per cent of all planet-heating emissions.


The advertising ban in Haarlem, ­a city of 160,000 about 13 miles west of Amsterdam, also will include ads for holiday flights, fossil fuels and cars that run on fossil fuels. 


Meanwhile a research team at the University of Waterloo has won runner-up prize in a global Dyson competition for engineering-sector innovations.


Their innovation uses bacteria and aggregate to make bricks. It can be done on construction sites, also reducing transportation emissions.


Conventional brick-making involves high heat for two days, consuming large amounts of energy that releases greenhouse gasses.


The team believes it will be able to use the technology to make concrete. 


 Conventional production of cement also involves high heat.


About 23 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions arise from the construction sector, the team said.