Easy on the Burgers; Reducing Climate Change through Your Dietary Choices
Water and soil is lost when land is used to raise animals instead of crops. Trees have to be cut down in order for these animals to graze or to make factory-farm sheds, and, on top of that, animal waste pollutes our rivers. The Worldwatch Institute lists meat as being the second biggest environmental hazard facing the Earth, only slightly behind fossil-fuel vehicles. Moreover, a recent UN report has been made indicating that a vegetarian or, even better, vegan diet, is necessary to combat the worst effects of global warming. This being because a meat-eater’s diet is responsible for more than seven times as much greenhouse-gas emission than a vegetarian diet.
Are you wondering why this is the case? Today there are more than 17 billion livestock in the world, that’s about three times the number of people. To raise these animals, a huge amount of water is required. It takes about 2,464 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You would use the same amount of water if you took a ten minute shower every day for the next six months. This is quite contrary to the meager 25 gallons of water required for one pound of wheat. Other natural resources are also depleted, such as fossil fuels, topsoil and the rapid destruction of the rainforest.
Whether it’s the overuse of resources, global warming, massive water and air pollution, or soil erosion, raising animals for food is wreaking havoc on the Earth. Cutting back on meat consumption, or only consuming organic meats can go a long way. Less meat, less heat.
By Shifra Steinberg
Would you ever open your fridge, pull out 20 cans of Coke, throw 19 of them in the trash, and only drink one of them? How about leveling 55 square feet of rain forest for a single meal or dumping 2,400 gallons of water down the drain? I don’t think you would, but that is exactly what you do when you eat chicken, turkey, pigs, cows or any meat for that matter.