No room for more cows

After watching the documentary Cowspiracy, I am more certain than ever that what is good for the environment is good for human health. It is most definitely and without question good for the rest of the living beings with whom we share this earth! What I learned from this movie is that sustainability is the most critical factor when choosing what we eat. The truth is the world cannot sustain the current level of animal products we are consuming. Not even close. The truth is the more livestock we raise, the more land we destroy, the less land - and water - there is for the trees and the wildlife. And people in some parts of the world are still going hungry while we grow grain by the mega-ton to feed the livestock that feeds the wealthier nations.

Human demand for animal meat, fish, dairy, and eggs is killing our planet. The earth is becoming a desert.

Water consumption, land, greenhouse gases, and waste – these are all huge areas of concern for the environment and the survival of the planet, and they are hugely impacted by animal food production.

Here are some sobering facts:

GREENHOUSE GASES

Livestock and their by-products account for 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions

Cows produce 150 billion gallons of methane per day

Reducing methane emissions would create tangible benefits almost immediately

WATER

Agriculture is responsible for 80-90% of U.S. water consumption

477 gallons of water are required to produce one pound of eggs; 900 gallons are needed for one pound of cheese!

1,000 gallons of water are required to produce one gallon of milk!

LAND

Livestock covers 45% of the earth’s land

2-5 acres of land is used per cow

One third of the planet has become desert largely due to livestock

Animal agriculture is the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution, and habitat destruction

There is a solution - for those going hungry and for the planet as a whole. The answer to this dismal prospect is veganism. Don’t stop reading; I’m not a zealot. The truth is I’ve never been a big fan of veganism... until now that is. This new knowledge has changed my attitude. 

Each day, a person who eats a vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, 30 square feet of forested land, 20 pounds of CO2 equivalent, and one animal’s life.The world population is growing by 228,000+ people every day!

The land required to feed one person per year looks like this:

Vegan: 1/6^th of an acre

Vegetarian: 3x vegan

Meat eater: 18 x vegan!

1.5 acres can produce 37,000 pounds of plant-based food

1.5 acres can produce 375 pounds of meat

A person who follows a vegan diet produces the equivalent of 50% less carbon dioxide, uses 1/11^th oil, 1/13^th water, and 1/18^th land compared to a meat-lover for their food. 82% of starving children live in countries where food they could be eating is fed to animals, and the animals are eaten by people living in western countries.

Knowing all this may concern you, and yet, you may not willing to give up meat, or dairy products, fish, or eggs. I am a flexitarian – someone who doesn’t buy meat but occasionally eats chicken or fish when not at home. I eat a lot of eggs, take milk in my tea and some in my oatmeal. I have kefir daily. So even for me, not a huge consumer of animal products, it is a big shift to consider giving them up completely. But what if we all made a small change?

I believe small tweaks can make a big difference. What if we all significantly reduced our consumption of meat, dairy products and eggs from what it is now? Instead of increasing the demand, we decreased it gradually over time. The world would be a better place. The world population is growing at an alarming rate. What if the next generation was taught not to rely on meat and dairy and instead learned to eat more vegetables, grains, nuts, and fruit? I think it’s worth making the effort. Our choices will have a ripple effect and will benefit everyone.

Please share this post and please, watch the movie!