This cache is part of the ClimateQuest game that will take you around interesting places in Lithuania and show you how they can help to tackle climate change. To complete the ClimateQuest you will find six caches. But you can go beyond Lithuania's borders and explore caches of the same climate change route, hidden in other countries: Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria.
While searching for the cache "Beef is not always bad" you'll have to solve a few tasks to find out the final coordinates.
STAGE 1
Your quest starts here: N 55° 29.124' , E 22° 41.299'
You are at the road, leading to small village Stulgiai, which boasts beautiful old church. Some farmers also live here, growing their cattle on natural meadows, rich in variety of plants. That's different way, than it is used to grow cattle in big industrial farms.
By the way, do you know that beef has the biggest carbon footprint of all the possible meats and meals? It is estimated, that to produce 1 kilogram of beef, 60 kilograms of CO2 emissions are produced. That is three times more, than producing any other type of meat.
So climate activists are calling to refuse eating beef and innovators keep trying to create the meat substitude that tastes as much alike as the real beef.
But is refusing - the only way? Can beef be grown in a way, that produces less emissions and preserves the environment? Yes, it can. And you will find out how while searching for this cache.
Source: ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local
Question:
Let's walk through beautiful Stulgiai village and count, how many green or greenish buildings you will notice on your way to St. Apostle Evangelist Matas Church.
In the final cache coordinates this number is hidden behind letter „X“.
STAGE 2
You are here: N 55° 29.219' , E 22° 40.807'
Let's look around - you are at the very center of Stulgiai. Probably, some farmers are living in the houses you notice around. Those farmers are raising their cattle on natural meadows. Using this way of farming, cows grow slowly but the pastures are green and full of variety of plants. Such way of farming doesn't turn meadows into deserts.
Moreover, different species of insects and animals could live in those meadows. If pastures will be covered by the monoculture of grass, that would not be an attractive habitat for them. So let's value farmers, that are using slower, but more environment friendly way of farming!
Question:
How many church towers you see from the point where you are standing. This number hides behind letter „Y“ in the final cache coordinates.
STAGE 3
Follow the path until you reach this point: N 55° 29.444' , E 22° 40.069'
You walked through Stulgiai village and on your left you can notice the farm of Rutkauskai. This family owns Limousin cattle herd for almost 10 years and grow them in natural meadows following the rhythms of nature. For example, when the season is dry, they put their herds in lowland pastures, because the water holds up there. When it is rainy - cattle can roam in higher pastures, the rain water runs down.
The main source of the gas that warms up the climate comes from cattle manure. So Rutkauskai uses special microorganisms for the manure before plowing it into the ground. Such treatment reduces the odors of the manure and locks more nutrients in it.
Question:
Bison is the wild relative of the cattle. How many bisons do you see standing here?
Put the number behind letter „Z“ in the final cache coordinates.
Swap the numbers X, Y, Z for the numbers from your answers to reaveal the coordinates of the hidden cache.
N 55° X9.Y88' , E XX° 4Z.ZZ4'
You will find more information about the climate change and project's activities on the page of
„Klimatosūkis“ or „Game On“.