Red Meat Consumption

All semester we have discussed how our actions impact our environment and what we can do to limit this impact, or to make our impact more “green.” From smart green homes, to rain barrels, to smart cars, there are many different ways that we can improve our environment and lessen our ecological footprint. One of the biggest ways to do this is by reducing the amount of meat that we consume.

Eating less meat would benefit the the impact on global warming and increase food security (Sealing).

Beef accounts for so much water usage and methane emissions and carbon dioxide and greenhouse gasses and it all contributes to global climate change. We are killing our planet because we like the way meat tastes. It is crucial we leave the old ways behind so that we may embrace the new lifestyle that is caring about the world and doing something about it. It is crucial that everyone understands what they are doing to themselves when they eat processed foods. It is important to recognize severely hormone treated meat as the carcinogen

Did you know that buying that burger at dinner or frozen chicken at the grocery store is killing you, your family, and the environment? Despite that you grew up eating meat and accumulated the thought that you “can’t live without it,” you CAN go without consuming meat. If you were to give up meat, even for a while or better yet all together, you would not only be helping the earth, but also your health, and even our future generations to come. Believe it or not, eating meat causes huge side effect to your health. Factory farming even causes more pollution and chemical fume releases than cars. On top of that, it is wiping out vast sums of land and is causing deforestation, which is even causing plants and insects to become extinct every day. Factory farming and the consumption of meat is bad and should be limited or stopped altogether.

In the article “We Can Save the Earth without giving up Bacon: Here’s how”, published in the Washington Post, Brian Kateman discusses methods of sustainability for the environment. Additionally, Kateman constructs a plan using the diet that humans consume in order to combat health problems, unfeasible business practices within the food industry like factory farming, global warming, and other environmental issues.

For example, Simon (2013) states, “...high consumption levels damage our health and costs billions of dollars to treat.” Simon portrays that eating a wide variety of meat is no longer healthy for individuals. Moreover, it can age and promote growth amongst individuals quicker. Some effects have even gone as far to be as detrimental as cigarette and tobacco use. As the public generally becomes more and more aware of such concerns, there are two possibilities. The first being that people decide to not change what they eat, and therefore, suffer from the costs that come along with a multitude of health problems. The other alternative, is for an individual to decide to change their diet. In turn, the businesses that function around serving meat, will have to restructure and remarket to the general

Following a vegetarian diet means eating no meat, and sometimes, no animal products at all. Many Americans scoff at the idea of cutting out meat from their diet, but Kathy Freston writes an effective argument on why people should be vegetarians in her selection, “Vegetarian Is the New Prius”. Her argument focuses around the negative effects eating meat has on the globe (like global warming), and offers another logical option: going vegetarian. First, Freston establishes her ethos by appearing as someone that is concerned about the future of the earth, and someone that has completed extensive research due to the statistics she uses. Next, she acknowledges the fact that there are other ways to slow down global warming-like buying a Prius-but

As for individual actions, we can buy food produced by companies that treat animals and the environment with care. We can choose to buy foods that are in season and grown and produced in local farms. By doing this, we can reduce food miles, support local economies, and protect the environment. As for collective actions, we can appeal to the FDA and USDA to enforce new standards and requirements about the food system, such as forcing slaughterhouses to install glass walls. These actions can force the food system to abandon current unethical and detrimental

Being brought up a meat eater, I was led to believe that the consumption of meat is essential. After becoming aware of the overcrowding confinement issue, I took to buying local meat thinking it was a better option and believing I was a better person for doing so. I was unaware of the effect of my actions until recently. My purchases of local meat were still increasing the greenhouse gas emissions, which occur during the production phase of our meat. Although I was shocked by this information, I still asked myself, ‘what’s the point?’, similar to the view of Michael

Agriculture for meat and beef, eggs and dairy products are responsible for eighteen percent of all the greenhouse gas emission per year, which is more than the emissions of cars, planes, and trains together. And livestock and their byproducts are responsible for fifty-one percent of the greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and for up to ninety percent of water consumption in the U.S.. Thousands of gallons of water are used to produce beef, eggs and dairy products. More than half of the oceans are fished and two acres of the rainforest get destroyed every second for food production. Switching to a vegan lifestyle can decrease all these factors and make the world we live in now exist longer.

These situations uniquely affect each person’s human behavior, and their different reactions in various environments. Readers can gain improved understanding of economic and behavioral microanalysis, and why laws and actions sometimes bring unintended consequences. The authors’ thinking and ability to approach our complex world is the way of the future. The book mentioned how we can help global warming is by cutting back on meat portions or just by eating one meal a day. Reducing the world’s never ending and increasing appetite for meat is essential to avoid devastating climate change. Preventing global warming is reliant on tackling meat and dairy usage. Having an imbalanced diet that include low in fruits and vegetables and high in red and processed meat is responsible for the health burden globally. A poor food system is responsible for major climate change. By linking health and climate change in our eating habits may have more effect than focusing on each issues. Getting the government involved could help improve food education to encourage a healthy eating lifestyle habits and environmental

Eating animals is part of the daily life of billions of people all over the world. Every day, thousands of animals are killed for the production of food for people. We have been brought up eating meat and never questioned it. It is culturally accepted even though modern livestock and poultry production (factory farming) is cruel and gives animals no other purpose for existence except for human consumption. There are particular religions which prohibit eating certain meats or eating meat at all. The religious points of view also cover the topic on the treatment of animals. Cultural practices on eating animals around the world differ from each other and what some may consider the norm may be shocking

In a 2016 study, Marco Springmann and his colleagues explored the links between diet and health as well as diet and the environment. They looked at the global impacts of different dietary changes in 2050. They also strongly focused on regional differences,

I agree with the point of view of the article. I think that alternative diets are more sustainable for the environment and global population because they have lower emissions and take less resources. Another solution on top of those that Stehfest included is to not only regulate the production of meat but to also change subsidies to make healthy fruits and vegetables more affordable to low and middle income people and encourage healthy dietary habits.

51 percent of global greenhouse emissions are caused by animal agriculture. According to the United Nations, a global shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change (Peta.org). A study was conducted educating subjects on the adverse environmental effects of animal agriculture. A pre and post test through Google Forms was administered to study the effect of this education on the subject’s likelihood of eating meat. A matched pairs T Test was used to analyze the collected data. 23 percent of subjects demonstrated a significant decrease in their likelihood of consuming meat. Therefore, it can be concluded that minimal education on the harmful environmental effects of the livestock industry will decrease subjects likelihood of consuming meat.