Vegetarianism: The Environment: Vegetarianism On The Environment

768 Words2 Pages

Brenda Alvarado
Susan Jensen
English Tu/Th 4:00 p.m.
04/03/2014

Vegetarianism on the Environment
Not many people know that switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet from a meat-based diet is more beneficial for the environment than driving a hybrid car. With the Earth’s limited resources constantly dwindling, one of the most crucial issues in the modern world is finding ways on sustaining the environment. Many ways people choose to take the initiative is by recycling, composting, and reducing their water usage. Music legend Paul McCartney said “If we really want to save the world, become a vegetarian” (Huffington Post). Adopting a vegetarian diet can protect the planet from pollution, sustain our resources, and save countless species from extinction. These pressing issues call for a need of sustainable diets and becoming a vegetarian or vegan is one of the most valuable ways we can help.
One of the reasons pollution is such a vital problem today is because of the greenhouse gas emissions released from human related activities. According to Vegetarian Society, 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock farming. The process of livestock farming is extensive and is responsible for the deforestation used to grow grain that feeds the animals, which releases more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. To make matters worse, 65% of nitrous oxide in the climate, a chemical 300 times as damaging as carbon dioxide, is derived from livestock farming as well. Fossil fuels are also used extensively in order to transport the animals and to produce their feed. The Environmental Protection Agency states that agriculture is a major contributor to climate pollution, more specifically livestock farming. The manure created from killing a...

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...g extinct at unsustainable rates such as the manatee and salmon. Livestock farming is obviously harmful to the climate but also to the waterways in which manure and other chemicals from farming end up. These damaging chemicals are accountable for the death of many ecosystems in which the marine life is highly vulnerable.
Becoming a vegetarian is not an easy task for many but it is highly recommended and achievable. The human addiction to meat is depleting our water, arable land, and clean air at alarming rates. By cutting meat, poultry, and fish from your diet you can save many lives while promoting green living. Deforestation can be prevented if everyone switched to a vegetarian diet. While it may not be reasonable for every person in the world to become a vegetarian, the affect even one hundred people can have on the environment can still make a big difference.

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