Is Eating Meat Bad For The Environment?
By admin on Jul 20, 2010 in Supplement and Vitamin
We’ve all heard the debate about eating meat and how it may have a negative effect on the environment.
Here are a few reasons why eating an excessive amount of meat may be causing more harm to our planet than good.
The Effects of Meat Production on the Land
Grazing land leads to deforestation and has pushed a number of species to the brink of extinction. Even livestock raised using “factory farming” techniques create the same disproportionate strain on the environment due to the massive quantity of grains necessary to fatten them up. All that grain has to be grown somewhere.
The impact of meat consumption is perhaps most obvious in South America where large portions of tropical rain forest has been leveled for grazing. Some sources estimate that, globally, up to 90% of all deforestation is the result of poorly managed and unsustainable ranching practices.
The Effects of Meat Eating on the Water Supply
Not only does commercial meat production put a heavy toll on land—it also uses incredibly large quantities of water. In fact, it requires eight times as much water to grow a cow as it does to grow a cow’s weight in rice or soybeans. And those two crops require significantly more water than other popular grains such as wheat or corn. Here’s another way to think about it: the average beef cow will use about 30 olympic-size swimming pools worth of water before it goes to slaughter.[1]
The huge quantities of animal waste runoff produced by these operations invariably leeches out into the water supply and effects the natural aquatic life cycle as well. Livestock manure is rich in nitrogen, phosphorous, and other fertilizers. These chemicals eventually work their way into our streams and rivers where it is then carried out to sea. The ever increasing “dead zones” now found in coastal regions throughout the world are caused largely by algae overgrowth, or blooms, which are spurred by the unnatural high levels of fertilizer.
The Effects of Raising Meat on the Air Quality
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Raising animals for food doesn’t just negatively impact the land and water, but the air as well. The equipment used to grow, process and ship meat requires large quantities of energy, much of which comes directly from burning fossil fuels. And because in many cases farming and ranching practices are less strictly regulated than other less rural industries, their emissions output is comparatively high.
It may sound silly, but methane released from cattle burps and farts account for 20% of all methane emissions in the United States.[2] When combined with emissions from fossil fuel consumption, they account for six percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas output.
But I love eating meat! What can I do to help?
If you want to do your part in protecting the health of the Earth, but still want to enjoy a good barbeque now and then, consider offsetting your diet’s environmental impact by making smarter consumer decisions and moderating your consumption habits.
Livestock that are raised on sustainable, organically-certified land requires significantly less fossil fuel than regular commercial meats. And cutting meat out of your diet just one day a week can do more to reduce your carbon footprint than switching to a hybrid car. In fact, there is even an international campaign called ‘Meatless Monday‘, that exists to encourage people to give up meat at least one day a week, to help improve their overall health, as well as the environment.
I would personally recommend reducing or eliminating your meat intake, not only will it help the environment, but it would do wonders for your health. Instead, try following a raw food diet, or just increase the overall amount of raw fruits and veggies in your diet. You will notice a difference pretty quickly.
~Dr. G
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Credits to:Natural Health & Organic Living Blog