Effects of Diet on the Environment
The animal based food and non-food production industries are responsible for a large percentage of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. (Ref. 1).
The specific factors that contribute to the global pollution problem.
As it was mentioned in the “Exploitation of Animals …” section of this project, an astonishing number of land animals and fish are killed yearly for food and other purposes. In order to raise such a great number of animals, huge numbers of land acreages and enormous amounts of food, water, drugs and chemicals (i.e. pesticides) are necessary.
It is estimated that the land used today for that purpose, is more than the land area of the entire Asia. Furthermore, about 20% of the available world’s freshwater, and more than a third of the worldwide grain production is used for the needs of livestock growing.
For making such huge acreage available, deforestation and green land destruction is necessary.
It is known that each tree absorbs certain amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), and thus decreases the amount of CO2 into the earth’s atmosphere. On the other hand, deforestation increases the amount of CO2 into the atmosphere and thus contributes to the atmospheric pollution problem. In addition, the huge land acreage used for animal food production are repeatedly treated with large amounts of pesticides and chemicals which are the sources of chemically generated gases that also contribute to the earth’s atmospheric pollution problem.
However, the land acreage needed to produce enough food for the 6.5 billion world’s population is considerably smaller and will immediately minimize not only the deforestation and green land destruction, but it will solve the existing world’s famine problem as well.
Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (2013), estimated that about 80% of the total agricultural emissions is caused by animal agriculture (Note 1), and livestock industries (Note 2).
Note 1: Animal agriculture is responsible for about 5% of the global CO2, 44% of methane (due to the enormous amounts of animal waste and other garbage, generated by the billions of animals yearly), 44% of all nitrous oxide emissions (the most potent GHG).
Note 2: Livestock industries contribute about 15 % of the global GHG emissions/year.
Furthermore, let’s not forget that to meet the demand the worldwide hundreds of thousands of animal/fish related industries, are operated continuously (24 hours/day, 7 days/week), and many of them are operated without strict government controls. and that all these industries make the environmental pollution problem worst.
According to a recent United Nations study (Livestock’s Long Shadow), meat/fish industries alone are causing GHG emissions equivalent to the one created by all the cars, trucks, ships, and airplanes in the world combined.
Summary: Animal related industry is a huge contributor to human-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, second only to fossil fuels. It is a leading cause of deforestation, water and air pollution and biodiversity loss (Ref. 2), and clearly strains the Earth’s limited land and water resources. Furthermore, livestock produce worldwide, many times more the sewage produced by humans, most of which is left untreated, and contaminates the water systems with pesticides, antibiotics, and probably heavy metals.
Concentrated animal farming operations present additional public health risks to nearby communities as viral diseases may spread from sick livestock to humans, while the increased use of antibiotics encourages antibiotic resistance when there is a need for it. Furthermore, irresponsible manure management from high-volume facilities risks making fecal matter air born, which may reach nearby homes and cause respiratory problems. Livestock waste can also pass through the soil to groundwater which may then contaminate nearby streams and rivers with nitrates and pathogens.
- Global GHG emissions from the livestock sector increased by 50% between 1961 and 2010, spurred by a 54% increase in methane and nitrous oxide emissions from livestock manure.
- If global consumption of meat and dairy continues to grow at the current pace, the agriculture sector could consume about 70 % of the allowable budget for all GHG emissions by mid-century. To meet the global goal of limiting warming to 2°C, annual emissions must be reduced from today’s levels of 49 gig tons of CO2 to around 23 gig tons by 2050. Agriculture would use up 20 of those gig tons, leaving only three for the rest of the global economy.
GHG intensity from the average western diet could be reduced in half by adopting a plant-based diet. This will definitely improve current and future climate change trend.
All the above affect the planet’s environment, and as you know now days such environmental disturbances affect the earth’s temperature and cause severe weather/atmospheric phenomena everywhere in the planet (i.e. the recent hurricanes in Caribbean) with serious effects in agriculture and food production, and the economy. It has been reported in the news (January 2019) that a temperature difference of 100 o C between a location in Siberia and a location in Australia.
Our beautiful planet is badly abused and everything shows that we are heading for a catastrophe. Unfortunately, very little has been done to improve the situation, even though experts are attempting to persuade those responsible for the problem, and those who have the power to do something about it.
Let’s not be disillusioned. Environmental pollution is an urgent problem and, as such, should be seriously addressed by all of us. If we do not act now, we will greatly regret in the very near future. If we act now, research has shown that the atmospheric pollution problem could be reversed over time. So, let’s make the needed changes now and not wait until the pollution problem is uncontrollable. Unfortunately when this happens, we will not be able to reverse the process anymore.
WE CAN’T FOOL NATURE
A vegetarian or vegan diet can help to improve the environmental pollution problem, which has led to hazards such us.
- The elevated numbers of the UV index caused by the ozone hole. These high UV index numbers are a cause of skin cancer and eye problems which are on the rise. According to research findings, sun exposure is best before 9 am and after 4 pm, (the UV index should be less than 3).
- Respiratory problem such as asthma are more prevalent and cause morbidity and mortality.
- Toxic contaminants may contribute to Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s diseases.
A single statement made by the famous Beatles Group performer Sir Paul Mc Carney it tells everything that needs to be done to save our planet and humanity..
STOP EATING MEAT (and I add to it: STOP EATING FISH as well).
The loud and clear message here is, be a vegetarian or a vegan and a lot of the serious problems we are facing today will be minimized.
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