The old McDonald’s still has farms, but the lyrics need to be rewritten before it’s too late. We have to work. Otherwise, you risk destroying the planet.
Animal husbandry is a major contributor to climate catastrophe, especially as the world’s population has just reached 8 billion, so factory farms must stop producing vast amounts of food for animals. it won’t work. Consume the crop directly instead. By becoming a vegan society, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, regenerate forests, feed more people, and prevent animals from suffering. It means that you can pave the way.
Raising food animals takes up nearly 80% of the world’s agricultural land, but produces only 20% of the calories. Growing plants for human consumption is therefore a better use of limited resources. The production of vegan food is also a viable business opportunity for farmers, noted Joachim Rukwied, president of the German Farmers Association. Leveraging animal-free food is a smart financial strategy now and in the future. Data show that 57% of his households now buy vegan food, and the global vegan meat market is projected to grow to $450 billion by 2040.
Farmers understand how important the weather is to their livelihoods, so they should be especially concerned about the threat posed by climate catastrophes. Droughts, heatwaves and floods are becoming more frequent and intensified by rising temperatures. “Cold seasons warm faster than warm seasons,” notes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is damaging some crops. Raising animals for food is like digging your own grave. Animal husbandry is a major source of methane emissions in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and animals on factory farms also contribute deadly carbon dioxide and copious amounts of excrement that pollute waterways.
Experts advise cutting back on meat, eggs and dairy, and you should listen to their advice. A global phase-out of livestock farming over the next 15 years, combined with a parallel global switch to vegetarianism, could halt the surge in atmospheric greenhouse gases for 30 years, according to a new study by and more time to replace fossil fuels. Scientist at Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley.
Changing our food system is possible – in fact, it has already begun. I was able to replicate the placement of In the United States, a food technology company produces cultured meat from animal cells to produce cruelty-free chicken breasts and beef. The company’s factory is the world’s largest cultivated meat factory, and the company hopes the product will be available soon. Also, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found no safety concerns in its recent initial premarket review of foods made from animal cells.
A global transition to a vegan diet will benefit all sentient beings, including allowing farmland to return to its natural state and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The vegan revolution has already begun — embrace it for the sake of the planet.
Rebecca Libauskas is a climate research expert at the PETA Foundation. Her address is 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510. www.PETA.org. This column was certified by the Tribune News Service.