NationStates Jolt Archive

I thought that eating kangaroos was a privilege only afforded to Original Citizens, or whatever they're supposed to be called.

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"MORE kangaroos should be slaughtered and eaten to help save the world from global warming, environmental activists say.
The controversial call to cut down on beef and serve more of the national symbol on our dinner plates follows a report on curbing greenhouse gas emissions damaging the planet.

Greenpeace energy campaigner Mark Wakeham urged Aussies to substitute some red meat for roo to help reduce land clearing and the release of methane gas."

It's a PETA/Greenpeace cage match! I'll bring the popcorn!

I've never actually eaten Kangaroo as far as I can remember. Seems like a rational enough idea at first, but it probably wouldn't make much of a difference.

I'd also suggest people read the following Age article instead of the Herald Sun one:

http://news.google.com.au/news/url?sa=t&ct=/1-1&fp=470c3f95f1bc797a&ei=k-EMR7TCL4PCqgPt6IC0CA&url=http%3A//www.theage.com.au/news/business/eating-roo-could-cut-gas-emissions/2007/10/10/1191695991781.html&cid=1121918068

I've eaten kangaroo. In a tiny Bavarian restaurant way out in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York, of all places. It was kind of gamy.

To this day I have no idea why kangaroo was even on their menu, but I tried it because it was something I had never had before. My basic reaction was "Eh". It is probably not something I would seek out again.

I thought that eating kangaroos was a privilege only afforded to Original Citizens, or whatever they're supposed to be called.

You mean Aboriginals or Indigenous Australians, and obviously you're wrong. Though, I think there are a few things like Dugong that only some of them can eat. But then again that might not even be true as I've spoke to a guy whose eaten it and he wasn't aware of any rules about this. However he was with some Aboriginals at the time... Whatever I'm rambling now.

The controversial call to cut down on beef and serve more of the national symbol on our dinner plates

Suddenly I had a vision of Sarkozy banning chicken meat (le poule)from the french diet because of le coq...

La poule, coq, poulet domestique (Gallus gallus domesticus) est un oiseau de l'ordre des galliformes.
Le chant du coq est utilisé par certains Français pour manifester leur chauvinisme, probablement parce que ce cri est interprété comme une manifestation d'orgueil de la part du coq, mais surtout parce que le coq est l'emblème du pays.

...COCORICO!!!

We we have to do something with them I guess. I'd try it if I ate more red meat.

Don't wild kangaroos have some sort of parasite in them that refuses to die despite cooking? And that parasite is really, REALLY bad for people?

So basically this means they'd have to farm more kangaroos, which would require more fuel and more resources, which actually would not help "save the world" from global warming. Quite the opposite, in fact.

kangaroo meat is yummy. better than beef in many ways.

Don't wild kangaroos have some sort of parasite in them that refuses to die despite cooking? And that parasite is really, REALLY bad for people?

So basically this means they'd have to farm more kangaroos, which would require more fuel and more resources, which actually would not help "save the world" from global warming. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Not comparatively to cattle, as cattle let off huge amounts of methane while Kangaroos don't. So you just funnel cattle farming resources to roos and cut out the methane.

kangaroo meat is yummy. better than beef in many ways.

Not comparatively to cattle, as cattle let off huge amounts of methane while Kangaroos don't. So you just funnel cattle farming resources to roos and cut out the methane.

Oh really.

How else do they measure up to beef? How much food does one kangaroo need versus one cow? How much space? What sort of climate? What sort of food?

How do they measure up nutritionally speaking? Taste speaking?

Is it possible for Kangaroos to replace cattle completely and have a true net gain?

Not comparatively to cattle, as cattle let off huge amounts of methane while Kangaroos don't. So you just funnel cattle farming resources to roos and cut out the methane.

Or bottle the methane to be used to produce electricity!

Oh really.

How else do they measure up to beef? How much food does one kangaroo need versus one cow? How much space? What sort of climate? What sort of food?

How do they measure up nutritionally speaking? Taste speaking?

Is it possible for Kangaroos to replace cattle completely and have a true net gain?

All good points which I don't have an answer to. I do recall reading that 12% of Australia's greenhouse emissions come from cow's methane, though. Now that could be wildly inaccurate and probably is. But if it is true then I think even with the huge amounts of extra emissions needed for them there would still be a net gain. Of course that is probably wrong to, but it sounds like an interesting enough idea to look into more closely.

Or bottle the methane to be used to produce electricity!

Now you're thinkin'. ;)

Or bottle the methane to be used to produce electricity!
Wouldn't any method we currently have place the methane into the atmosphere just like it would coming straight from a cow?

And how would you bottle it up anyway?

I'm not trying to be confrontational here, people...I'm just trying to make sure you think these things through before suggesting them. If it can actually work, I'd be all for it.

Wouldn't any method we currently have place the methane into the atmosphere just like it would coming straight from a cow?

And how would you bottle it up anyway?

I'm not trying to be confrontational here, people...I'm just trying to make sure you think these things through before suggesting them. If it can actually work, I'd be all for it.

Well as for collecting it, then thats two birds with one stone that is. More employment for those in the country, following farting cows around with rubber stopped bottles!

I get all the kangaroo I need at McDonalds, thank you.:p

Here's a thought:

There are roos in Australia, and there are also emus.
Struthioformes are a *very* good source of red meat. Witness our underestimated friend, the Ostrich. Emus are related to ostriches, therefore are good eating.

Minus the parasite. But I have my doubts about the parasite that can survive cooking.

In short: Farm emus.

I've eaten kangaroo quite a few times, I can buy it at my local supermarket.

I haven't heard about the parasites, but it's a much healthier meat than beef because it's very lean.

Here's a thought:

There are roos in Australia, and there are also emus.
Struthioformes are a *very* good source of red meat. Witness our underestimated friend, the Ostrich. Emus are related to ostriches, therefore are good eating.

Minus the parasite. But I have my doubts about the parasite that can survive cooking.

In short: Farm emus.

Marge Simpson beat you to the idea.