FOR THAT SWEDISH GUY.
THEY ARE GETTING A LOT OF
STRANGE CLIMATE IDEAS OVER IN
EUROPE.
IN GERMANY, LAWMAKERS HAVE
INTRODUCED A BILL THAT WOULD
INCREASE A 19% VALUE-ADDED TAX
TO ALL OF THE MEAT IN THE
COUNTRY.
IN THE UNITED KINGDOM,
GOLDSMITHS UNIVERSITY IN LONDON
HAS BANNED ALL BEEF, ALL BURGERS
ENTIRELY, IN THE NAME OF THE
PLANET.
MAKE NO MISTAKE, THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO THE SAME
THING IN AMERICA, UNTIL WE ALL
HAVE TO DO DOMINIC GET OUR
PROTEIN BY EATING MEALWORMS AND
GRASSHOPPERS.
ASHLEY BYRNE IS ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR OF PETA.
SHE JOINS US.
NOW, PETER ACTUALLY IS IN FAVOR
OF A MEAT TAX.
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> Ashley: PETA HAS BEEN AN
ADVOCATE FOR A MEAT TAX FOR SO
MANY YEARS, BECAUSE OF THE FACT
THAT WE ALREADY HAVE SIMILAR
TAXES ON THINGS LIKE SODA,
CIGARETTES, AND ALCOHOL, AND
THEIR EFFECT ON HEALTH.
WE ALSO HAVE A SIMILAR TAX ON
THINGS THAT ARE HEALTH DOMINIC
HARMFUL FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
IT IS A TOP CONTRIBUTOR TO WHAT
IS KILLING AMERICANS.
IT IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY
CULPRITS BEHIND EVERY MAJOR
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN, WHETHER
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE, WATER POLLUTION, AIR
POLLUTION, OR TO FORESTATION.
WE SHOULD BE FOLLOWING A SIMILAR
PATHWAY.
>> Mark: I MEAN, ALEXANDRIA
OCASIO-CORTEZ OBVIOUSLY WHEN SHE
LAUNCHED THE GREEN NEW DEAL.
BUT YOU DON'T ACTUALLY, THAT
DOESN'T APPLY TO ALL ANIMALS.
THERE WAS A SURVEY AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO IN
CANADA, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT
SUGGESTED THAT USING PIG MEAT,
YOU COULD ACTUALLY USE THAT AS
FUEL AND IT WOULD BE, IN FACT,
MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
THAN SAY, NATURAL GAS.
>> Ashley: WELL, IF WE WANT TO
GET A REAL PICTURE OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND THE
AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY AS A
WHOLE, WE NEED TO LOOK BEYOND
METHANE AND BEYOND CLIMATE
CHANGE.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE
AIR POLLUTION AND WATER
POLLUTION, AND THE FACT THAT
DEFORESTATION IS HAPPENING AT AN
ALARMING RATE TO FARM LAND FOR
GRAZING.
>> Mark: BUT THAT'S MOSTLY IN
AFRICA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, WHERE THEY
HAVE A POPULATION EXPLOSION.
ESSENTIALLY, WE ARE
REFORESTATION IN NORTH AMERICA
AND THE WEST OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
>> Ashley: BUT GIANT CHUNKS OF
THE AMAZON.
ALSO, AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT
THINGS LIKE WATER POLLUTION.
RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES,
THE EPA SAYS THAT ANIMAL
AGRICULTURE IS THE LEADING
CULPRIT BEHIND WATER POLLUTION.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE
FACT THAT YOU SEE ANIMALS AND
KILLED FOR FOOD IN THE
UNITED STATES PRODUCES TEN TIMES
MORE EXCREMENT THAN THE ENTIRE
HUMAN POPULATION IN THIS COUNTR
COUNTRY.
WE REALLY HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL
CRISIS ON OUR HANDS.
IT GOES BEYOND CLIMATE CHANGE.
>> Mark: TO GO BACK TO THAT
SURVEY, THE UNIVERSITY SEEMS TO
THINK THAT INSTEAD OF JUST
LEAVING IT THERE, THAT WE CAN
ACTUALLY TAKE THAT STUFF AND
POWER OUR HOMES AND OUR MOTOR
VEHICLES WITH IT.
ISN'T THAT INNOVATION, ISN'T
THAT MORE LIKELY TO BE
BENEFICIAL TO THE PLANET THAN
SIMPLY ABOLISHING WHAT IS A
STAPLE OF THE HUMAN DIET?
>> Ashley: WELL, IT'S NOT,
BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER
CONCERNS.
FOR INSTANCE, THE FACT THAT WE
USE TREMENDOUS RESOURCES, WATER,
FOOD, LAND TO PRODUCE.
IT ONLY YIELDS AS A SMALL AMOUNT
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE PUTTING
IN.
THE WASTE IS INCREDIBLE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT
ACTUALLY, WE HAVE ALTERNATIVES
NOW, THE TASTE OF MEAT, THE
TEXTURE OF MEAT.
THEY ARE DELICIOUS, AND THEIR
IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT TO SO
MUCH LOWER.
WHY WOULD WE DEAL WITH THESE
INTEREST
INDUSTRIES THAT ARE OUTDATED
WHEN WE HAVE BETTER OPTIONS?
>> Mark: YOU LOOK AT THE BIG
CHAINS, BURGER KING,
McDONALD'S, WENDY'S.
AND THAT'S THE OTHER POINT HERE.
ISN'T THIS A REGRESSIVE TAX,
THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIKE ARUGULA
ON A BED OF ARUGULA ARE THE
ELITE.
THE FANCY SALAD RESTAURANTS IN
BEVERLY HILLS AND MARTHA'S
VINEYARD.
IT'S THE MAN IN THE STREET WHO'S
GETTING A BURGER.
THIS MEAT TAX WOULD BE A
REGRESSIVE TAX ON THE POOREST
PEOPLE IN SOCIETY.
>> Ashley: WELL FIRST OF ALL,
THE MAN ON THE STREET IS LOOKING
FOR A PLANT-BASED OPTIONS NOW
TOO, WHICH IS WHY RESTAURANTS
LIKE BURGER KING ARE ADDING
VEGAN OPTIONS TO THEIR MENU.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT
HEALTH CONCERNS.
THAT'S ANOTHER REASON THAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE ADVOCATE FOR A TAX ON
MEAT.
AGAIN, MEET IS ONE OF THE
LEADING CONTRIBUTORS TO SOME OF
THE TOP KILLERS OF AMERICANS.
THE FACT IS THAT RIGHT NOW, OUR
MEAT IS HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED.
SO THE TAXPAYER, THE POOR
DECISION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
CHOOSING TO EAT EVEN THOUGH THEY
KNOW THAT IT'S BAD FOR THEIR
HELP AND IF THAT FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT.
>> Mark: I SAW A GUY HAD A