Do you have an exact idea of The Impact Of Meat Consumption On The Environment? We all know that meat production damages it and the lives of many animals. While millions of us have decided to cut meat from our diets, over 200 million tons of meat (and counting) has been consumed so far this year! It is not too late to stop buying into one of the most polluting industries in our world. What are the benefits of not eating meat? Well, alongside not being a contributor to the facts and statistics shared below, you will also be improving your own health.
Ever wondered what the Impact Of Meat Consumption On The Environment is?
Meat has a higher energy footprint than any other food. We use over 2,000 trillion tons of water to produce meat every year. It makes no sense considering that one hectare of beef feeds only 1-2 people while one hectare of rice feeds 19-22 people. It takes a huge 54 calories of fossil fuel to produce ONE calorie of protein from beef. Whereas producing the same amount of protein from soybeans only takes 2-3 calories of fossil fuel. Lastly, did you know that 51% of global greenhouse gas emissions are from livestock and their byproducts?
The effects of veganism on the environment
Due to this information, concerns about health and other factors; there has been a surge in conversions to veganism. With this rise comes arguments against it. The main one being that it isn’t as eco-friendly as people claim. This is indicated by the amount of fruit, vegetables and seasonal foods vegans need to substitute the animal based products missing from their diet. Most of these are imported and can be packaged in plastic which still damages the environment. An example is avocados. When they became a trend the countries Kenya, Mexico and Australia were all impacted by the costs of exporting. Prices of avocados increased massively for local people who once had avocado as a staple in their diets. Also, illegal deforestation occured in Mexico in order to plant more avocado trees to meet the high demands.
However.
If we consider the impact of meat consumption on the environment, the scale of this is minimal in comparison. Although, as consumers we can change our habits to avoid these issues. For example, choosing to support local businesses by purchasing their produce can help to reduce our environmental footprint. We can shop consciously through zero waste stores or healthy food box deliveries. We can also eat more home-grown foods and follow a seasonal diet. This is eating foods that are grown at the same time you eat them such as strawberries in the summer. These small steps make a huge difference.
Is eating meat healthy?
10-year-old activist, Genesis Butler, explains The Impact Of Meat Consumption On The Environment. She also tells us why she became vegan and why it is important for our future.
How does going vegetarian help the environment?
Although a vegan diet is one of the best for the environment and your body, some follow a vegetarian diet. Indeed, it can be difficult to fully transition. This still helps the environment greatly because of the absence of meat. However the real question is, what’s the difference between vegetarianism and veganism on the environment? Dairy. Yes, the cows and goats used to harvest milk still account for a huge number of livestock. This makes it difficult to know whether your meat-free diet is really effective or eco-friendly.
The overall impact of not eating meat on the environment is very positive. By 2050 meat consumption could increase by 160% and this demand for meat is not sustainable for our planet. This will start to decrease, slowly but surely, as more of us continue to choose to stop eating meat.
