Causes.com
| 5.17.22
Could Eating Less Meat Reduce Rates of Deforestation?
Would you cut down your meat consumption to help prevent more deforestation?
What’s the story?
- Similar to all forms of agriculture, raising livestock has a heavy impact on the climate and environment. Many of its processes emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere during food production, including animal emissions, transportation, storage, machinery usage, and converting ecosystems into farmlands.
- Most researchers, climate scientists, and experts alike agree that decreasing the demand for meat — eating less of it — would benefit the environment and combat climate change.
How does animal agriculture impact the environment?
- Livestock, mainly cattle, directly emits methane during digestion, which is over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. A single cow can produce between 154 to 264 pounds of methane per year, adding up to 37% of total emissions from human activities.
- Currently, cattle ranching accounts for 80% of deforestation in the Amazon, amounting to 340 million tons of CO2 emissions each year and 3.4% of emissions worldwide. Brazil’s use of slash-and-burn agriculture releases high amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere as companies create land for cattle pastures and soy farms. This practice wipes out imperative carbon sinks from the environment, which scientists continuously emphasize the importance of in combating the climate crisis.
- Industrial animal agriculture puts more stress on the land by using unnatural products and processes to grow crops for animals quickly, such as synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, tillage, monocropping, and more.
- Forcibly speeding up crop growth ruins the soil, causing a cascade of problems and releasing the CO2 from the carbon sink in the ground. These practices often leave the land unfarmable, forcing industry leaders to cut down more forests to have clear land to farm on.
What are experts saying?
- Even though climate scientists are warning the public about the connection between meat consumption and climate change, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization projects that global meat demand will rise by more than 1% this year.
- One study in Environmental Research Letters stated that over half of the CO2 emitted from the average American diet comes from eating meat. Another study found that going vegetarian for a year would save over one metric ton of CO2 emissions from the average American's carbon footprint.
- Professor and climate change expert Naomi Oreskes said that cutting meat consumption is one of the most influential things Americans can do to tackle the climate crisis.
What would eating less meat look like?
- In concurrence with many experts, Oreskes emphasized that becoming vegetarian/vegan is not the only way to cut down on meat. Even decreasing meat consumption by 25% would free up around 23 million acres of land that would no longer be used for animal agriculture.
- The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research found that the increase in meat demand between 2020 and 2050 would eventually double the annual rate of deforestation globally. However, replacing 20% of the world’s per-capita beef consumption with an option like mycoprotein, a high-quality meatless alternative, would reduce methane emissions by 11% by 2050 and halve annual deforestation.
- As individuals take the step to eat less meat, many companies and start-ups are investing in alternative products to lessen the demand for meat, in turn relieving the environment of the associated stressors.
What do you think? Will you cut down your meat consumption to help curb rates of deforestation?
-Jamie Epstein
(Photo Credit: iStock.com / PeopleImages)
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I highly recommend watching Cowspiracy. It's on Netflix
https://www.cowspiracy.com/facts
For those doubters of the impact of cattle farming on forests, from Time magazine down in the Amazon.
'AT LEAST 427 SPECIES of mammals live in the Amazon rain forest, but one now dominates in terms of raw numbers: the cow. Cattle farming accounts for up to 80% of deforested land. In 2018, Brazil exported some $6 billion worth of beef, more than any other country in history. While stringent supply-chain standards make Europe a difficult market for Amazon producers, countries in Africa and Asia—particularly China—are less discerning.'
https://time.com/amazon-rainforest-disappearing/
My Reps., please read.
I"m already a very low consumer of animal meat and eggs. I do eat a lot of dairy, but I could cut back on that too. I've been encouraging friends to consider transitioning toward a vegetarian based diet, too. It's better for the planet AND it's healthier for your body in many well documented studies.
To answer the question - No. I don't eat that much meat to begin with. In any case, there are other solutions that would have a positive impact on the objective.
The inhumane round up & slaughter of America's wild horses is also tied to the cattle industry...as often they graze on the same public lands. The beef industry is strong. Thanks for getting the message out, Causes.
Have gone vegan because of food allergies. Not certain I would have chosen to do this otherwise and I do occasionally have a small amount of meat which I tolerate periodically.
Recommending everyone become vegan is extreme though it is healthier but there are other options to mitigate livestock production or grow cultured meats.
Livestock impacts the environment (greenhouse gases, land and water) but there are ways to mitigate the impact, as well as other options besides veganism like cultured meat (lab grown).
1) greenhouse gases are the #1 agricultural contributor at 14.5% from livestock. High fiber diets in ruminants causes it so the are experimenting with feed mixes. Adding 1% seaweed reduces gas emissions.
2) Raising livestock takes up 1/2 US land, and overgrazing degrades soil health & biodiversity unless managed correctly to improve soil by rotating herds and resting land to leave root systems in tact which retains water & carbon in soil. Degrading pasture land degrades cattle health as well.
3) Global agriculture uses 70% of fresh water
4) Largest concern is it's not sustainable for population growth. UN (2017) estimates world population increased
-1B in 12yr (2005-2017) to 7.6B in 2017
-83M/yr
-2030 there will be 9B
-2050 - 10B and a 300% increase in beef demand in Asia alone.
The US has improved agriculture priduct so that
-1970s, 140M cattle for 205M people
-2022 - 90M cattle for 334M
Global trends are different due to temperature, culture and disease vectors which change with weather patterns.
Cows in tropical regions produce less milk and meat, so it takes them longer to get to market.
India, has the largest cattle population, but the lowest beef consumption of any country, cows live longer and emit more methane over their lifetime.
64% of the world’s population may live under water-stressful conditions by 2025
Impact of climate change on microbial communities (pathogens or parasites), spreading of vector-borne diseases, food-borne diseases, host resistance, and feed and water scarcity.
