Vegetarian Impact on the Environment
27Jan2007 11:55 PM
Here's an article a
friend sent that points in the "simpler is more
sustainable" direction. Even without researching the
statistics, this makes a (sustainable) worlds of
sense to me! Thanks to Marge & Janaia for sending
this my way:
What one action could you take to make the biggest difference to reduce global warming? Eliminate or reduce meat consumption (except locally-produced). More impact than swapping to a hybrid car.
The United Nations has sent tremors through the livestock industry with a new report that states,
"The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the
most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." The report shows that
livestock production accounts for more greenhouse gases than automobiles. For every calorie of
meat consumed, at least ten calories of fossil fuels were required to produce that meat. Animal
agriculture takes up 70% of all agricultural land, and 30% of the total land surface of the
planet. Today, 70% of "slash-and-burned" Amazon rainforest is used for pastureland, and feed
crops cover much of the remainder. The ultimate ramifications of the report suggest that the
average American can do more to reduce global warming emissions by adjusting their meat eating
habits than by switching to driving the most fuel efficient car currently on the market. Negative
environmental impacts can be greatly reduced by reducing (or eliminating) meat consumption and
buying locally grown and sustainably produced meats, dairy and animal products.
Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_3853.cfm
What one action could you take to make the biggest difference to reduce global warming? Eliminate or reduce meat consumption (except locally-produced). More impact than swapping to a hybrid car.
The United Nations has sent tremors through the livestock industry with a new report that states,
"The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the
most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." The report shows that
livestock production accounts for more greenhouse gases than automobiles. For every calorie of
meat consumed, at least ten calories of fossil fuels were required to produce that meat. Animal
agriculture takes up 70% of all agricultural land, and 30% of the total land surface of the
planet. Today, 70% of "slash-and-burned" Amazon rainforest is used for pastureland, and feed
crops cover much of the remainder. The ultimate ramifications of the report suggest that the
average American can do more to reduce global warming emissions by adjusting their meat eating
habits than by switching to driving the most fuel efficient car currently on the market. Negative
environmental impacts can be greatly reduced by reducing (or eliminating) meat consumption and
buying locally grown and sustainably produced meats, dairy and animal products.
Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_3853.cfm
|