Save the planet by cutting down on meat - 1445 Words

In his article, Johnson (2008) satirically expresses opposition to the former UN climate chief suggestion that the whole of human race should shun meat and consider converting vegetarianism, so as to, save earth from climate change. In response to this, Johnson argues that, he is simply not converting to vegetarianism just because the former UN climate chief had asked the whole of the human race to avoid meat. UN-FAO figures propose that, meat production puts more Green House Gases (GHG’s herein after) than the general global transport network. As reported by BBC (2008) meat production cycle accounts for 18% of the GHG emissions. In contrast, transport makes up just 13% of the world’s greenhouse gas footprint. Moreover, cows turn out†¦show more content†¦A further rise of 57% in worldwide meat demand by 2020 has also been projected, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as Southeast Asia. This supports Johnson’s argument that Cows are not the problem; it s people eating the cows that are the problem. According to Foley et al. (2005, p.570) the advent of contemporary agriculture as well as forestry has been one of the major events in human history. Whether by stepping up practices on existing forests, pastures, croplands or by clearing natural ecosystems; human land use practices are radically changing the earth’s climate as well as exploiting an even larger share of the earth’s environment in the process. In support of this, Bonan (1997, p.449) suggested that the earth’s surface is persistently modified by continued natural as well as human activities. Whats more, Tilman et al. (2001,p.281) postulates that the next 50 years are expected to be the period of swift agricultural growth, demand for food by the constantly growing worldwide population will be a key driver of climate change. If past dependencies of the global impacts of agriculture on human utilization continue, 10 billion hectares of natural ecosystems will be transformed to agricultural land by 2050. Additionally, Burney (2010, p.1) suggests that it’s the substantial GHG emissions from agricultural production combined to land use changesShow MoreRelatedIs Meat Consumption For The Simplest Daily Activities And Bodily Functions?1683 Words   |  7 Pagesthroughout history and even dating up to today have relied on meat consumption for the simplest daily activities and bodily functions. In fact, Harvard University anthropology professor and researcher claims, â€Å"The story of evolution is one that is intimately tied to meat. From the earliest stages of life, peop le relied on meat to get energy, which allowed them â€Å"to become physically, anatomically, human† (R. Wrangham). Humans evolved so that meat has become an essential in every day life. However, withRead MoreThe Effects Of Food On The Environment Essay1388 Words   |  6 Pagespollute the environment. The production of food is the main problem that causes global warming. Not only the production the scientist changing the food DNA or adding chemicals to make the food or crops efficient in our live like GMO. The production of meat is the criteria effect on water pollution. These kind of problems leads to the environment where we can feel it. People say GMO (genetically-modified organisms) is bad for our health and we should never eat products that contain GMO. Although we tryRead MoreShould We Be A Vegetarian?1615 Words   |  7 PagesThe water used to produce just ten pounds of steak equals the household consumption of a family for an entire year (Parr 39). The production of meat and dairy products take up more than half of America’s water consumption. 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After taking AP Environmental science this year, and studying a variety of sources including a novel, two documentaries, one oral presentation, and a handful of web articles, I have come to the conclusion that factory farming isRead MoreThe Amazon Rainforest : The World s Air Conditioning System Essay1413 Words   |  6 Pages Forest are the world’s air conditioning system, the lungs of the planet. And we are on the verge of switching it off (Prince, Charles). The amazon rainforest is in south America between brazil 60% and Peru 30% in the amazon forest. However, it is located near the equator that is 2.1 billion square miles. The amazon rainforest is important because we rely on the ecosystem culturally, some things that we can do to save the rainforest is to get more involved with the community, multiculturalism, theRead MoreHow Many Planets Worth Of Natural Capital Do We Require For Everyone You Live Like You?1101 Words   |  5 PagesQuestion 1 a) How many planets worth of natural capital do we require for everyone to live like you? According to Appendix A, if every individual had my lifestyle, two planets would have been required for the adequate provision of resources. Surprisingly, to support my needs, an emission of 7.4 tons of carbon dioxide as well as 4.2 global hectares of the Earth’s productive land would be needed. The entailed land compromises of: †¢ 48% of Energy land (i.e. land required to accommodate my carbon emission)Read MoreGlobal Warming : An Essential Component For Income1520 Words   |  7 Pagesalbedo. 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No longer supporting the dairy and industrial meat industry would benefit the environment just as much as the humans and animals that inhabitRead MoreA Vegetarian Lifestyle : Becoming Vegan1984 Words   |  8 PagesJose Salazar Prof. Black English 1302 6 July 2016 A Vegan Lifestyle Becoming vegan can be one of the greatest things anyone can do for themselves and to the planet. Ever since I turned vegan I feel so much better throughout the day, I have the energy to get through the day without reaching for coffee every morning. Not only do I have so much more energy I also have the peace of mind that I am not eating a cow that has been slaughter just for consumption. Veganism and vegetarianism life-style canRead MoreIs It A Vegan?1460 Words   |  6 Pagesvegan. Slowly but surely, my body healed itself from the inside-out. If one was to ask me about becoming vegan before I knew what benefits it would provide, I would have laughed. I would have told that vegan that I just couldn’t give up my beloved meat, dairy, and eggs but ultimately, I did just that. The transition to Veganism became easier when I accepted the truth of the matter. All of the research I did on the lifestyle led me to the conclusion that becoming a vegan would only benefit me and