Deforestation And Meat – The Unavoidable Connection
As unpleasant as it is, the fact that we must confront about a meat-eating diet is this: It is bad for the environment. Although vegetarianism is not an attractive choice for many people, it is important to face the fact that a high demand for meat taken from livestock – most specifically beef – has a negative impact on the environment.
This is most clearly seen in the fact that 70% of the former rainforests in the Amazon have been removed in order to provide grazing land for cattle. The loss of that amount of forest is one – undoubtedly concerning – issue, but when we take into account that the farming of livestock is a major contributor to environmental damage anyway, it becomes a bigger concern.
The farming of cattle creates a great deal of carbon dioxide – and when we take into account that one of the best ways to combat carbon pollution is through using trees, it is easy to see the compound damage that is caused by the meat farming industry. If we then take into account that animal wastes and hormones pollute water along with the chemicals sprayed on feed crops, the damage is increased.
For those who are unstintingly reluctant to adopt a vegetarian diet, there is a possible solution in eating meat that is produced locally and ensuring that you do not excessively contribute to the amount of farming that is done where it is unsupportable. The fact remains, though, that cattle-rearing is a concern wherever it happens.