Dr Ross Garnaut, a professor of economics at the Australian National University, has urged Australians to ditch beef and lamb for kangaroo steaks to help save the planet in his recent climate study commissioned by the Australian government.
Dr Garnaut is not the first scholar to raise the thought; Dr George Wilson of the Australian Wildlife Services suggested in August 2008 of farming the kangaroos to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Sheep and cows account for 11% of Australia’s carbon footprint. The methane gas produced by these livestocks through belching and flatulence is more potent than carbon dioxide in the damage it can cause to the environment, but kangaroos produce virtually no methane because their digestive systems are different.
The thought of replacing beef and lamb with kangaroo meat might be facing some tough challenge in Australia where the skippy animal is seen as the national icon. Some of the Aussies are already adapting to having kangaroo meat as an exotic food… but it could take a long while for them to adopt the idea of having it as a daily dish.
Some netizens are suggesting that instead of replacing one meat with another, people should be encouraged to simply eat less meat and go for vege… sounds logical enough, but some hardcore meat-eater might find it hard for not having a steak or burger in a day or two.
In Malaysia it’s not uncommon to have deer meat or ostrich meat, but haven’t heard of any restaurants selling kangaroo meat yet. Have you tried any kangaroo dishes?
