Predatory animals typically chase, kill, and eat their prey raw in the wild. Such phenomenon can be witnessed in the dozens of animal documentaries available on video streaming platforms. Evolved humans in contrast house their prey from birth (perhaps in a cage), and typically partake in the following acts through the life of the animal: vaccinate, feed, pet, treat, suffocate, kill, skin, cut, process, package, freeze, transport, sell, buy, defrost, marinate, cook, and ultimately: Eat. While the latter involves a series of methodical steps part of “farming and agriculture”; both humans and animals are killing the same being to feed themselves. This begs the question: is there really a difference between the fundamental meaning of the two acts?
I am a meat-eater myself, mostly because I believe I was born in a family and society of carnivores. If I were born to a family of vegetarians, chances are: I would be vegetarian. I spoke with several people about the process of how meat comes to our table in this modern era and found that very few had either paid attention to the question in the past, or simply could not be bothered. We hardly think about what we are eating because our lives are caught up with work and family. In addition, we are victims of ‘blind trust’ in the process and structure of the society we are born in. Packaged meat arrives at grocery stores after several checks from health authorities, and is labeled with reassuring claims like “grass fed” or “no antibiotics”, which somehow validate our trust in the system. When was the last time you went to a restaurant and asked your server about where the restaurant buys their meat from, or whether the meat you were eating was sourced from farms that promote animal welfare? A great number of people in the West assume that farm animals are treated with care under ‘organic’ and ‘sustainable’ farming practices and that what we are eating is healthy and safe. We are often too busy with all the mediums of information that consume our day, and forget to take a step back and question. It’s the same reason not many of us pay attention to sick children dying this very moment, or children suffering from malnutrition in impoverished parts of the world. With so much information circling through our smartphones, its hard to pay attention.
On that note, I am thrilled to share this post because I have laid the groundwork to progressively cut meat out of my diet; not for selfish health reasons, but rather on moral grounds. I am a history buff with a particular interest in human civilizations, and after years of contemplation and study, I believe if human beings were handed a report card for their conduct on planet Earth, it would be a solid D at best. For starters, our treatment of animals is abhorrent – we are exerting power and control over them at an unprecedented scale. Referring to ourselves as an “evolved” species further amplifies the vicious illusion that we are somehow better, bigger, and more important. But are we all those things? I beg to differ.
80 billion animals are killed each year for meat – for perspective: that is more than 11 times the human population. In effect, each person kills more than 11 animals each year to meet his/her meat needs – this number would increase if we accounted for the logical exclusion of humans who do not eat meat. It should be no surprise that meat production has tripled over the past 50 years. Nearly 340 million tonnes of meat is produced each year. Milk production has also doubled from fifty years ago with 800 million tonnes of milk being produced each year. Beef is the most inefficient source of meat production, requiring 25-kilogram of dry matter versus poultry that only requires 3.3 kilogram of dry matter (Our World in Data). But do not be fooled by the notion that consuming chicken over beef is better for the environment or animal welfare. Disclaimer: not all meat and dairy gets consumed – food waste accounts for 6% of global greenhouse emissions. For context, the 6% contribution to global greenhouse emissions by food waste is thrice that of global emission from aviation (Our World in Data). Asia is the largest meat producer, accounting for nearly 45% of meat production – with a rising middle class, this figure is set for a steady climb over the next decade. Production of meat in Asia since 1961 has increased 15-fold.
