The detrimental environmental impacts of meat eating have long been ignored in mainstream discussions of how to save the planet. It is widely acknowledged that the thoughtful actions of each of us can do much to reduce the environmental impacts of humans on Mother Earth.
Many caring consumers now recycle, use public transport and low-energy light bulbs. The scientific evidence is however now overwhelming that one of the best things we can do everyday to save the planet is to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet.
These sites will tell you more about how meat eating is damaging our planet.
‘Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options' Published by the Food and Agriculture Organization in 2006 this comprehensive report documents the massive scale of the contribution of animal agriculture to climate change, air pollution, land, soil and water degradation and reduction of biodiversity. The livestock sector worldwide is shown to be one of the most significant contributors to these serious environmental problems. Download the full report
Vegan Diets Healthier for the Planet and the People Researchers at the University of Chicago say that the food people eat is just as important as the car they drive, when trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers claim a vegan diet is the most planet-friendly diet, whereas diets that include red meat and fish contribute the most to global warming. As a bonus, plant-based diets are healthier for people as well as the planet. Download the report
Ecological Footprints A person's ecological footprint is an estimate of how much land and water is needed to supply each person's living and lifestyle needs and to absorb the waste each of us creates. Our personal ecological footprint is an indicator of the environmental sustainability of our individual lifestyle. Vegans and vegetarians have a much smaller footprint than meat eaters because crops require on average 0.78 global hectares per ton of food produced compared to 2.1 global hectares per ton of animal-based food. Calculate your own personal footprint
The Ecological Footprint of a Cheeseburger A variation on the ecological footprint is the carbon footprint. According to the following online article the annual greenhouse gas emissions from the production and consumption of cheeseburgers is roughly the amount emitted by 6.5 million to 19.6 million SUVs.
Real Conservationists Don't Eat Meat An Australian discussion of why not eating meat is a simple everyday way conservationists and others can help save endangered species and the environment.
End of the Line Find out how commercial fishing is devastating the world's oceans, sending many fish species towards extinction and seriously reducing marine biodiversity through uncontrolled by-catch of marine species and sea birds. Fish farming (aquaculture) is no more benign, polluting the oceans with antibiotics and pesticides.
