Why not just eat less meat?? We can solve so many issues in this planet if we did!!?

Question

18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock (more than from transportation).

70 percent of previously forested land in the Amazon was cleared to pasture cattle.

Two-thirds (64 percent) of anthropogenic ammonia emissions, which contribute significantly to acid rain and acidification of ecosystems, come from cattle.

The livestock sector accounts for over 8 percent of global human water use, while 64 percent of the world’s population will live in water-stressed areas by 2025.

The world’s largest source of water pollution is believed to be the livestock sector.

In the United States, livestock are responsible for a third of the loads of nitrogen and phosphorus into freshwater resources.

Livestock account for about 20 percent of the total terrestrial animal biomass, and the 30 percent of the earth’s land surface that they now pre-empt was once habitat for wildlife, in an era of unprecedented threats to biodiversity.

These problems will only get worse as meat production is expected to double by 2050.

Answer 1

I've been a vegetarian for almost five years now. I get my protein from soybeans, and it takes less land and water to grow than animals.

Thanks for spreading the word, and as to the other responders, I can't believe the level of ignorance and excuses some people will stoop to just so they don't have to change their cozy "convenient" lifestyles. Same goes for the global warming deniers...time to wake up people!

Answer 2

You're right! starting a couple months ago I cut down on eating chicken, and cut beef out all together. I never did eat pork. Protein is better absorbed from vegetable sources. I eat beans and rice, and nuts. I've never felt better!

Answer 3

Scientists already think that we have damaged the Ozone layer too much for it to ever repair itself.

How do you intend on making millions and millions of people, all over the world become vegetarians? People are still going to drive. People are still going to have factories producing smoke and greenhouse gasses and acid rain. The rainforest will still be cut down to make room for growing carrotts and cauilflower which people will have to consume more of to help them to survive. The lack of iron from the sudden cutting out of meat will cause people to become ill and they will have to drive to the doctors, and come on... The carrotts and cauilflowers don't just walk to our tables. Someone still needs to do everything from ploughing the field (or cut-down rainforest) and harvesting it, to processing it, to producing the plastic to wrap it, to transport it to the supermarket only for people to drive to buy it.

Its the 21st Century. People don't have time to grow thier own vegetables anymore.

ANDDD...Finally, do you suggest we cull every animal apart from ourselves? Cows still go through the natural process of breeding, and unless we kill them they are still going to reproduce, and the rainforests will still need to be cut down for them to graze, and they are still going to produce gas and drink water.

Ugh.

Answer 4

Man cannot live by bread alone.

Meat can be totally healthy for you, and livestock is good for more than just meat.  If you want to target animals, target the ones that aren't useful.  Deer and Antelope pollute just as much, and cause a lot more damage to people and property.

Answer 5

If we eat less meat there will be less animals getting killed therefore an overun in population and more gas given out into the atmosphere.

Answer 6

Ever heard of the Bilderberg group?...or Operation Endgame?

Most likely these statements were created by them.

Answer 7

How about we eat the illegal immigrants and solve multiple problems :-)

But seriously, that is a heck of a statement/question there. I believe it goes deeper than just not eating meat though, considering that humans are carnivorous by nature and need adequate ammounts of protien to survive. We can get it from other sources but we would need to see what would be the most efficient way to cultivate it. Say, per acre is it more efficient to have cattle or soy beans? Not to mention the financial impact, would the cost be a factor, is it more expensive to raise enought cows to feed 1,000 people, or enough soy beans to feed the same? There are numerous factors here that need to be considered, but you've stated several that are very important.

Answer 8

Is that really a question? By the way I am more of a carnivore, humans require proteins and amino acids that are only provided by Meat. Livestock may account for all the numbers that you bandied around, but what about the agriculture numbers. Oh and don't overlook the manufacturing aspect of things (you know the plants that REALLY  contribute to acid rain and the greenhouse effect.

Answer 9

Meat is Good!!

Answer 10

food for thought if human kind ate more ate more vegies would not the human race now produce exes gas emissions and become the predominant supplier of green house gases.

personally I'm  a true vegetarian I only eat animals that are herbivores  :-)

check out how much forestry is cut down to make way to grow bio. fuels and what the life expectancy of the soil is !

and how many coal fired power stations are coming on line annually in China and there effect on the atmosphere one of the byproducts being sulfuric acid and guess what that pollutes ?

humans are the polluters so why not cull them to a sustainable level or totally. most of the worlds problems solved letting mother nature rebuild what has been destroyed.

however I did like the question.

Answer 11

Nearly 22 Million people in the united states are employed in farm or farm-related jobs. Many of those are farms with cattle, pigs, sheep, etc. Where would all of them turn?            

The U.S. meat industry is the largest sector of agriculture and agriculture is the largest sector of the U.S. economy. Meat industry sales in 2003 were nearly $90 billion, so If we took that income away, what would happen to our already-strained economy?

Answer 12

More meat!!!  Meat and potatoes all the way.

Answer 13

why dont we stop doing a lot of things??? seriously though why dont we ban cars? buying oil??

why dont you stop driving your car? walk dont even use public transportation??

Charlie M said everything I didnt have time too.

Not eating meat is a choice that you make and its your business just like it is a meat eaters business what they eat

Answer 14

because meat is amazing