Cow burps trump cow farts in polluting our ecosystem. The process that ferments cow’s food in their stomach produces methane, the pollutant greenhouse gas, that gets released via a cow burp. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that is approximately 25x more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide (BBC). For perspective, if cows had their own country, “it would be the third biggest greenhouse polluter in the world behind China and USA”. Think about it: farming requires huge swaths of land, and water to function – ultimately turning land into a carbon source. According to a 2018 study, 12.4 million acres of forest is decimated each year to accommodate industrial agriculture. In addition, “beef requires about twice as much land per gram of protein as chicken and pork, and 20 times as much land as the equivalent amount of protein from beans”. Given the slow growth and reproduction rate of cows compared to other animals, cows naturally require greater use of resources. Scientists predict that given the trajectory of the rising middle class of the world, agriculture’s emissions will account for all of humanity’s annual carbon budget by 2050. That is of course premised on human beings failing to alter their treatment of animals. Cows account for 62% of agricultural emissions and hence eating fewer cows will naturally translate into reduced emissions into the atmosphere. In addition, by consuming less beef, we could turn ranch land into forest to make way for new habitats and reduce water pollution. This feat would be difficult given the importance of beef in different cultures and religions. Furthermore, its easier for developed countries to fund alternatives to protein through plant-based food options; but in developing countries, beef may serve as the primary source of protein, and cattle-raising – as a source of income and livelihood for millions of farmers and their families (Washington Post).
Is reducing beef consumption enough? Janet Ranganathan, vice president for science and research at the World Resources Institute argues that if “beef eaters limited their consumption to the equivalent of 1.5 hamburgers per week (half of the average consumption by a person in the USA)”, it would avoid 5.5 billion tonnes of greenhouse emissions per year. However, there is more to the beef-pollution puzzle. Experts argue that reduced meat consumption coupled with a change in a cow’s diet, blended beef products, and government policy will all contribute to sustainable agricultural practices and reduced emissions. By merely cutting out beef from your diet you would be foolish to assume that the climate problem could be solved (Washington Post).
Behavioral changes, and meat alternatives are positive steps, but insufficient to solve the climate problem caused by meat consumption. Driving less or eating less meat is certainly an encouraged behavioral trait, however, when we account for the billions of people who consume meat, it is simply not enough to create a wave. The meat problem requires a structural and fundamental shift in our society with greater awareness, government regulation, and funding to make a difference. Feed additives like red seaweed and greater fat and protein in a cow’s diet can reduce cattle’s methane emissions, but it does not address the issue of deforestation and resource drain by agricultural land use. Cell-cultured meat (meat grown in labs), and alternative meat products produced by companies like Beyond Meat reduce land use, deforestation, and help protect the biodiversity and animal welfare but is that enough? Leaders like Bill Gates have touted the use of alternative meat products to reduce climate impact, however, by 2035 such forms of meat will account for less than 25% of the global meat market in the best case scenario (MIT Technology Review). In addition, the impact of meat alternatives and lab grown meat is still being studied to form a plausible conclusion about its mitigating effect on climate change.
Who pays attention to the welfare and suffering of chickens through their short and inconsequential life along the food chain? 40 billion of the 60 billion chickens slaughtered each year are raised in cramped and overpopulated cages while being exposed to heart, lung, and bone problems due to their rapid weight gain, and stress. The living space each chicken is afforded is no larger than an A4 paper sheet; and by the time the chicken is ready for slaughter, the poor bird can barely move. Demand for chicken from 1996 – 2016 has grown 40%, 89%, and 189% in the EU, China, and India respectively. The average life of a factory-farmed chicken is 42 days versus several years if it were in the wild. For perspective, 2,000 chickens are slaughtered for meat every second. And 71% of chicken buyers do not bear knowledge of where the chicken they are buying comes from (World Animal Protection). So what are human beings then? Ignorant? Thoughtful? Evolved? Make your pick.
Netflix can provide some perspective too. I recently watched a documentary called Cowspiracy, on Netflix, executive produced by climate activist Leonardo Di Caprio. The documentary highlights the lack of awareness and action by environmental organizations in North America when addressing climate change. The documentary also provides valuable insights about the climate impact from agriculture and cattle-raising. I recommend it (Netflix: Cowspiracy).
