Less animal consumption combats climate change
As the weather warms up and we shed our heavy parkas, now is the perfect time to readdress the drastic effects of climate change.
As the world begins to take preventative actions to combat further damage, every single person has the power to reduce their carbon footprints.
The normal strategies we think of are steps such as recycling and driving less often. Another important step we may be overlooking is the simple act of consuming less animal products. This means eating less meat and dairy, and for some, transitioning entirely to a plant-based lifestyle. Even just a small change can have a dramatic impact, especially if we all do our part.
The statistics illustrating the animal industry’s effects on the environment are staggering. The global livestock industry produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all transportation combined, but a worldwide survey from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finds that twice as many people think transport is the bigger contributor to global warming.
One 2006 report estimated that 18 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions were attributable to animal sources, but more recent reports found figures closer to 51 percent.
So why is the world not taking initiative when it comes to the animal industry? Even the climate change goals some powers are making can’t be met without reducing animal consumption.
For example, for the United Kingdom to meet the European Union’s targets for greenhouse gas emissions, it would need to reduce beef and dairy consumption by more than half. Ultimately, governmental bodies should have little say on what people choose to do with their own bodies, but this means we ourselves need to take that responsibility and make a change.
Complete veganism isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. The stigma surrounding veganism, especially with controversial voices such as PETA, stops many people from ever considering its principles.
Environmental impact isn’t the only reason to keep an open mind about plant-based living. Aspects such as health and animal welfare also convince many to consider veganism.
Those who’re thinking about making the transition should do their research and verify that they’ll be receiving the nutrition they need before making any drastic changes.
For those not keen on giving up their bacon, for the sake of the climate, make the conscious decision to eat less meat.
Even just one less serving of meat or dairy a week will produce a multitude of good for the environment. According to findings from the University of Chicago, if everyone dropped one serving of chicken per week, it would save the same amount of carbon dioxide emissions as taking 500,000 cars off the road.
Beyond nutritional benefits, using meat and dairy alternatives—surprisingly tasty products becoming increasingly similar to their animal counterparts—would help to alleviate the global water crisis, since livestock production uses a tremendous amount of water.
Since meat alternatives require more labor, they would create both more jobs and more skilled jobs worldwide.
Additionally, researchers have found that total supply of crops being fed to animals in the meat and dairy industry could feed at least four billion people instead.
With all of these facts in mind, people making changes regarding waste and transportation could also easily make changes in animal consumption. A transition toward more awareness of the livestock industry and the practice of a plant-based lifestyle is crucial in our fight against climate change.
