Ph.D. student and climate scientist Rosh (@all_about_climate) just handed out a great lesson on why you should always read the full article, not just the headline — especially when you see a piece of upsetting or unbelievable climate news.
He posted a video response to another TikTok video showcasing what he called a "conspiracy theory."
@all_about_climate Debunking a conspiracy theory. They don't want your dependence. This is why you should always read beyond the headline. @B&R Homestead #selfsufficient #growyourownfood #conspiracy #Debunked #factcheck #climatecrisis #sustainability #environment #carbonfootprint #regenerativeagriculture #climatescience #CO2 #climateaction #factcheck #globalwarming #climate ♬ original sound - Rosh
"This guy is suffering from a severe case of not reading past the headline," Rosh says. "He's jumped to this conclusion that there's … a conspiracy to stop people from growing food at home. But if you read the article, that's not what they're saying at all."
The original video was a complaint about this article from The Telegraph, which explained a study examining the environmental impact of growing food at home.
The headline — which the original TikToker reacted to — is a little black and white, saying that homegrown food is worse for the environment. But the article offered more nuance, which Rosh was quick to point out in his response.
"The article finds that the majority of the emissions don't come from the growing of the food itself, but actually from the infrastructure needed to allow the food to be grown," he clarifies. "So in other words, the building or the maintenance of a garden or an allotment." Examples cited included raised beds and pathways.
"They also clarify that this doesn't apply to all food, and certain crops like tomatoes actually have lower carbon emissions when grown in an urban setting compared to a conventional setting," he adds. "Seventeen out of 73 of the sites they studied actually outperformed conventional agriculture."
In other words, it's possible to do home gardening in a way that's worse for the environment than traditional farming, but also very possible to do better, not only enjoying all the benefits — like savings on produce, mental and physical health benefits, and chances to grow your community — but also helping the planet.
The study concludes by saying urban agriculture "is likely to have a key role to play in future sustainable cities" — far from the conspiracy against gardens that the original TikToker feared.
Commenters complained about the misleading headline given the conclusion of the study.
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Definitely 💯 "Gosh, I really wish they wrote a better headline, because no one reads articles anymore," said one user.
But this is a prime example of why you should.
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