Meat is Bad For the Environment, Part: I
I have mentioned in previous posts that growing animals for food or meat is very unsustainable. For every pound of meat produced, it takes 8 pounds of grain that has to be grown to feed the animals. When will we realize our unsustainable ways? Below is outline of the problems associated with the meat industry and Part:2 will outline ways in which we can begin to solve the problems.
Health Risks:
The Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production released a study on April 29th, 2008 has found that the number of farms producing animals has dramatically dropped over the past five decades. They have found that there is a concentration of farm animals in larger and larger numbers in close proximity to one another which is creating unacceptable risks to human health.
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Animals in such close confinement, along with some of the feed and animal management methods employed in the system, increase pathogen risks and magnify opportunities for transmission from animals to humans. In other words, this creates more sicknesses in people from eating meat. Do you have stomach aches after eating that Jack in The Box burger? Symptoms can go unnoticed, but the problems are there.
Environmental Risks:
According to the EPA, the annual production of manure produced by animal confinement facilities exceeds that produced by humans by at least three times. Unlike most human sewage, the majority of Industrial Farm Animal Production waste is spread on the ground untreated. Manure in such large quantities carries excess nutrients and farm chemicals that find their way into waterways, lakes, groundwater, soils and airways. Our improper methods of raising animals and their waste is creating an a disaster for future generations.
Not only that, but the waste from animals creates runoff that also carries antibiotics and hormones, pesticides, and heavy metals. Antibiotics are used to prevent and treat bacterial infections and as growth promoters. Pesticides are used to control insect infestations and fungal growth. Heavy metals, especially zinc and copper, are added as micronutrients to the animal diet.Ethical Treatment of Animals:
If you live in a progressive community like I do, then you know that people who eat eggs much rather purchase them from free range chickens. This is because we know that the animal had a reasonably decent life and probably was healthier. PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has increased their awareness campaigns to show how the animals headed for McDonald's are being raised in very inhumane and unethical ways. To read about how serious the problem is, check out Why Animals Matter.
Good animal welfare can also help to protect the safety of our nation’s food supply. Scientists have long recognized that food safety is linked to the health of the animals that produce the meat, dairy and egg products that we eat. In fact, scientists have found modern intensive confinement production systems can be stressful for food animals, and that stress can increase pathogen shedding in animals.
Conclusion:
I am a vegetarian because I choose to be. By no means am I trying to force other people into not eating meat. Educate yourself about the risks and other issues surrounding meat consumption. Even lowering, not eliminating, meat consumption makes a difference to the planet, environment and animal welfare.
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1 COMMENTS, ADD YOURS HERE:
Your arguments are against industrial meat production, not all meat eating. Buy meat from local organic farmers using sustainable and humane methods. We can't grow crops on all lands, grass grows there, we can't eat grass, animals can, then we can eat them. They're tasty. Eat less meat and respect it.
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