Does eating less meat help the environment? By Fiona Macrae for the Daily Mail Updated: 19:26 EDT, 12 February 2010 Eating less meat is crucial for a healthy lifestyle and a healthy planet. Meat and the Environment. Infographic: Exxon’s Long History of Climate Denial, Greenpeace v. Energy Transfer Partners: The Facts. Of all raw materials and fossil fuels used in the U.S., more than one-third are devoted to raising animals for food. Take action to support sustainable agriculture today. It’s a cultural staple in many communities across the globe. To feed a growing global population and curtail climate change, scientists say we need to radically change our food systems. The world’s cattle alone consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population on Earth. In Meat: A Threat To Our Planet, Liz Bonnin travels around the world examining the impact of the meat industry on the environment, now experts explain whether they think you can eat meat … How being vegetarian does more harm to the environment than eating meat. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. Commit to reducing your meat and dairy consumption by a few meals per week and tell five friends about your choice to find alternative proteins. But with a rising global middle class, societies are becoming meat obsessed. Urgent Alerts. We look at how the global meat industry impacts the planet and some of the arguments for and against eating meat. Springmann recommends a flexitarian diet … When land is used to raise animals instead of crops, precious water and soil are lost, trees are cut down to make land for grazing or factory-farm sheds, and untreated animal waste pollutes rivers and streams. So, How Will Me Not Eating Red Meat Help Anything? The problem is that meat consumption goes beyond animal life-related ideologies. By clearing forests, destroying habitats and using toxic pesticides to grow animal … Meat is an important part of heritage and identity. Godfray et al. That’s 45 percent of the total land mass in the U.S. About 260 million acres of U.S. forest have been cleared to create cropland to produce feed for animals raised for food. If you want a lower-carbon diet, eating less meat is nearly always better than eating the most sustainable meat. If somebody had doubts about [whether or not to eat meat] and they read my book and agreed with it, they might think you can afford to eat a modest amount of dairy and meat without destructing the environment. It’s killing wildlife. We explore whether it’s bad for you and the environment and some alternatives to eating meat. But it also makes the planet sick. 733k members in the environment community. To learn more about the impacts of animal agriculture, visit our Why We Do It page. More plants, less meat — it's a simple way to sustainably feed the planet's exploding population. Daily chart How much would giving up meat help the environment? In addition to that, animal agriculture is responsible for between 15 and 20 % of the total greenhouse gas emissions globally. It’s true that vegetarian diets are increasingly popular around the world. to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. These are huge environmental problems. We’re not advocating that everyone adopt a “meatless” diet tomorrow. In fact, it has such a devastating effect on all aspects of our environment that the Union of Concerned Scientists lists meat-eating as one of the biggest environmental hazards facing the Earth. The answer is a combination of land usage and greenhouse gas emissions. It is found that even slightly reducing one's meat consumption has positive impacts on the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere as well as decreasing the amount of water used to raise livestock. A brief history of meat-eating When did humans start eating meat? According to the Worldwatch Institute, “Roughly 2 of every 5 tons of grain produced in the world is fed to livestock, poultry, or fish; decreasing consumption of these products, especially of beef, could free up massive quantities of grain and reduce pressure on land.”. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?” READ MORE, — Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind. So how does going meatless help the environment? Cattle ranchers, have clear cut millions of square kilometers of forests for grazing pastures, decimating natural “carbon sinks.”. “Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. According to scientists, “without meat and dairy consumption, global farmland use could be reduced by more than 75% — an area equivalent to the United States, China, the European Union, and Australia combined — and still feed the world,” The Guardian asserts in a deep-dive article that avoiding meat and dairy is the “single biggest way” to reduce your impact on the environment. 6. Shifting to more plant-based foods is essential to By eating less seafood, lowering demand for these products, it is possible to help reduce these adverse consequences. Only about 25% of the world, mostly wealthy countries such as the United States, eat lots of meat, he says. But does that mean that eating meat is bad for the environment? Eating meat has ‘dire’ consequences for the planet, says report. With so much emphasis on reducing our carbon footprint on the planet, it feels good to know that you actually have an impact by reducing meat consumption. Make fresh fruits and vegetables a bigger part of your diet. Although meat is a concentrated source of nutrients for low-income families, it also enhances the risks of chronic ill health, such as from colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease. Again and again, scientists, researchers, and experts say yes. * Of all agricultural land in the U.S., 87 percent is used to raise animals for food. Going vegan for two-thirds of meals could cut food-related carbon emissions by 60% Graphic detail farm animals (particularly cows) are bad for the environment (releasing greenhouse gases), when you buy meat (or any animal product) you contribute to the demand for more animals (in unnatural quantities that the earth can not sustain) to be brought into this world. If you eat meat, consider curbing your meat consumption—and looking for certified organic meat and organic, grass-fed beef to help mitigate some of the planetary problems associated with meat. The meat industry is directly responsible for 85 