Vegetarianism

For this reason (and many, many others, of course), countless people decide to become vegetarians. A vegetarian is one who chooses not to eat meat. There are a few varieties of vegetarians: Lacto-ovo-vegetarians eat a diet that includes eggs and dairy products. In some cases, people become vegans. These people choose not to eat any meat, dairy, or eggs. Many of them also refrain from using any type of animal byproduct in their lives.
 * ==Many people don't know the effects the meat industry has on the environment. In fact, raising cattle for food accounts for a large portion of greenhouse gas emissions, and uses almost half of the grains grown around the world! Adding the harmful effects of animal waste makes an even bigger problem. In fact, some scientists estimate that by the year 2030, the world won't be able to continue to produce meat the way we do today (Keyzer). == ||

=So why is eating meat so harmful? = It's not that eating meat is harmful. As humans, we have teeth to eat meat. We're meant to. It's the growing of the animals that negatively impacts the environment so severely. Below are several examples:

Grain use
Did you know that it takes 9kg of grains to make 1 kg of beef? According to a study done in 2000, almost 40% of the grain harvested around the world is used to feed livestock (White). That's almost half. There are so many regions that are made up of malnourished people who could potentially have enough to eat, but so much of the possible food source is going to feed animals. And it's not like those people can buy the meat: most of the time, they are very poor, and the people who are buying the meat are the wealthy. The poor are getting less to eat because the wealthy value having a big, juicy steak.

Deforestation
How on earth does raising livestock for meat production lead to deforestation? Think about this: the demand for meat continues to go up, so farmers begin to raise more livestock. But where do those animals go? They have to go somewhere that has grass for them to graze, where the herd can stay together. Many farmers, in order to increase their profit, are cutting down forest near their properties in order to create more land for their cattle to graze and their chickens to roam. Farmers are also using this land to grow more cereals in order to feed these animals (Gerber).

Emission of greenhouse gases
Surely animals don't produce greenhouse gas. It's not like cows are driving semi-trucks across the country. So how can this be a problem? Actually, a study done in 2008 estimates that the meat industry contributes between 15% and 24% of the total greenhouse gases each year (Fiala). But how? There are problems along the whole process, in fact. Starting with the feed production: oftentimes, the feed has to be transported. It is grown on areas that have been deforested. Many farmers use fertilizers to grow it and machines to harvest it. We can see how these techniques impact the environment. And what about the waste? The methods many farmers have, while effective, also aid in the production of methane gas. And between the waste and the fertilizers, this type of farming has been estimated to contribute roughly 65% of nitrous oxide emissions (this is a very powerful greenhouse gas) (Fiala).

=So what can I do?? =
 * Many farmers have started to realize the effects they've had on the environment, and are starting to change their techniques. You can buy free-range chickens and eggs. A lot of farms are now keeping livestock longer to allow them to grow without using hormones. Even buying locally grown food (not just meat!) can help cut down on the negative impacts on the environment. The bottom line? Think before you eat! ||

=Glossary =
 * **vegetarian**: someone whose diet consists of little to no meat or animal byproducts
 * **vegan**: someone whose diet has no meat, eggs or dairy--often, vegans try to stay away from animal byproducts in other areas of their lives as well
 * **lacto-ovo-vegetarian**: a vegetarian whose diet includes eggs and dairy products
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**semi-vegetarian**: a vegetarian whose diet includes poultry
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**pesco-vegetarian:** a vegetarian whose diet includes fish
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**cereal**: a type of grass consisting of starchy grains that can be used as food
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**greenhouse gas**: a gas that is emitted into the atmosphere that contributes to global climate change
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**livestock**: animals used for meat production
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**deforestation**: the cutting down of forests to make room for flatlands
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**malnutrition**: the lack of nourishment necessary to keep one alive