The FAO found that current production levels of meat contribute between 14 and 22 percent of the 36 billion tons of "CO2-equivalent" greenhouse gases the world produces every year. Flickr User: Vermin Inc
According to a 2006 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a meat diet causes more greenhouse gases than either transportation or industry. In fact, meat production has the strongest environmental impact, and is unlikely responsible for global warming, deforestation, waste, water and soil pollution and hunger for 1 billion human beings. These are environmental facts that we don’t really think of when we are eating a good hamburger, whereas reducing your meat consumption can be a great way to cut your carbon footprint without adopting a strict vegan diet. Read on to learn how eating less meat can help save the environment.
The environmental impacts of meat production:
The livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide, and modern practices of raising animals for food contribute on a massive scale to air and water pollution, land degradation, climate change, and loss of biodiversity.
Factory farming requires land for grazing and larges quantities of feed. Approximately 50% of world agricultural harvests are necessary to raise animals for human consumption, and grazing occupies 26% of the Earth’s surface. Because of this enormous need for land use, land degradation such as desertification, soil quality decline and deforestation are rising rapidly as both population and meat demand increase. Grazing land expansion for the livestock industry is a major factor in the Amazon deforestation: approximately 70% of previously forested land in the Amazon is now used as pasture.
Moreover, the destruction of forests contributes to the loss of biodiversity by the disappearance of edible plants and animal species.
Producing meat requires much more water than any other agricultural activity. According to the vegetarian author John Robbins (The Food Revolution), the production of a pound of beef requires 12,000 gallons of water. Try to imagine that at a massive scale!
Americans eat more meat than any other population in the World, around 207 lbs. of meat a year per person. That’s almost 60% more than Europeans who eats 134 lbs., and four times more than most people in developing countries. Flickr User: Para Flyer
In meat production, animal waste such as manure accounts for a major source of pollutants including nitrogen, phosphorus, antibiotics and metals. Nitrous dioxide and methane are polluting air, water and groundwater when storage facilities leak or too much manure is spread on farm fields. More than 34,000 miles of rivers and 216,000 acres of lakes and reservoirs in the U.S. have been degraded by animal waste from confined feeding operations (EPA 2009). Moreover, decomposing waste releases dust, smog odors and toxic gases, including ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which degrade air quality and can cause itching, dizziness and discomfort to workers and nearby residents.
The FAO estimated that greenhouse gases emissions due to the livestock industry contribute between 14 and 22 percent of the total of greenhouse gases the world produces every year. This figure includes the whole cycle of meat production, from deforestation, to the production and the transport of fertilizer, fossil fuel consumption, and gas emissions from sheep and bovines. However, not all forms of cultured meat impact the environment equally. According to Environmental Working Group Meat Eater’s Guide, those with the greatest impact are: lamb (#1), beef (#2), cheese (#3), and pork (#4). Red meats in particular are 150% more greenhouse gas intensive than chicken or fish.
“Beef has the second-highest emissions, generating 27.1 kilos (59.6 lbs) of CO2e per kilo consumed. That’s more than twice the emissions of pork, nearly four times that of chicken and more than 13 times that of vegetable proteins such as beans, lentils and tofu. About 30 percent of the meat consumed in America is beef.” EWG found.
Eating meat in moderation can be a good source of complete protein and key vitamins and nutrients. However, eating too much meat, especially red meat, is particularly harmful for human health and contributes to a wide variety of serious health problems such as heart disease, cancer and obesity. Thus, the best way to reduce the health risks is by eating less meat.
Just like reducing home energy use, you can also reduce your carbon footprint by going meatless on Mondays. Giving up meat for one day each week without “going vegetarian” will help reduce the environmental problems associated with the meat industry as well as improve your personal health. Changing your diet is never easy, so visit the Meat Free Monday website to get tips and recipes that will help you to take this small step.
If everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese just one day a week, it would be like not driving 91 billion miles – or taking 7.6 million cars off the road. Flickr User: The Busy Brain
The over consumption of animal-by products endangers the earth and your health, for every person who eats one less hamburger each week for a year it would be equivalent to taking one car off the road for 320 miles. Therefore, relatively small changes to the content of a meal can help save the environment!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Used ring pull cans could be used as a miniature vase for a flower or two. Rinse out used cans and use them in the garden shed for storing small items such as nails and washers or you could use an old can to practice your putting. Take it to the office and put it on the floor any time you want to practice your putting.