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Alexander J. Stein@ajstein.bsky.social |
74 followers 39 following 558 posts
Agricultural economist interested in food, nutrition, sustainability, technology. PhD. Private account. Posts ≠ endorsements. More info & other networks at www.AJStein.de
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Someone working in location A but having their social center in location B will travel between A and B. If they are allowed to telework, they can stay in B. Requiring them to work in A means more trips.
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Presenteeism at many workplaces (where more telework would be possible) doesn't make it easier for such people to reduce their flights and long-distance commutes (over weekends). Working conditions have a direct carbon impact.
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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A focus on "regenerative or organic approaches" is not sustainable, e.g. organic beef is bad and oftentimes greater land-use of organic is also bad. Focus should be on actual (evidence-based, measured) impact, not rigidly on processes or inputs. (Then they will be used much more judiciously anyway.)
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Using heterogeneous "processed food" as proxy for bad food isn't helpful. Animal products (sausages, yoghurt etc.) with lots of saturated fat, salt or sugar are not the same as plant-based ones with less, white bread isn't the same as packaged wholemeal bread, etc. We need good nutrition labelling.
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Despite #supplementation & fortification programs, #vitaminA deficiency remains high in poor & rural populations. Enriched "#GoldenRice" is a cost-effective additional strategy. #Consumers from rural #Bangladesh intend to purchase it: doi.org/10.1177/0030... #nutrition #GMO #rice
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Cultivated #pork has the authentic flavors & textures #consumers expect from traditional pork. With a scalable platform, affordable #meat products for mainstream consumers can be developed: futurealternative.com.au/magic-valley... #culturedmeat #cleanmeat
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#EU: 110,000+ food products sampled for #pesticides. Over 50% were free of any residues. Only 1.6% exceeded permitted levels, down from 2% in 2019. #EFSA found a low risk to consumer #health from the exposure to these residues: www.efsa.europa.eu/en/news/pest... #foodsafety
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#Ireland: Almost 20% of #farmers would look at #rewetting their farms for payments. #Sheep farmers are the most open, #dairy ones less: www.farmersjournal.ie/almost-20-of... >> A good start: Adopting sth. new always starts slow/low. #Subsidies can help transition to more #sustainable landuse.
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Lifesaving #GoldenRice is once again under fire from groups who deny the #science behind its safety and its potential to save millions of #children’s lives worldwide. Let policymakers know you support this lifesaving food: act.weplanet.org/defend-lifes... #DefendGoldenRice #nutrition
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Molecular #farming can be used to grow animal #proteins in plants. USDA cleared #soybeans containing #pork proteins that can help consumers eat less #meat & make their diets more #climate-friendly as a result: www.greenqueen.com.hk/moolec-piggy... #GMO #PlantBreeding
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#Environment impacts of producing animal-based #proteins are substantial. Over 3/4 of agricultural #landuse & 2/3 of agricultural GHG #emissions are linked to such foods. Alternative #protein sources offer opportunities for #foodsecurity & sustainability: www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Editorial: When modified #rice could save thousands of lives, it is wrong to oppose it. The green movement’s attempts to block the cultivation of #GoldenRice, a grain enhanced with #vitaminA, is misguided: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... #science #GMO #PlantBreeding #nutrition #health
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(2/2) Shifting to alternative diets (#plantbased, mycoprotein, #cellbased etc.) can mitigate GHG #emissions (39- 86%) & #landuse (38-82%), highlighting the potential of dietary changes to mitigate global #environment impacts linked to food systems: doi.org/10.1016/j.sc... #diets
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Shifting #diets can mitigate impacts of #foodsystems, which are responsible for 1/3 of GHG #emissions & pressure on #ecosystems. A life cycle assessment evaluated the #environment impacts of a conventional diet in #Brazil vs alternative diets: doi.org/10.1016/j.sc... #LCA (1/2)
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#Review: There is airborne transmission of #COVID & other respiratory pathogens. #Masks reduce transmission of respiratory diseases if worn correctly & consistently. #FFP2/N95 masks are better than medical or cloth masks. Mask mandates can be effective: doi.org/10.1128/cmr....
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Thanks for this differentiation! Markets can be good mechanisms - if there are no market failures (such as asymmetries that can be driven by power). But this means indeed that governments must intervene to create the right conditions & a level playing field, not step back to let "the market" decide.
