How Does Vegetarianism Affect The Environment

Vegetarianism and the Environment Is climate change real? Is the animal sector of industrial farming sustainable? Would consuming less meat have any impact on our current day environment? In our period of time we may have reached a tipping point with our environment, meaning if nothing is done to improve things, they will never be resolved. We are at the peak of the climate change debate right now, and one method considered viable to combat climate change is going vegetarian. A vegetarian can be defined as a person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products, especially for moral, religious, or health reasons.
Justifying Vegetarianism Going vegetarian can be considered a lifestyle change, considering the effect meat has on human health. This makes sense as Does meat make the meal? compares bodily functions of humans to animals. Looking at animals, “with their much shorter bowel (for rapid expulsion of putrefying meat), stomachs with up to 10 times as much hydrochloric acid (for processing saturated fats) and sharp elongated canines (for …show more content…
“Food is the main global consumer of water, with irrigation taking 70% or more of all the water we use, apart from huge volumes of rainwater” (Kirby, 1). Having enough water available to grow crops is challenging enough, whereas being able to raise animals off of those crops and also allow water to the raising animals is plainly unsustainable. One can see how much little water is needed for crops compared to animals and their required feed. Pesticides can contaminate bodies of water through increased topsoil runoff, harming aquatic life and humans if it is used as drinking water. It is not uncommon for animal water to end up in bodies of water, again through runoff, causing virus outbreaks and even diseases. As food production has increased, water availability continues to decrease to a growing