percent of all soil erosion in the U.S. * More than 80 percent of the corn we grow and more than 95 percent of the oats are fed to livestock. Abstaining from eating meat one day per week has only a negligible impact in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Combining all of these factors, diets that are heavy in animal products cause significantly more harm to the environment than more plant-based diets. So if you want to eat meat that at the very least is doing the least harm to the environment, buying from them or Force of Nature is a great way to support the environment while eating meat. Plant-based meat alternatives produce the same amount of emissions as chicken — which are about five times the emissions of legumes and vegetables. The world’s cattle alone consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population on Earth. Globally, animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gases than all the world’s transportation systems combined. No wonder, when you consider facts like these: * Cows must consume 16 pounds of vegetation in order to convert them into 1 pound of flesh. Reductionism is a practical way for those who are concerned about the environment but still want to eat meat to address this situation. Done right, raising animals improves the environment by building the soil. Terms for automated texts/calls from PETA. One previous study found that following a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet (no meat, fish, or poultry) would result in a 33 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, and vegan diets go even further, with a 53 percent decrease in emissions. Current news, information and issues related to the environment. You can also look for local ranches that are raising their animals … Europe and the major livestock-producing nations of South America are not far behind, while, at the other end of the scale, Indians average less than 10g of meat per day. Stay up to date on the latest vegan trends and get breaking animal rights news delivered straight to your inbox! The research is clear — a diet heavy in meat increases the risk of obesity, cancer and heart disease. About 90 % of all deforestation can be traced back to the meat industry. Raising animals for food consumes more than half of all water used in the U.S. But, of course, it is not what we eat individually — it is what we eat as a whole society that has the impact on the environment. This is also true for the differences between meat products. review this trend, which has major negative consequences for land and water use and environmental change. Shifting to more plant-based foods is essential to combatting climate change, soil, air and water pollution, ocean dead zones, and myriad other problems caused by industrial livestock production. The meat industry is directly responsible for 85 percent of all soil erosion in the U.S. * More than 80 percent of the corn we grow and more than 95 percent of the oats are fed to livestock. Environment 'Eat less meat to help the climate' doesn't apply to everyone – here's why. Raising animals for food requires massive amounts of land, food, ... and your conscience will be clear, knowing that you’re doing your part to help the environment and animals. The livestock sector, — raising cows, pigs and chickens — generates as much greenhouse gas emissions as all cars, trucks and automobiles combined. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, just 4.2 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are from livestock agriculture, with beef contributing 1.4 percent. But does it actually work? According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the production, processing and distribution of … Current subscribers: You will continue to receive e-mail unless you explicitly opt out by clicking, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Did you know that nearly a third of the earth’s land surface is used for raising … Drop meat and dairy, on Friday, June 8, also used the research study as evidence to support his claim that if we all gave up meat and dairy we’d be able to re-wild grasslands and live happily by eating more imported soya. Thankfully, reducetarianism offers an easy and practical way to help the environment - simply eating less meat can save water, land, energy, and other vital resources. Nowhere else is this more prevalent than rich nations whose appetite for beef, pork and processed chicken have reached a tipping point. Buy sustainable or organic fresh produce whenever possible. Share Tweet Donate. Cattle ranchers have clear cut millions of square kilometers of forests for grazing pastures, decimating natural “carbon sinks.”. If we decide to eat fewer meals with meat or dairy each week, we can have a huge impact on our collective health and the health of the planet. We’re not advocating that everyone adopt a “meatless” diet tomorrow. 702 H Street, NW, STE 300, Washington, D.C. 20001 | 1-800-722-6995, But it also makes the planet sick. The livestock sector — raising cows, pigs and chickens — generates as much greenhouse gas emissions as all cars, trucks and automobiles combined. But it’s also true that some people just don’t want or can’t stop eating meat. Our meat consumption habits take a serious toll on the environment. Depleted soil doesn’t grow vegetables, so farmers have to use chemical fertilizers that disrupt the ecosystem. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat but only 25 gallons to produce a pound of wheat. 5 Help the forests. But we all must develop “meat consciousness” and reduce the level of meat in our diets. Meat consumption is rising annually as human populations grow and affluence increases. By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us. Visit Greenpeace Fund, a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charitable entity created to increase public awareness and understanding of environmental issues through research, the media and educational programs. It may be time to order a veggie burger instead of a rack of ribs. * Producing just one hamburger uses enough fossil fuel to drive a small car 20 miles. Chicken, eggs, and pork nearly always have a lower footprint than beef and lamb: there is some, but not much overlap between the worst poultry and pork producers, and the best beef and lamb producers. 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