Don't eat a cow - drive instead!

• Cow emissions equal three hours of driving
• Methane from cows more harmful than CO2
• Beef figures don't include transport to market

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We hope you enjoyed a traditional turkey this Christmas, because research has revealed that beef farming can be more hazardous to the environment than driving your car.

New Scientist magazine has revealed that feeding, raising and slaughtering 2.2lbs of cow for beef uses more energy and results in more greenhouse gases than driving an average-sized car for three hours, or powering a 100-watt light bulb for three days.

The majority of greenhouse emissions comes from the cows themselves, via methane produced as they digest grass.

Methane is far more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide.

However, the figures for the beef did not include the transport of the meat after its slaughter or the energy consumed by the farm machinery, potentially making emissions even higher.