The Influence Of Meat On The Environment

It is easy to overlook the origins of foods we eat daily and instinctively. Our food and the process that it took to get it onto our plate, however, has an impact greater than typically realized; not only human health, but the environment as well. We are what we eat, after all; the healthier the food one consumes, the healthier his/her body will come to be. When choosing a diet to follow, it is important to acknowledge all of its components, even those that might not have been noticed. Consider where a commonly eaten food came from, what it was made from, and what was added in order to deliver its appeal. Many assume an omnivore diet, which the majority of humans have grown up with, is the best one out there. Removing meat and all other animal

Livestock production, for example, negatively impacts the globe. Animal raising that is used to feed the world requires producing food to feed and support those animals as well. The vegan diet combats that; vegans reduce the number of necessary animals that must be raised in order to meet demands. “The highest total of livestock-related greenhouse-gas emissions comes from the developing world, which accounts for 75% of the global emissions from cattle and other ruminants and 56% of the global emissions from poultry and pigs” (Walsh). TIME depicts the amount of damage that maintaining these industries alive can lead to-- Earth’s size isn’t growing, however the demand is. On top of the industry’s effect on the atmosphere, “LEAD researchers also found that the global livestock industry uses dwindling supplies of freshwater, destroys forests and grasslands, and causes soil erosion, while pollution and the runoff of fertilizer and animal waste create dead zones in coastal areas and smother coral reefs” (Brooks). Factory farming overuses antibiotics and pollutes the air and water. If everyone followed a vegan diet, it would no longer be necessary to support all the animals unwillingly in the

Consuming all animal products, and not just meat, victimizes helpless animals, such as cows, pigs, and chicken. When a company is trying to make a bigger profit, all morals are forgotten. They don’t sympathize with animals, and therefore, treat them cruelly. According to AnimalEquality.net, “Over 56 billion animals are killed every year by humans. By adopting a vegan diet we can personally save up to 95 animals a year, and thousands during our lifetimes.” Animals have feelings as well, unfortunately, they are exploited every day. No one wants to see their pet, whether it be a dog, cat or bird, be cruelly treated. Therefore, companies that allow this to happen should no longer be supported. Genetically manipulated chickens can grow so large that their legs cannot support their weight. Unable to walk to obtain food and water, they suffer from starvation and dehydration. “At the slaughterhouse, those who survived the transport will have their throats slit, often while they’re still conscious. Many remain conscious when they’re plunged into the scalding-hot water of the defeathering or hair-removal tanks or while their bodies are being skinned or hacked apart” (Factory Farming: Misery for Animals). Some may believe that free range animals are an ethical option because some companies appeal to the moral side of humans and label their