If man and dog can be best friends, why can’t man and cow become best friends? Why is killing and eating an innocent cow, or pig normalized? You wouldn’t eat a dog because they are often times your pets, why should that change for a larger animal? Recently the result of humans eating animals has caused great effects to our Earth. The Earth is in need of our help, if eating animals can dramatically help why won’t we take the step to help? The meat industry is doing more harm to the Earth, and ourselves than learning to switch to a more healthful diet.
Now before going into more detail about some problems stated above, I wanted to give a bit more of an overview of the problem at hand. The issue is, the meat industry is one of the largest reasons for climate change. The meat industry is notorious for harming animals. As if killing them is not bad enough, often times they are thrown in filthy, “metal crates, and other torturous devices”. (Peta.org Par. 1) It is believed if most people knew the conditions the animals are kept under, most people would not want to be eating the animals. Terrible living conditions, harming the Earth, and harming ourselves, why do we let this continues to happen? Due to the fact most people are unaware the meat industry is damaging the Earth. People have slowly become more aware of the living conditions animals are kept under, though it doesn’t stop there. As there is more work for us to do in the bettering of the environment, and ourselves.
The meat industry is affecting the Earth by causing an alarming rate of climate change. In an online article “Five Ways the Meat on Your Plate Is Killing the Planet” it is mentioned that “livestock farming contributes 18% of human produced greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. (Five Ways the Meat on Your Plate Is Killing the Planet Par. 6) This is more than all emissions from ships, planes trucks cars, and all other transport put together.” By cutting this amount down we’d be able to drastically help the Earth. This could be the first steps in saving Mother Earth as it is a greatly impacting our planet.
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Not only does the meat industry cause climate change, “To produce one kilogram of beef requires 25 kilograms of grain — to feed the animal — and roughly 15,000 liters of water” (Five Ways the Meat on Your Plate is Killing the Planet Par. 9) This water could be used for to help water wildlife. California is prone to fires due to the area being so dry, by using some of that water. 15,000 liters of water is being used for an animal to be killed. Agriculture is one of the largest consumers of land, and water. This can be seen as a waste of space as many cities have begun to over populate, making it a waste of Earths’ resources.
It isn’t fair for animals die for us to eat something that is not healthy for us. The way humans consume animals has become unhealthy because of the hormones injected into the animals. The results of these hormones in (mainly) cows, and chicken have been linked to early puberty in children, and believed to even be linked with cancer according to an article by livestrong.com. “..suggest that young females enter puberty sooner due to ingesting hormones..” (The Effects of Growth Hormones in Food Par. 3) Though it has been denied by the FDA that hormones cannot cause cancer, the idea that it does is believed by many. It is mainly cows, and chickens that are stuffed with hormones to intrigue the buyer. The consumers want everything in a bigger form, which strengthens the argument showing why it is bad for us. This helps contribute to America’s obesity, helping normalize an unhealthy eating diet. Human bodies are not meant to be pumped with an additional amount of hormones.
We can help the Earth just by changing our ways of eating. By switching the way we eat we can help the Earth and ourselves. By switching to meat alternatives like tofu, tempeh, beans, non-dairy and many other items, we can eliminate the need for livestock farming. Switching to meat alternatives can be the first steps in helping change the World. These small steps can make a major impact on our Earth. It only takes one person to inspire others to change, one small step done by a large group of people can make an entire difference.
Many people may argue that they don’t truly affect the Earth enough to be part of the reason why it is dying, though it is that exact thinking that contributes to all the issues the planet has begun to face. People may also believe that since humans have been eating meat since the beginning of time that it means it can not affect us in a critical way. Though in those times chickens and cows were not pumped with hormones, and lived freely, on their own diet. This might not seem like a big deal to some but it drastically affects us, and our Earth. The odds of you becoming sick from eating animal products might not seem common to some though these odds are only increasing the more we continue to eat. According to an article by TheGuardian.com “this contributes to the rise of resistant bacteria, and so it makes it harder to treat human illness” (10 ways vegetarianism can help save the planet Par. 20).
The meat industry is why we need to change our unethical ways of living to help plan for the future. To help animals and Earth return to their natural state of health, a few small steps is all it takes to save our home. The state of every living things well-being depends on this so why shouldn’t we try to help in any way we can? We have plenty of different options to continue life without the need of harming an animal. The meat industry does more harm to the Earth than good, and it is now time for us to change our ways, for mother Earth.
Works Cited
- “Factory Farming: The Industry Behind Meat and Dairy.” PETA, www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/factory-farming/.
- McLaughlin, August. “The Effects of Growth Hormones in Food.” LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, 14 Aug. 2017, www.livestrong.com/article/98816-effects-growth-hormones/.
- Vergunst, Francis, et al. “Five Ways the Meat on Your Plate Is Killing the Planet.” The Conversation, The Conversation, 19 Sept. 2018, theconversation.com/five-ways-the-meat-on-your-plate-is-killing-the-planet-76128.
- Vidal, John. “10 Ways Vegetarianism Can Help Save the Planet.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 17 July 2010, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/jul/18/vegetarianism-save-planet-environment.
