This article will talk about how a vegetarian diet affects not only health, but also the economy and the environment. You will see that even a simple reduction in meat consumption will have a positive impact on the life of the planet.
First, a little about vegetarianism in general:
1. There are different types of vegetarianism
Vegetarians eat exclusively plant foods. They do not consume any animal products, including fish, eggs, dairy products and honey.
Vegans exclude animal products not only in food, but also in other areas of life. They avoid leather, wool and silk products.
Lacto-vegetarians allow dairy products in their diet.
Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs and dairy products.
Pesco vegetarians include fish in their diet.
Polo-vegetarians eat poultry such as chicken, turkey and duck.
2. Meat, poultry, seafood and milk do not contain fiber.
3. A vegetarian diet helps prevent
cancer, colon cancer
heart diseases
high blood pressure
type 2 diabetes
osteoporosis
and many many others…
4. British scientists have found that a child’s IQ level can predict his choice to become a vegetarian. In a word, the smarter the child, the more likely it is that in the future he will avoid meat.
5. Vegetarianism came from the ancient Indian peoples. And today more than 70% of vegetarians worldwide live in India.
Vegetarianism can save the planet
6. Growing feed for farm animals consumes almost half of the US water supply and covers about 80% of the cultivated area.
7. In 2006, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations produced a report calling for immediate action on the harmful effects of pastoralism on the environment. According to the report, the effects of pastoralism are leading to land degradation, climate change, air and water pollution, deforestation and biodiversity loss.
8. If you look at the percentage of waste emissions from global meat production, you get
6% CO2 emissions
65% nitrogen oxide emissions (which contribute to global warming)
37% methane emissions
64% ammonia emissions
9. The livestock sector generates more emissions (in CO2 equivalent) than the use of transport.
10. The production of 1 pound of meat is equivalent to the production of 16 tons of grain. If people ate only 10% less meat, then the saved grain could feed the hungry.
11. Studies at the University of Chicago have shown that switching to a vegetarian diet is more effective in reducing carbon emissions than driving a hybrid car.
12. Red meat and dairy products are responsible for almost half of the greenhouse gas emissions from the diet of the average US family.
13. Replacing red meat and milk with fish, chicken and eggs at least once a week will reduce harmful emissions by the equivalent of emissions from driving a car 760 miles a year.
14. Switching to a once-a-week vegetable diet will cut emissions by the equivalent of driving 1160 miles a year.
Global warming as a result of human activity is not a myth, and it must be understood that the meat industry emits more CO2 than all transport and all other factories in the world. The following facts must be taken into account:
Most farmland is used to feed animals, not people (70% of the former forests in the Amazon have been grazing).
The amount of water used to feed the animals (not to mention the contamination).
Fuel and energy used to grow and produce animal feed
Energy used to keep livestock alive and then slaughtered, transported, cooled or frozen.
Emissions from large dairy and poultry farms and their vehicles.
It should not be forgotten that the waste of a person who eats animals is different from the waste of plant food.
If people really care about the environment and see the problem of global warming, they will be more facilitating the transition to vegetarianism, instead of passing carbon trading laws designed only to enrich the few.
Yes, because pollution and greenhouse gases are a big problem. Any conversation about global warming should include the word “vegetarian” and not talk about hybrid cars, high-efficiency light bulbs, or the dangers of the oil industry.
Save the planet – go vegan!