A recent report released by the United Nations found that the rate in
which other cultures are moving toward a Western diet that's heavy on
both meat and dairy is simply unsustainable. The UN also proclaimed that
diet was one of the largest contributors to fossil fuel consumption.
With the global population surging to a predicted 9.1 billion by 2050, a
vegan diet will be a must in order to be able to feed the population.
According to the report, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Production and Consumption: Priority Products and Materials, seen on the Guardian:
Impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth increasing consumption of animal products. Unlike fossil fuels, it is difficult to look for alternatives: people have to eat. A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.
A vegan diet has the least impact on the planet. Mickey wrote that animal byproducts are the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. According to a report from World Watch Institute,
they are responsible for 32.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year,
or 51 percent of annual worldwide human caused greenhouse gas. The
number one cause of global warming is found on your plate.
Moving Toward a Vegan Diet
If the idea of going completely animal free seems intimidating at best,
consider making changes gradually. For me, alterations in my diet have
to happen gradually in order to stick. Consider eating a vegan diet
twice per week. Or if eating vegan is too much for you, consider
limiting dairy consumption to just local eggs and high quality cheeses
from small producers and choose to give up meat at least a few times per week. Consider being a weekday vegetarian or at the very least participating in Meatless Monday. After a while you just won't miss the meat at all.
Reposted from : PlanetGreen