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Their caveat is weird, though. Like saying we have strong evidence that seat belts protect people & save lives, but if used wrongly in some cases they may result in harm. Therefore we caution against general recommendations to wear seat belts... (Why not recommend and communicate their correct use?)
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Hundreds of #patients died after catching (preventable) #COVID in hospitals, data shows: www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05... >> Sadly, not only in Australia; neither in Belgium nor in Germany are there #masks or testing in #hospitals I've been to, unnecessarily exposing vulnerable people.
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Prices of #micronutrient-dense foods grow faster than #prices of starchy staple food (FAO database). With this trend, governments must adopt policies to enhance #nutrition-sensitive interventions (e.g. #biofortification) to eradicate hidden hunger: nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:b... #hunger
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#Australia: Farmers can now grow #GMO banana. Using a gene from a wild banana variety, the wilt-proof #banana is resistant to a devastating fungus that attacks roots of #bananas, causing wilt. The #fungus is aggressive & destructive and spread worldwide: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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44% of #proteins sold in Dutch supermarket are #plantbased as demand for #vegan products increases. The #supermarket is motivated by the #environment and encourages shoppers to choose plant-based food; animal #agriculture is a cause of the #climate crisis: plantbasednews.org/news/economi...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Europe’s biggest #pork producer admits to misleading people with #greenwashing claims that its #meat is more climate-friendly. #Beef & #dairy have high #emissions, but pork production is #climate-damaging, too (e.g. feeding #pigs with soy = deforestation): www.euronews.com/green/2024/0...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(3/3) But the #culturedmeat industry is still in its early stages and more #funding is urgently needed to ensure it can reach a size where it will have an impact on the global food supply: doi.org/10.1007/978-... #cleanmeat #sustainable #foodsecurity
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(2/3) Tasty, healthy & affordable #meat-like foods can be produced close to urban areas and much current #landuse to raise & feed #livestock be freed up, reducing GHG #emissions, pollution & water use, and increasing #biodiversity when land is rewilded: doi.org/10.1007/978-...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#Biotechnology will be key for developing a healthier & more #sustainable food supply. Cultivating cells in #fermentation tanks can provide us with foods that cause much less #environment damage and without the cruelty & pain of animal production: doi.org/10.1007/978-... (1/3)
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#VitaminB1 is an essential micronutrient. #Rice contains little & polishing #grains reduces it even further, leading to #malnutrition. Scientists generated #rice that sequesters vitamin B1 in the endosperm: www.unige.ch/medias/en/20... #PlantBreeding #GMO #biofortification #nutrition
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Lidl creates price parity btwn #plantbased & animal products and makes them easier for #consumers to find, sees sales of #vegan products increase by 30%. It will reduce the number of animal-based products due to #climatechange & sustainability concerns: vegconomist.com/fairs-and-ev...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Elevated #CO2 levels *and* increased #fertilizer application enhance rice #yields. As the CO2 concentration increases, the #nitrogen content of plants may be diluted, leading to increased fertilizer demand by crops: doi.org/10.1007/s427... #rice #climatechange
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Since approved in 1995, no #GMO crop has proven to cause harm to #consumers or the #environment. Rather, they improve crop efficiency, #drought tolerance & #yields, and reduce losses to pests & risks from #insecticides. Restricting them is not rational: doi.org/10.1080/2164...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(2/2) Less stringent #emissions reductions in the #energy system – possible with more #plantbased diets – reduce pressure on energy & food #prices. In richer countries, the cost of healthy vs current #diets can be 22-34%: doi.org/10.1126/scia...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Transiting to healthy #diets could much reduce GHG #emissions. Flexitarian diets increase the feasibility of #climate goals & allow achieving the same outcome with less less stringent emission reductions in the #energy system: doi.org/10.1126/scia... #CO2 #methan #ruminants (1/2)
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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"#OpenAccess" journals from predatory publishers: Accepting #manuscripts for money with no time for #peerreview is predatory. Critically explore e-mail invitations & journal websites, do an online search for the journal: doi.org/10.1038/d415... – Don't publish, don't reference it
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(2/2) Financial imbalance in government support, fueled by policy decisions & the lobbying power of the #meat & dairy #industry, plays a crucial role in maintaining lower #prices for animal products at the expense of #plantbased alternatives: vegconomist.com/society/unve... #subsidies
