In addition to hurting the environment, Pollan argues that because fast food restaurants need so much meat for their burgers and other food
Is eating meat a detrimental threat to the environment? This debate over meat’s involvement in the global warming crisis was what inspired Nicolette Hahn Niman to write, “The Carnivore’s Dilemma.” Niman hoped writing, “The Carnivore’s Dilemma,” would cause her audience to understand that eating meat, raised on traditional farms, was a superior alternative to vegetarianism. Niman supported her claim by explaining how industrialized farms and vegetarians produce more of the three greenhouse gases that caused global warming, than that produced by traditional farms. Niman’s article fell short of being effective due to flaws in her supporting evidence and conclusion.
The article was written in response to the statement farming and food production is leading to climate change. Niman, being a rancher who raises cattle, goats, and turkeys, effectively frames the situation logically by providing credible statistics and examples to help the reader better understand the impacts of different methods of food production. She does this by providing specific information regarding the greenhouse gases involved, being carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides. Niman, the rhetor, has written this article to try and inform the readers about the differences between traditional style and industrial style methods of food production. She has directed the article towards those concerned about the carbon footprint, we as individuals, are leaving
One of the main goals of the locavore in supporting eating locally is to improve their carbon footprint. They believe that transporting food emits an increasing amount of greenhouse gases. However, in document D, it shows that production such as water usage, fertilizer types, processing
The U.S. agricultural industry can now produce unlimited quantities of meat and grains at remarkably cheap prices. But it does so at a high cost to the environment, animals and humans”
The Locavores blame this to the outside production and transportation of products such as meat or vegetables. They have decided that the consumption of local food will help in reducing global warming because the distance of transportation of products will be small compare to outside production. Still, this is not completely true. The transportation of products is not greatest factor in climate impact in fact one of the greatest contributor to the Greenhouse gas emission is the production of foods (Source D). Also, the difference of CO2 produce by outside production and local production might be minimal if not the same.
Many locavores believe that transportation greatly contributes to higher greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, Source D clearly shows that for red meat, nearly 90% of the greenhouse gas emissions per year come from production, not transportation. As such, local communities must also determine not only where their food comes from, but how to produce and manufacture that food to have the least environmental impact. Otherwise, the locavore movement contributes effects that are just as detrimentally to the environment as any other form of production would produce. Likewise, individuals and restaurants must also be held accountable in a community in order to have a positive impact.
The article “Is It Possible to be a Conscientious Meat Eater,” written by Sunaura Taylor and Alexander Taylor, looked like a very convincing argument. “Is It Possible to be a Conscientious meat eater” discusses that processed meat is bad for the world, and how it affects us and our surrounding environments in a negative outcome. The one thing I enjoyed reading from this article was the supportive use of evidence through facts to support the author’s thesis statement. However I would argue that the authors, when writing this, didn’t do a thorough job on keeping the subject professional, detailed, unbiased, and citing the sources for their information.
What we eat affects not only us, but the animals, and the world. After learning the truth about where and how our meat and food products are prepared and the effects they cause on our bodies, I was shocked and disgusted. As a society, we can make a few small changes that will have a big and healthy impact on the world and how we live. Usually when you think about a cow, you picture a large farm, a red barn and cows eating grass.
In the US, 40% of food produced, or approximately 365 million pounds of food, is wasted each day. Food waste, however, is a problem that extends beyond America, affecting billions of people as a global issue. The overwhelming amounts of food that are being discarded contribute to global warming and climate change, and prevent the massive number of hungry people from being able to eat nourishing meals. Humanity as a whole must be more mindful of the Earth and its health, as we are the source which most directly affect it. Due to the profound environmental impacts of food waste, a reduction in the amount disposed is necessary to create a more sustainable environment, and humans have a responsibility to protect the planet, even if it requires drastic changes to the current food system.
The documentary Cowspiracy, overall, wants to tell us about the truth behind animal agriculture, which heavily affects the survival of our planet. Basically, the documentary said that animal agriculture is responsible for most of the greenhouse gases that lead to global warming, which also affects our planet. The goal of this documentary is to make us believe that the meat industry, and by extension the fast food industry, are the causes that lead to most of our environmental issues. Also, the documentary stated that the amount of water that is used for cows and other livestock is way too much and our planet will gradually face a lack of water. The solution that they propose is just to become vegetarians, which will solve everything.
In “To Feed or Not to Feed Meat: One Vet’s Take on Vegetarian Dog Diets,” Dr. Ernie Ward DVM explains the pros and cons of feeding pets meatless diets. Immediately, he states that dogs can survive on vegetarian and vegan diets. Cats are known to be strictly carnivorous, but can eat synthetic amino acids as a replacement to meat even though it has a lot of dangerous health risks. Ward comments that a dog had lived for 27 years on a vegan diet, but also states that there have been no studies that he has been aware of that compares meat to vegetarian diets for dogs. Dogs are omnivores and can survive on vegetarian and vegan diets, but it takes commitment to give the dog all the nutrients it needs without meat.
In today’s world, there is a division among the people in the world regarding whether or not it is ethical to eat meat. After researching about eating meat and vegetarianism, I have come to the conclusion that it is indeed ethical to eat meat in today’s society. Sure, eating meat might have its drawbacks, but I have found that the benefits of eating meat far outweigh the negatives of eating it. Eating meat not only helps improve people’s health, but it also helps strengthen our economy and it has little difference in the environmental impact that involves in the farming of vegetables. Eating too much of anything usually results in a negative outcome.
Veganism is a foolproof method to provide the answers the Earth needs, especially as the world’s population continues its inefficient and environmentally damaging methods of energy usage. People tend to focus on the political sides of climate change, however, the biggest problem the world faces in energy consumption is not transportation emissions but is how we go about out food systems and daily food choices. Evidence has surfaced about how daily food choices impact the climate severely. According to an assessment by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the livestock sector of global greenhouse gases surpassed that of transportation.
Meat production produces enormous amounts of CO2 in the air, which is a major cause of global warming, and are thus a reason to stop
