Benji Jones

That's Benji Jones, an environmental correspondent for Vox. He tells us the bulk of global methane emissions come from human activities, and the largest single source among them is agriculture. That is, the burps and farts of farmed animals. Now, one big way to reduce those emissions would be if people cut down on how much meat they eat.

But in a world where people are consuming lots of animal products, scientists are working on another way of tackling the problem. Jones recently traveled to Colombia, the country, not the university, where researchers are trying to figure out what they can feed cattle to produce less methane.

But in a world where people are consuming lots of animal products, scientists are working on another way of tackling the problem. Jones recently traveled to Colombia, the country, not the university, where researchers are trying to figure out what they can feed cattle to produce less methane.

But in a world where people are consuming lots of animal products, scientists are working on another way of tackling the problem. Jones recently traveled to Colombia, the country, not the university, where researchers are trying to figure out what they can feed cattle to produce less methane.

So certain kinds of forage, like different kinds of grasses or legumes, are thought to be associated with lower methane production. So like literally they're burping less or their burps contain less methane. And so they're trying to figure out, okay, which grasses or which types of forage will actually lead to this reduction.

So certain kinds of forage, like different kinds of grasses or legumes, are thought to be associated with lower methane production. So like literally they're burping less or their burps contain less methane. And so they're trying to figure out, okay, which grasses or which types of forage will actually lead to this reduction.

So certain kinds of forage, like different kinds of grasses or legumes, are thought to be associated with lower methane production. So like literally they're burping less or their burps contain less methane. And so they're trying to figure out, okay, which grasses or which types of forage will actually lead to this reduction.

In order to test this, they put sheep into metal chambers that look a lot like walk-in refrigerators. The chambers are hooked up to high-tech machines that measure gas emissions. And then the researchers feed the sheep lots of different kinds of plants to see if they can reduce that methane output. Jones explained that the food comes from a massive seed bank.

In order to test this, they put sheep into metal chambers that look a lot like walk-in refrigerators. The chambers are hooked up to high-tech machines that measure gas emissions. And then the researchers feed the sheep lots of different kinds of plants to see if they can reduce that methane output. Jones explained that the food comes from a massive seed bank.

In order to test this, they put sheep into metal chambers that look a lot like walk-in refrigerators. The chambers are hooked up to high-tech machines that measure gas emissions. And then the researchers feed the sheep lots of different kinds of plants to see if they can reduce that methane output. Jones explained that the food comes from a massive seed bank.

I mean, it has like 67,000 samples and they're stored in like these freezing rooms in vacuum sealed aluminum bags. And I got to go into one of them. It was like negative 10 degrees. It was freezing. And so I literally only stayed in for like two minutes, but you can just see thousands of these seeds in these library like shelves.

I mean, it has like 67,000 samples and they're stored in like these freezing rooms in vacuum sealed aluminum bags. And I got to go into one of them. It was like negative 10 degrees. It was freezing. And so I literally only stayed in for like two minutes, but you can just see thousands of these seeds in these library like shelves.

I mean, it has like 67,000 samples and they're stored in like these freezing rooms in vacuum sealed aluminum bags. And I got to go into one of them. It was like negative 10 degrees. It was freezing. And so I literally only stayed in for like two minutes, but you can just see thousands of these seeds in these library like shelves.

And this room alone is just essential, not only for this project, but for like research all around the world.

And this room alone is just essential, not only for this project, but for like research all around the world.

And this room alone is just essential, not only for this project, but for like research all around the world.

Lab testing is still underway, but scientists told Jones some of the early results look promising. And they say one big advantage of doing this type of research is that the solution could be fairly low-tech, which would make it scalable in low-income countries.

Lab testing is still underway, but scientists told Jones some of the early results look promising. And they say one big advantage of doing this type of research is that the solution could be fairly low-tech, which would make it scalable in low-income countries.

Lab testing is still underway, but scientists told Jones some of the early results look promising. And they say one big advantage of doing this type of research is that the solution could be fairly low-tech, which would make it scalable in low-income countries.

This would just be changing the kind of forage that they use or favoring one forage over the other. They wouldn't have to buy a potentially expensive supplement that would maybe be out of their price range or increase the cost of meat. This is a pretty simple solution. And it's also really elegant in a way. It's literally just saying, oh yeah, we have control over what we feed our animals.