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Plant-based alternatives can be more expensive than #meat, making them less accessible to #consumers. But this is due to a substantial gap in government support as meat & #dairy producers receive a lion's share vs their #plantbased counterparts: vegconomist.com/society/unve... (1/2)
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#Nova food classification, based on processing & the use of additives, does not help understanding the potential harm of different foods. Some #ultraprocessed food (wholegrain products) may be beneficial, minimally processed food (red #meat) may not: doi.org/10.1136/bmj.... #UPFs
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#Ultraprocessed food is not necessarily bad. Meat-based ready-to-eat products drive all cause #mortality, but quality #diets attenuate it—eating less processed #meat can be beneficial for #health. Analyses must control confounding factors: doi.org/10.1136/bmj.... #UPFs #NOVA
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#Cows account for 10% of GHG #emissions. Every few months, scientists publish a new report that we can’t limit #globalwarming if people in rich countries don’t eat fewer animals, but #USDA helps the #meat industry to #greenwash its products: www.vox.com/future-perfe... #beef #climate
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Starting to panic about the future, #climate scientists are wary of having #kids: We are not so special that our genes must be transmitted, values matter more. Rich people choosing to have large #families are self-centred & irresponsible in current times: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(3/3) Ranchers can save us from the greatest threats facing our planet. We need to recognize that restoration of #ecosystems that fight the #climate crisis is an agricultural occupation and support farmers who choose to ranch #carbon instead of cattle: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(2/3) Raising #cattle is only lucrative due to #subsidies, wile the global production of just #soybeans yields more than 2x as much high-quality #protein as the entire global #meat supply. Farmers & #ranchers don’t need to be victims of a changing world: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Reducing #cattle populations is our best chance to tackle #climatechange. Although many people are aware that eating less animal products (#beef, #dairy) would help combat the #climate crisis, the size of the effect is deeply underappreciated: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... (1/3)
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(3/3) ... but taking measures to limit negative #environment impacts of #diets is essential. Western high-income countries need to reduce #meat consumption for climate change mitigation: doi.org/10.1016/j.jc... #climatechange
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(2/3) East #Asia & Pacific may contribute 56-125% of the decline in global #meat consumption, while demand in the West more likely increases by 15-71% until 2100. Governments there seem reluctant to promote #lifestyle changes to mitigate climate change... doi.org/10.1016/j.jc...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Meat demand is crucial to limit #globalwarming. The West's #meat consumption (38% of total by 14% of the world population) has a disproportionate #climate impact. Even if global meat demand will decline under most scenarios... doi.org/10.1016/j.jc... (1/3)
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(3/3) Dietary guidelines that recommend limited intake red & processed #meat could reduce diet-related GHG #emissions and improve population #health. Future efforts to promote healthy, #sustainable diets should moderate red & processed meat consumption: doi.org/10.1186/s129...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(2/3) While red #meat is a source of nutrients, at high intakes it is linked to cardiovascular disease, #diabetes & #cancer. In high-income contexts with high intake of animal-sourced foods, eating more #plantbased foods can benefit nutrient adequacy: doi.org/10.1186/s129...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Higher quality #diets are linked to lower GHG emissions. Red & processed #meat has much larger emission impacts than any other dietary component. It has high production-associated #emissions & meat-rich diets consistently have higher emissions: doi.org/10.1186/s129... (1/3)
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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#Nigeria: Receiving agricultural #extension service was linked to more #foodsecurity & assets. Advice on #seeds & #fertiliser was linked to 12-15% reduction in #foodinsecurity & 92-113% increase in assets. Access to extension can improve #farmers’ welfare: doi.org/10.1007/s125...
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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(2/2) To allow #cultivatedmeat to move the needle on issues such as #foodsecurity & #climatechange, public funding is needed: cultivated-x.com/meat/superme... #LCA #sustainable #cleanmeat #funding
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Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
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Conventional #chicken has a smaller #environment footprint than #beef & #pork, but cultivated #meat is better. An analysis found 47% less carbon #emissions, 90% less #landuse, 64% less fine particulate matter & 85% less terrestrial #acidification (1/2): cultivated-x.com/meat/superme...
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