Meat Consumption Argument Essay

The solution to the problem to the environmental decay caused from the byproducts of the cattle raising industry is to shift our world’s diet from a meat based diet to a diet consisting of plants and meat substitutes. The end of meat consumption would free up vast amounts of land; over 33 million square kilometers of land is currently being occupied by cattle which is roughly the size of Africa according to AsapScience. Although much of this land is now to dry to use, with artificial nutrients and proper care it’s possible much of this land could return back to its natural state of grassland or forests which could in turn help combat global climate change. The end of meat consumption would also massively reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emission because livestock account for roughly 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions which is more than all trains, planes, and cars combined according to health scientist Bryan Walsh. It would immensely reduce our water consumption because about 70% of all freshwater consumption is used for agriculture. And with it taking about 1500L of water to make a single kilogram of beef, compared to the 75-200L of water it takes to produce a pound of most fruits and vegetables according to environmentalist Mat McDermott. Even though a kilogram of beef packs a

My response would be that the switch to a meat-free world would not be an overnight change, it would take years if not decades. Also, the massive number of cattle on the earth is directly correlated with the increasing demand for meat as the population rises. So, as the planet moved towards the ideal meat-free diet, the excessive breeding of the livestock would start to decline. If we get to the point where livestock is no longer bred and slaughtered for food, the animals would still be around likely to be living in a type of farm