VEGETARIANISM BETTER OPTION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Vegetarianism. A term commonly associated with “nature lovers,” “hippies,” “exercise enthusiasts,” and “PETA supporters.”
Whether the decision to go meatless is inspired by a love for animals, a desire to live a healthier lifestyle, or a concern for ingesting chemicals used to modify meat prior to slaughter, the public view towards vegetarianism has accepted it as commonplace.
Yet these “common” reasons for going meatless often overshadow a more pressing concern: the environmental impact of livestock production.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) stated in a worldwide report from 2013 that livestock contributes 7.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, or 14.5 percent of the human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
In comparison, carbon dioxide released via fossil fuels in cars only produces 20 percent of the world’s emissions.
Beef production alone contributes to roughly 60 percent of the livestock sector’s carbon dioxide. Sixty percent.
The sheer space utilized for livestock is staggering. Thirty percent of the earth’s land surface is used for livestock purposes, according to the FAO, with over 33 percent of that used to cultivate food to feed the animals. New pastures dictate 70 percent of deforestation worldwide.
According to Homesteading Today, a pair of cows requires at least one acre of land to live with adequate space. In comparison, a single acre of land will yield 171 bushels of corn. If land was used for sustainable crops to feed growing populations and malnourished, impoverished people, the world would have a viable chance to eliminate hunger once and for all.
In a world where climate change is a dinner table topic, and the fear of melting glaciers, greenhouse gasses, and overuse of fossil fuels has dominated society, not much focus is placed on this simple change that anyone can make -- eat less meat.
Instead of spending thousands of dollars on an electric car or solar panels for your home, save money by not purchasing meat at the grocery store while simultaneously dropping the carbon footprint left by livestock.
The issues surrounding meat consumption are complex and multi-faceted. But if it comes down to sacrificing bacon with your breakfast and meatballs from your spaghetti in order to preserve the earth for future generations (not to mention bolstering your own health and saving the life of an innocent animal) it seems that the choice is clear.
Whether the decision to go meatless is inspired by a love for animals, a desire to live a healthier lifestyle, or a concern for ingesting chemicals used to modify meat prior to slaughter, the public view towards vegetarianism has accepted it as commonplace.
Yet these “common” reasons for going meatless often overshadow a more pressing concern: the environmental impact of livestock production.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) stated in a worldwide report from 2013 that livestock contributes 7.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, or 14.5 percent of the human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
In comparison, carbon dioxide released via fossil fuels in cars only produces 20 percent of the world’s emissions.
Beef production alone contributes to roughly 60 percent of the livestock sector’s carbon dioxide. Sixty percent.
The sheer space utilized for livestock is staggering. Thirty percent of the earth’s land surface is used for livestock purposes, according to the FAO, with over 33 percent of that used to cultivate food to feed the animals. New pastures dictate 70 percent of deforestation worldwide.
According to Homesteading Today, a pair of cows requires at least one acre of land to live with adequate space. In comparison, a single acre of land will yield 171 bushels of corn. If land was used for sustainable crops to feed growing populations and malnourished, impoverished people, the world would have a viable chance to eliminate hunger once and for all.
In a world where climate change is a dinner table topic, and the fear of melting glaciers, greenhouse gasses, and overuse of fossil fuels has dominated society, not much focus is placed on this simple change that anyone can make -- eat less meat.
Instead of spending thousands of dollars on an electric car or solar panels for your home, save money by not purchasing meat at the grocery store while simultaneously dropping the carbon footprint left by livestock.
The issues surrounding meat consumption are complex and multi-faceted. But if it comes down to sacrificing bacon with your breakfast and meatballs from your spaghetti in order to preserve the earth for future generations (not to mention bolstering your own health and saving the life of an innocent animal) it seems that the choice is clear.