THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF BEING A VEGETARIAN

To many, the idea of giving up meat sounds impossible. After all, meat plays a huge role in everyday cuisine. Globally, we consume around 350 million tons of meat a year. The US has the highest meat consumption rate in the world at 124 kilos per person per year, followed by Australia at 122, Argentina at 109 and New Zealand at 101. If our goal is to combat global warming, it’s time to think about eating less meat…or even none at all. 

According to FAO data, 14.5% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to livestock farming. That’s not even mentioning the staggering animal cruelty and appalling conditions at meat plants! With the harms in mind, let’s dive into the environmental benefits of being a vegetarian. 

The Shocking Water Footprint of Beef vs. Produce 

One of the biggest environmental benefits of going meat free is the amount of water you will save.

Have you ever thought about the amount of water it takes to produce the food you eat? If not, it’s probably time to start. Enter the concept of “water footprint,” which takes into account the water used in agriculture, packaging and shipping across the phases of meat processing.

And now, the big question...which food has the largest water footprint globally? You guessed it - beef!

Did you know that an average of 15,415 liters of water is required to produce just 1 kilogram of beef (2.20 lbs)? That’s enough water for 470 showers! 

Think about it: a cow raised for beef needs to eat a lot of food - mostly grass, corn, grains, and soybeans - and all of that food requires water to grow. On the bright side, producing 1 kilogram of vegetables only takes about 2,500 liters of water. The choice is yours!

The processing and packaging of meat products also requires a significant amount of water for processes like cleaning and sanitation.

Protecting our Forests…One Bite at a Time

Did you know that our four-legged friends have a huge impact on the planet? Livestock grazing takes up a large chunk of the Earth's land and covers about 26% of all land without ice. To feed these animals, land is needed for crop production. This accounts for about 1/3 of all arable land.

But how does the meat industry obtain such massive portions of land? You guessed it, by deforestation.

Clearing forests to grow crops to feed livestock is a major contributor to deforestation. In fact, the livestock sector is the primary driver of deforestation in the Amazon, with about 80% of all deforested land being used for cattle farming.

One impactful environmental benefit of being a vegetarian is helping protect our forests and keeping them safe and healthy for years to come. 

Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Livestock have a special way of digesting their food that causes them to belch continuously throughout the day. These burps release methane, which is a colorless, odorless, and highly flammable gas. Composed of carbon and hydrogen, this potent greenhouse gas has the power to warm the planet by trapping heat in our atmosphere.

If that's not enough, livestock waste contributes to the release of other harmful gasses, like nitrous oxide. It's no surprise that livestock are the biggest culprit of harmful gasses in the farming sector, and therefore account for the largest portion of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.

Thankfully, there is some good news! A significant environmental benefit of being a vegetarian, or choosing a plant-based diet, is the ability to play a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The production of plant-based foods generates far fewer emissions than the production of animal-based foods, making a plant-based diet a worthwhile sacrifice for our planet. 

Go Green & Reduce Waste

Were you aware that the meat industry is responsible for staggering amounts of waste each year? In fact, the meat industry generates a mind-blowing 1.4 billion pounds of waste annually, which includes parts of the animals that can't be sold for human consumption. 

This waste is often stored in large pools outside that are known to overflow or leak, causing significant harm to the environment. Additionally, water waste produced by the meat industry is 5 to 10 times stronger than domestic sewage and contains higher levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and grease. Treating this water requires a lot of energy from fossil fuels and also tends to be very costly. 

Oftentimes up to 60% of processed animals are left to rot and decompose in waste pools. 

Gradual Changes Lead to Big Results

Can you even imagine the massive impact we can make to the environment by reducing our meat consumption?

As you see, there are so many environmental benefits of being a vegetarian that it’s hard not to at least consider the lifestyle. 

Remember, change doesn’t need to happen all at once. Start small by gradually reducing your meat intake! Try cutting down to eating meat only three times per week, then work your way down to once per week or less. This approach will make a daunting transition to the vegetarian lifestyle feel much more manageable and less overwhelming. 

There’s nothing more important than taking care of our planet, and choosing a vegetarian diet is a big step in the right direction. 

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