Cage-free eggs are likely worse for the climate. The answer isn’t to switch back to caged ones.
Popular conceptions of farming tend to associate good animal welfare with environmental virtue — an intuition so strong that researchers have described a “humane halo” effect, where consumers who are told that a farm uses better environmental practices also assume that it treats its animals well. So it might come as a surprise to hear […]
A new study has revealed that eggs from hens confined in cages have a smaller environmental footprint compared to cage-free eggs. However, some critics argue that the study relies on outdated data and may exaggerate the climate gap. Cage-free farming, while not cruelty-free, provides hens with significantly more freedom than the extreme confinement found in cages.
Despite accounting for a small portion of global emissions, the climate cost of switching to cage-free eggs is relatively minor. Modern egg production has been optimized to maximize productivity from chickens, often at the expense of their well-being. Plant-based alternatives have lower emissions than eggs without requiring animal suffering.
While the new study may overstate the importance of this trade-off for eggs, it is accurate in its general findings. Hens that can move freely will consume more calories, leading to a larger environmental footprint than those confined to cages. However, this does not mean that cages are the optimal choice. Eggs contribute only a small percentage of global livestock emissions – around 3 percent of all livestock emissions, or roughly 0.6 percent of all emissions.
While we could potentially spare billions of animals a life of minimal immobilization by reducing our consumption of eggs, it is crucial to recognize that chickens are living beings who deserve to benefit from a more sustainable future. Caging hens, despite its minor environmental impact, is fundamentally morally indefensible.
Written by urgent.news from Vox's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
