Why is becoming vegetarian going to save our planet

Climate change is not secret and now, more than ever, saving what is left to be saved has become vitally crucial if we wish to survive. Among the various causes behind the unstoppable change of our climatic system, there are the – way too high – emissions of carbon dioxide, better known as CO2.

Abuse of fossil fuels, lack of renewable energies, fast fashion and consume of great amounts of meat coming from factory farms: yes, the meat we buy in supermarkets or food chains does contribute to worsen an already complicated situation, here’s why. Experts stated that the meat industry and business is responsible for a total of 14% of the emissions in the atmosphere, which is more than the sum of the transportation sector including trucks, trains, cars and planes. The industry is inefficient in terms of using and innovating resources: meat merely represents 18% of the global indicated calories intake, however, to produce it t occupies 83% of the arable fields (which is a lot) and waste a third of the water designated to agriculture.

Furthermore, farming does produce a gas that is particularly dangerous for the already unstable climatic situation: methane. How? Through the enteric fermentation that, funnily enough, ends in animals farting methane. As funny as it may sound, the sum of these methane emissions naturally produced by animals, ends up being the 30% of the total amount of general methane emission in our atmosphere. In addition, to nourish and sustain all the 70 billion of farm animals, scientist have estimate d that millions of acres of forest land have been put down to create spaces where these animals can graze and where farmers can plant monocultures of soy and other vegetables to feed their farm.

Without counting the enormous damage this kind of farming does to our planet, we must remember that these animals not only live – most of the times – in cruel conditions, but they are also fed with antibiotics and growth hormones that meat-eaters put in their very own bodies by eating those animals. Needless to say, it is extremely inconvenient for health reasons.

Vegetarianism and veganism are one path to follow if we wish to save our planet and live happily and healthy. If we do not act rapidly and keep on pursuing a selfish behaviour like we have been doing until today, those who will pay for our recklessness will be our sons and grandsons.

Articolo a cura di: Victoria Pevere