Eliminating or reducing the consumption of animal products is one way in which an individual can significantly reduce his/her carbon footprint. According to environmentalists what people put into their shopping bags at the grocery store has an overbearing environmental impact as compared to one reusing a non-biodegradable shopping bag at the store or even driving hybrid car to that very store (Egendorf, 2005) ! Environmental experts have blamed consumption of animal products on increased levels of global warming, massive energy consumption, pollution, deforestation, poor water use and loss of biodiversity and animal species such as some types of fish due to overfishing. The changing of eating habits to more plant-based diets has the potential to reduce consumption of animal products and therefore reduce the stated negative impacts on the environment.
The livestock industry is a major contributor to environmental degradation. This is courtesy to the modern methods adopted in the rearing of animals for commercial purposes. To begin with animals require large tracks of land on which to graze and the animals consume massive quantities of plant-based feeds. Statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicated in a 2006 report that 50% of the total agricultural products are needed to raise animals that are targeted for human consumption (EPA, 2006). The statistics farther add that 26% of the earth’s arable surface is occupied by grazing lands. This extent of land use has been blamed for land degradation in the form of declining soil quality, desertification and deforestation. A case in point is the deforestation of the Amazon Forest where 70% of land previously occupied by indigenous, environmental friendly plant species has been cleared to pave way for grazing lands.
The production of meat demands much more water as compared to any other agricultural activity. According to John Robbins who is a vegetarian author, the production of 1 pound of beef requires 12,000 gallons of water! (Egendorf, 2005) The water could be used up in the process of growing plans as animal feeds, drinking water for the animal during its lifetime among other production activities. The increased water use in mostly non-reusable ways leads to the depletion of non-renewable water sources and thereby posing a danger to the environment.
Animal wastes are responsible for increased pollution levels. Animal manure has high quantities of phosphorus, nitrogen, metals and antibiotics. The combination of these substances with elements on the air such as oxygen, forms pollutant substances such as methane and nitrous dioxide which pollute air and underground water as manure leaks into the soil. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2006), there are more than 216,000 acres of reservoirs and lakes as well as 34,000 miles of rivers in the US that have been degraded by manure and animal products from animal rearing areas. Workers in animal farms often complain of itching, dizziness and various forms of discomfort due to toxic gases, smog odors and dust from decomposing water which releases, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia.
The livestock industry also releases massive quantities of greenhouse gases. FAO estimates that 14 to 22% of the total greenhouse gases are produced from animal rearing operations such as deforestation for pasture lands, gas emissions from animals, production and usage of fertilizers in production of animal feeds such as Lucerne and other grasses among other production activities and processes (Egendorf, 2005).
The animal industry is one of the most destructive to the environment. Animal production requires massive pieces of land and water. The production processes also yield pollutants such as nitrous dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from animal manure all of which destroy the environment. As such changes in eating habits where people eat less of animal products have the potential to significantly reduce the demand for animal products, their rearing and hence reduce the negative impacts that the industry has on the environment.
References
"Animal Feeding Operations - Air Programs | Agriculture | US EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. N.p. 2006 Web. 23 Sept. 2013. <http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/anafoair.html#airafos>.
Egendorf, L. K. (2005) The environment. Detroit: Greenhaven Press,. Print.
