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by SeeDave 3020 days ago
From my understanding (which could be complete and total junk science/quackery)... wheat and other vegetables are carbon neutral. CO2 is extracted from the atmosphere, and used to grow the plants. Even unused parts (wheat straw) are a type of carbon "sink" in that the atmospheric carbon is trapped in organic matter which can be "upcycled" into paper products, etc.

I believe this thought process is why corn-ethanol was so hyped, as it was sold as a 'net carbon zero' fuel.

Not looking for a flamewar here, and I would be grateful if you could correct any misunderstandings I may have. I've got an 8th grade science-fair level of education on this one, so I'm more than open to your thoughts!

2 comments

Not to mention that you need to grow the grain to feed the beef if they aren't grass fed cattle.
Industrial farming is dependent on fertilizers derived from natural gas and diesel to run tractors. No industrially produced crops are carbon neutral.