By 2050, ocean plastic is expected to outweigh ocean fish. 80% of plastic pollution comes from 20 countries, including the USA – topping the trash tally are China and Indonesia. 70% of ocean trash sinks to the seafloor, making it nearly impossible to clean up (Conservation.org). Nearly 40% of fish caught globally every year is discarded. But hey, Virgin Galactic is launching its first passenger plane to take us to space. And Apple Watch is getting a facelift. We are truly an ‘evolved’ species!
Lots of facts and very little action:
- Humans are producing enough meat to feed circa 10 billion people and yet nearly 700 million people around the world go to bed hungry.
- 82% of starving children in the world live in countries where food is fed to animals – those animals are eaten by people in developed countries.
- Livestock accounts for 77% of global farm land but only produces 18% of the world’s calories and 37% of total protein.
- 70% of global freshwater is used for agriculture.
- 78% of global ocean and freshwater pollution is caused by agriculture.
- Food accounts for over 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
- Global emission from food production are expected to rise 60% by 2050.
- Half of the habitable land on this Earth is consumed by agriculture.
- A person on a vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, 30 sq.ft of forested land, and one animal’s life each day.
- Agriculture is listed as a threat to 24,000 of the 28,000 species under threat of extinction.
- Transport typically accounts for less than 1% of beef’s greenhouse emissions: therefore, choosing to “eat local” has very minimal effect on the total emissions footprint since the majority of emissions are generated via agriculture and land use.
- A study by Poore and Nemecek (2018) found that nearly 25% of food’s emissions come from “food that is lost in supply chains or wasted by consumers”.
- Global greenhouse emissions from food waste (6%) are three times greater than the emissions produced by aviation annually.
- Sign of hope? 8 out of 10 people see climate change as a major threat to their country (2018 Pew Research Center Survey). But the question remains: what are YOU doing about it?
Sources: World Vision, Cowspiracy, Our World in Data, Conservation.org, and MIT Tech Review.
Here’s a company focused on changing the way we bring meat to the table. Enter GoodMeat.
In conclusion:
I recently became a dog parent after years-long hiatus of not having a pet. Adopting a pet in adulthood has had a life-altering perspective on my view of animals and the realization that animals need our help more than our hunger. It has helped bridge my connection with nature in a much more meaningful way by helping me reflect on the monotony we fall victim to. As emphasized in my introduction, few of us pay attention to how food gets to our table because our mind space is preoccupied. I am not arguing an end to livestock and meat consumption because I do not believe it is a realistic goal, nor a possibility in my lifetime. In addition, livestock serves as an important source of income for a large population of people, especially in developing countries. Meat also adds diversity to food and serves as a pivotal source of protein in low-income countries. Many religions of the world include meat as an important part of diet and a means of charity. Thus, meat production and consumption may not end, but reduction in meat consumption, and sustainable farming are certainly attainable goals. We can all do our part. For me, starting with a reduction in meat consumption followed by its elimination from my diet would be the ultimate achievement. I know it won’t happen overnight #babysteps.
Animals share this planet with us just like plants, insects, and trees. We may assume that we have a greater right on this Earth compared to other beings given our “evolved” status. The same evolved status that has witnessed human beings killing and pillaging millions of their own kind throughout history (and to this day) over greed, land, resources, race, power, and the list goes on.
We must share our space respectfully with all the Earth’s beings. If we do not respect animals, then we do not respect nature. I believe this Earth is an organism, and an organism under stress may fight back to eliminate the cause of that stress.
The Meat story in charts:
References: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Our World in Data, BBC, Washington Post, MIT Technology Review, World Animal Protection, New York Times, Netflix: Cowspiracy, World Vision, Conservation.org, Pew Research Study, United Nations, and GoodMeat. Please note that this briefing contains paraphrased summaries and attributes the original content to the news and research sources. Readers are encouraged to visit the links to access the full article and research paper(s) in its original form for a thorough and complete view. You may need to subscribe to the news agency and source for access. Cloudten blog and its authors do not provide any representations or guarantees for the accuracy of facts, figures, or news.