Obesity Promotes Global Warming?

NY Times ^ | May 16, 2008 | John Tierney

[neverdem]

As someone who commutes by bicycle into Manhattan, I would normally applaud any scientific rationale for more bike lanes. But some calculations in the new issue of the Lancet make me uncomfortable. The authors argue that policies promoting cycling and walking are good for the planet because they could reduce obesity — and obesity, the authors calculate, contributes to global warming.

Do we really need to give fat people one more reason to feel guilty?

The Lancet authors, Dr. Phil Edwards and Dr. Ian Roberts of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, crunch the numbers and conclude:

Compared with the normal weight population, the obese population consumes 18% more food energy. Additionally, more transportation fuel energy will be used to transport the increased mass of the obese population, which will increase even further if, as is likely, the overweight people in response to their increased body mass choose to walk less and drive more.

Urban transport policies that promote walking and cycling would reduce food prices by reducing the global demand for oil, and promotion of a normal distribution of B.M.I. [Body Mass Index] would reduce the global demand for, and thus the price of, food. Decreased car use would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus the need for biofuels, and increased physical activity levels, would reduce injury risk and air pollution, improving population health...

[traderrob6]

Related...

http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com/2008/05/31000-say-nay-to-anthropogenic-global.html

[shadeaud]

If everyone in the Big Apple would go home at before sunsets and don’t put on any lights at all, and never use heat or a/c, drag their cars over to gerrsie, then the apple should be carbon footprint free. No more commerce, no more services, no nada. Only thing left would be the lefties

[heywoodubuzzoff]

I used to race bicycles competitively and the top racers eat (and burn) many more calories than the average person. So by the logic in the Lancet, Global Warming is Lance Armstrong's fault!

What a bunch of maroons!

[tired1]

somebody ought to let the swimmer know.

btw, he’s a better pilot than a swimmer. ask the 1964 dead pilot’s brother.

[DogBarkTree]

Related...

http://dotfart.com/

[Amendment10]

As a side note to factors which contribute to so-called AGW, please consider the following. Given that ocean temperatures are regarded as a major indicator of global warming activity, the slight decrease in ocean temperatures indicated by the Argo System oceanic temperature probes over the past several years emphasizes the politically correct foundation of AGW alarmism.

Argo System ocean temperature probes

[Amendment10]

Urban transport policies that promote walking and cycling would reduce food prices by reducing the global demand for oil, and promotion of a normal distribution of B.M.I. [Body Mass Index] would reduce the global demand for, and thus the price of, food.

Although I don't use this product, since people are starting to use bicycles more, people might be interested in this autoshifting bicycle.

Autoshifting bicycle

[Question Liberal Authority]

* Obesity kills people sooner, so they will use less carbon, not more.

* Obese people block harmful rays from the sun and help to cool the Earth.

* Obese people tend to exercise less, and thus convert less food into dangerous Carbon Dioxide and water vapor.

* Obese people eat more calorie dense foods, like carbohydrates and meat, which require less gasoline to transport per calorie than inefficient foods such as leafy green vegetables.

* Obese people are more likely to eat cattle, which, if allowed to live, would put methane into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.

* Obese people are more likely to be lower income and minorities, so this whole notion of fighting global warming is really a veiled form of racism.

[AmericanInTokyo]

With the exception perhaps of a glandular or hormonal problem, obesity (as a result of the choice of gluttony arising from free will) is — flat out — a SIN.

[garjog]

Fat Ted Kennedy video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4OtiZpAYFY

[johnthebaptistmoore]

Has anybody figured out what triggered Ted Kennedy’s seizure? Did Ted read this before the seizure? Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery, despite not agreeing with Ted’s politics!

[hoagy62]

Fat people contribute to global warming...how?

It could be from flatulence. I know some fat people who fart like the dickens. All that menthane...that’s gotta be it!

[randog]

Well, using that logic, people that have kids are earth-rapers.

[Waco]

And socks cause hemrhoids

[A Navy Vet]

"Compared with the normal weight population, the obese population consumes 18% more food energy."

And the anorexic and skinny-obsessed consume energy during their weight-loss programs and trainers and facilities. Guess those thousands of gyms don't consume energy, eh? What a load of crap.

Next up, Fedgov legislation to outlaw obesity. It's coming. Standby for your local fast-food restaurant to be hit with the lawsuits. Our nation is on a death spiral.

[Alia]

Your post was quite good. Really, quite good! I like your approach to this matter.

[Beowulf9]

So what are the dems going to do, tax sugar? Pastry?

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Paging Rosie O’Donnell!.....Paging Rosie O’Donnell!

[JimC214]

It's a sin to tell a lie, you know stories about non existent global warming. Also to worship graven images, like Gaia. I guess we should be like the third world and have starving people. Sarc.