Vegetarianism

Universidad Alberto Hurtado
Language VII
Professor: Sharman Cuffin
Student: Romina Ramírez
Section 1
June 20th, 2012
Vegetarianism and Pollution
(1.199 words)
Throughout history meat consumption has been part of our culture which it seems to have not limits on its amounts. We have growing up with the idea of eating meat is essential for our health due to its nutrients can be benefitingfor our eating habits. As well as we have been considering meat as the better product full of proteins and vitamins however, we have enclose ourselves into considering other ways of alimentation, as more profitable or suitable. In the same way, we have no limits in its consequences; through decades meat consumption has been producing plenty of secondary effects due to its production. Livestockgrazing as well as meat industries are seriously damaging our ecosystem and provoking critical damage because of the pollution that its production aggravate. Those factors made us believe in other forms of nourishment which will not provoke damage to our environment and our health habits as well. Taking into consideration vegetarianism is a proper option to go against climate changing and other issuesrelated to environment. Therefore, as an environmentally point of view, meat consumption should be avoid from our food habits cents it produces deforestation, increases greenhouse gases and causes air and water pollution. First, abstaining for meat would help vast lands revert back to our natural state and provide for nature plants and animals. Overgrazing livestock hurts the environment throughsoil compaction, erosion and harm to native plants and animals. Consequently, this affects our lifestyle and ecosystem, as well. However, opponents to this idea claim meat consumption does not significantly contribute to global deforestation. They also maintain that the percentage of forested land in the world has remained steady at around 33% in US since 1907, which is true if we take intoaccount part of statics base on a country. However, is a steady statistic making our environment safe especially in a country with increased use of grazed site for cattle? Although to a certain extent they are right and those statistics can prove a real fact about soil consumption, the point is that they cannot oppose the fact that the damage due to deforestation produces by meat production is affectingour environment anyways. In fact, taking into consideration grazing livestock lands, studies underestimate the true extent of grazing effects because they cannot monitor the most drastic consequences, which have been happening since too long ago. These consequences are particularly exposing to our environment, for deforestation produces an overgrazing of lands or territories; therefore, flora andfauna is affected in the same time. Besides, according to USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) livestock grazing has been a crucial feature in the listing of 171 species under the Endangered Species Act (USDA, 2011). They also explain how soil consumption invested only for livestock grazing gradually more damaged vegetative cover, and stream back erosion, among other issues. What ismore, livestock grazing has been cited as a factor in the decline of threatened and endangered species under the endangered species act. Therefore, deforestation is only a consequence of meat consumption which is not avoiding abuse of environment at all. Second, raises animals for food creates 18% of global greenhouse gases more than other areas with a strong consumption such as: transportation. Inaddition, it is proved that all greenhouse gases have its origins on animals which are mostly raised in livestock grazing. Hence, as more cattle are raised more is the greenhouse gases emission. The process description of an animal, which is being raised in livestock grazing, explains that ruminant animals are the principal source of emission because they produce the most methane per unit of feed...