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New York Times Blames Wine Consumers for Climate Change, Issues Instructions for Researching Vineyards

https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/craig-bannister/new-york-times-blames-wine-consumers-climate-change-issues-instructions

By Craig Bannister | May 3, 2019 | 10:52 AM EDT

Wine drinkers contribute to climate change when they don’t do proper research and make the right purchase decisions, The New York Times warns in a how-to guide published Tuesday.

In its “How Does Your Love of Wine Contribute to Climate Change?” The Timessays the wine industry is “a microcosm of larger society” when it comes to climate change, so wine lovers must do their part to save the planet:

“That industry is simply a microcosm of larger society. Just as politicians have little incentive to address climate change unless voters require it, many wine producers are less inclined to reduce their own carbon footprints unless consumers demonstrate that such steps are important to them.”

The Times advises wine buyers to research winemakers to find answers to questions like:

  • Do they plow or till, or do they have a crop cover?
  • Do they mow their crop cover, instead of rolling it?
  • Do they make and use their own organic compost?
  • Do they still use combustion engines, or have they switched to electric or hybrid vehicles?
  • Do they use chemical sprays?
  • Do they “promote biodiversity and soil life?”
  • Do they use renewable fuels?
  • Do they catch and store the carbon they produce?
  • What energy source do they use?
  • What are their water management practices?

“These are the many questions that consumers would need to address in judging a producer’s carbon output,” The New York Times says.

Additionally, the article recommends that, when shopping for wines in stores, consumers should:

  • Buy wine in lightweight bottles,
  • Complain about heavier wine bottles,
  • Buy wine at bars and restaurants that store wine in kegs,
  • Favor boxed wines.

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