Mitigation:
1) Make high fiber diet more digestible by adding seaweed 60% reduction in methane emissionsby using 1% of seaweed in the diet but need to scale up seaweed production
2) Manure removal, processing, storage & cooling
3) Sustainable grazing doesn’t reduce greenhouse grasses which requires carbon offsets (risky sustainability)
4) Lab grown (cultured meat)
https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/what-is-lab-grown-meat-a-scientist-explains-the-taste-production-and-safety-of-artificial-foods/
https://www.ucdavis.edu/food/news/making-cattle-more-sustainable
https://academic.oup.com/af/article/9/1/69/5173494
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221209631730027X
Eating less or more red meat will not cause any mass shootings
Congress needs to act ASAP, by changing the laws to make Social Media company's held responsible for hate content on their platforms ! This would also include removing protection from law suits from victims of violence due to postings !
I already do. I'm the only one in my household. I'm quite health conscience.
Forrest's are being cut down to grow feed for cattle, not to mention people eat too much meat making them sick.we should be eating fruits, vegetables and grains directly
Trump passed the 1 trillion trees act, Why the Democrats shut it down?
No, Cows dont eat trees, Get your G.E.D
Growing meat is bad,yes, but studies have shown that many 'meats'grow themselvesin a natural process caled life on earth. Go out and kill these 'meats'. Eat them, they are fresh and healthy and full of nutriton. Please don't feel bad.It is completely natural and has been going on for millions of years. Animals eat each other. Get used to it!
Let look at real things like Hemp and how much CO2 it consume during growth.
It alone could make this would carbon neutral.. but the ruins the elitists regime of making big money on the Climate Control band-wagon
And according to nutritionists eating less meat would be healthier as well. But all of this requires a culture change but a slow start is the nay way to go.
No!!! I will NOT! And if you think I'm just being selfish I suggest you go to Cattle By-Products.com. All these intelligent scientists fall to mention all the products made from what's left of the cow after We Eat Our Meat! Household goods: from candles to detergents, mouthwash and toothpaste to cosmetics and paint and so much more. Pharmaceutical products: treating diabetes and high blood sugar, treatment of blood disorders, regulates blood pressure, treatment of arthritis and allergies to killing viruses and making anti-rejection drugs and much more. Travel related products: tires, antifreeze, glue, steel ball bearings, brake fluid, airplane lubricants, textiles and more. Milk by-products: butter, ice cream, whey and cheese. So if you climate extremists think raising cattle is bad because they flagellate then I suggest you stop yourself from doing the same. Does that sound silly or stupid? Then you know how silly and stupid is is when people like myself hear this. I understand this wasn't the only reason listed. But when you take into consideration of all the other benefits we get from cows I think you ought to think of other ways to help stop climate change. You people scream like maniacs when you think something is wrong, and it may be. But then you want everything to just stop. You look for everything bad and nothing else. You can always find the bad in something no matter how good it is. What's wrong with disgussing the pro's and con's of issues? But that's not the way of the woke these days. In this case I would rather work on other ways of putting nutrients back into the soil, rotating crops an water wells and things. We NEED cattle and farm land. And as the world grows we need more. So PLEASE, look for more efficient ways to keep the things we have and make it better, instead of this domino effect of taking AWAY the things we NEED and want.
Cows dont eat trees, tardis
I haven't eaten beef or pork since I was a kid. It really makes a huge difference regarding my health. There are so many great plant based options now. I would rather have a cleaner planet then a steak any day of the week. We need to think about need vs want when we shop for food, clothing or a bunch of plastic that we just end of throwing away. We need to ask ourselves, what are we leaving for the next generation?
Already have. Being on a fixed income and the constant rising of prises, prohibits us from eating meat the way we previously had, Now, plant-based meat and seafoods are cheaper and actually tastes like, or very very close to, the actual thing. We are used to it now and do not miss the real thing.
Between deforrestation and bovine impact on greenhouse gasses I would give up beef allltogether. Unfortunately that isn't going to make any impact. A movement needs organization and I haven't seen that yet. Someone needs to circulate a referendum of purpose and commitment boycott that is highly visible and accessible. The industry will take a hit and the economy will suffer but it is worth the discomfort.
While I would be willing, my wife is a meat and potatoes person. My son has alergies to all seafood and will not eat most vegetables. We all have some other dietary restrictions for medical reasons, so our options are tightly restricted. Food supplies and prices where we live i the USA would have to chzange dramatically to make a significant difference.
Eating the dead is an ethical choice. Saying "I love animals" while feeding on the corpse of a dead pig or bird or cow is pure hypocrisy. Our government supports the Death industry with billions of dollars of corporate welfare every year. And it's literally killing our planet.
Turning into Venezuela- no gas and cannot feed babies
and you want me to worry about how much beef I'm eating and forests- LOL - can't afford bread let alone meat - get real
Never. Go plant more trees.
I have already started eating less meat and have replaced a few meals per week with plant based products, which surprisingly I actually like! Impossible burgers and meatballs are good. I did it for my health and for the environment as well as I just feel bad about how we treat animals before they are butchered.
If it is part of a recognized plan that makes sense.
Yes, I'd be willing to eat less meat if it would help decrease climate change. I have taken some steps to decrease my consumption of beef and pork and am eating mpre chicken/turkey. I know that cows contribute to increases in greenhouse gasses, but not sure if poultry is a better alternative. I hope so. I guess I'll need to ck. it out on the internet.
Climate issues should probobly precede all other issues... And the solutions create oppurtunities to tackle other issues...
Further, more plant-based foods dispersed into our diets is actually healthier than red meat every day.