Elon, You Dirty Liar

Here’s why we must act — and how.

Whether you like Elon Musk or not, this article deals with an issue that affects us all. Misinformation is more than just a nuisance; it’s an existential threat to society.

In everyone’s interest, we have to hold public figures accountable for their lies. Elon’s dishonest statements pose significant dangers to climate, environment, and public health, and they are a brazen attack on the world’s most vulnerable.

I’ve written about Elon Musk’s long history of bending the truth before, always striving to maintain a respectful tone. I believe in non-violent communication. But there are times when exceptions are not only justified but necessary.

Today, calling Elon a “dirty liar” feels almost generous — a mild euphemism for the recklessness he is displaying. Countering misinformation from someone with Elon’s reach and influence is no easy task. But fortunately, in response to his latest lies, there is one thing we all can do!

Elon’s latest bullshit

Elon recently made the following statement on Joe Rogan’s podcast:

“The animals are not going to make any difference to global warming. None. Zero. Zero point zero. Nothing. (...) It doesn’t matter. It’s irrelevant. Irrelevant! I want to just be super clear about that. It will not matter. You will not even be able to measure it. Okay? That’s how irrelevant it is. (...) You can totally eat as much meat as you want. It’s not going to make a difference.”

Joe Rogan, visibly excited by this load of utterly anti-scientific nonsense, responded by shouting: “Sing it to the world!”

More than just a lie

Elon Musk not only denies the clear scientific consensus that slashing emissions from meat is crucial to climate action, but he also completely ignores numerous other devastating impacts of the industry:

• Environmental Harms: Animal agriculture heavily contributes to ocean dead zones, biodiversity loss, water contamination, and air pollution — and is the single biggest cause of deforestation globally, causing five times more forest loss than any other sector. Animal agriculture has been identified as the “number one culprit of deforestation in virtually every Amazon country,” responsible for 80% of rainforest destruction in South America. Research from the University of Oxford shows that avoiding meat and dairy is the “single biggest way” to reduce your impact on Earth.

• Public Health Risks: Animal agriculture is a major public health disaster, not only due to the direct health risks associated with consuming animal products but also because the industry is a primary driver of zoonotic diseases, greatly increasing the likelihood of future pandemics. Experts warn that a new pandemic could be 100 times worse than Covid and have called livestock farming a “hidden pandemic time bomb”. The industry is also a key cause of antibiotic resistance, which is projected to soon kill more people per year than all types of cancer combined. Studies show that a shift to plant-based diets could significantly reduce mortality, saving millions of lives every year.

• Animal Suffering: Animal agriculture involves cruelty and suffering of immeasurable proportions. The industry is the largest act of systematic violence in history, exploiting and killing hundreds of billions of sentient beings every year without any necessity.

• Human Misery and Exploitation: The inefficiency of animal agriculture is a leading driver of food and water scarcity around the world. The industry also contributes to the displacement of indigenous people and is known for its horrific working conditions. Slaughterhouse work has been recognized as “America's worst job” and is “still some of the most exploited labor in the world,” sometimes including child labor, human trafficking and modern slavery.

• Financial Burden: On top of all the above, animal agriculture is also an enormous financial burden on society. Switching to plant-based diets would save hundreds of billions in subsidies, healthcare costs, and environmental damages every year.

And coming back to the topic of climate change, the biggest threat humanity has ever faced:

Elon’s assessment that animal agriculture has no impact on greenhouse gas emissions couldn’t be more misguided. Authoritative bodies worldwide — including the United Nations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chatham House, Greenpeace, and leading climate scientists — have consistently confirmed that livestock production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Experts say that plant-based diets will be essential to the planet's future. This isn’t just about carbon dioxide; the livestock sector is also the world’s biggest emitter of methane, a greenhouse gas that is 84 times more climate-damaging than CO₂ on a 20-year timescale.

Like wildfire

Elon is an influencer of unprecedented proportions. He is the richest person on Earth, owns one of the largest social networks worldwide, and has over 200 million followers on his platform X alone. Every public statement of his — no matter how egregiously dishonest — spreads on the internet like wildfire.

Elon is arguably better positioned to sway public opinion in Western countries than anyone else today. He is the personification of disturbing wealth and power concentration. In addition, Elon made his deceptive statement about the climate impacts of animal agriculture on the world’s largest podcast, boosting his reach even further.

It could be conceivable to justify such an obscene level of influence if it were dedicated to the common good and a liveable future — but Elon does the exact opposite. In times of overwhelming global challenges, we need influential voices to champion evidence-based solutions, not undermine trust in science. For good reasons, the World Economic Forum has recognized misinformation as the greatest short-term risk to humanity.

👉 Here’s what you can do

The animal agriculture industry benefits enormously from powerful figures like Elon Musk amplifying their lies. They have resources and reach we can’t match, but we can hit them where it hurts — by rejecting their products.

Let Elon’s misinformation be the tipping point for your commitment to a better world. Let’s make sure his lies don’t become a triumph for an insanely cruel and destructive industry.

Please stand with those who defend the truth. Stand with those who protect the world’s most vulnerable, the planet itself, and our own health and future. Hesitate no longer: if you haven’t already, become part of the vegan movement today to help ensure that the world sees the opposite of what Elon wants to achieve with his latest ramblings.

Let’s be the reason his shameless lies blow up in his face and harm the industries he dishonestly tries to promote. By refusing to fund animal exploitation, you send a powerful message that misinformation and deceptive marketing won’t sway you; that you support truth and compassion over reckless manipulation — even when broadcast from the world’s largest stages. And you’ll do yourself a big favor:

“Every person I have met who has gone vegan says it is the best decision they have ever made.” — Lewis Hamilton

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Please share this call to action with your networks. Only through collective effort can we confront the massive reach and power of Elon Musk and the meat lobby.

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