Why Environmentalism is an issue for Vegetarians

Why Environmentalism is an issue for Vegetarians (and Vice Versa)

by Stirling Noel Cousins

There are many reasons for people to become vegetarian. These fall into three main categories: animal rights/ethics, health and the environment. Most of us know that raising animals for food takes more resources than eating a plant based diet. We have read the statistics that show the enormous impact that the meat industry has on the environment. Yet we have friends who are avid environmentalists who still eat meat. Through this new column, we will look at some of the statistics on environmental issues and also explore these issues in depth. By understanding the issues better ourselves we will be better able share this information with others.

There are three main causes of environmental destruction as it relates to the animal agriculture industry. The first is that it takes an enormous amount of resources to produce meat.

	It can take 1000 times more water to produce a pound of meat than it does to produce a pound of wheat.
	The majority of agricultural land in this country is used to grow grain for animals or for animals to graze for food.
	The amount of fossil fuels to produce meat is significantly higher that the amount it takes to produce plant foods.

These are resources that we could use in the future, they could be used to help people in need, or they could simply be allowed to remain unused (eg: land could be returned to wilderness).

The second cause of environmental destruction is the other end of the industry: the waste. Animal agriculture produces an enormous amount of waste. In the case of factory farming, this waste is especially concentrated. Farm animals produce enormous amounts of excrement that leach into our streams and lakes. The noxious smell of factory farms also pollutes the air around them for many miles.

The third cause of environmental destruction is based on the market economy. All aspects of the industry are based on one idea: what makes the cheapest product. The first thing this means is that bigger is better. The majority of animals in this country today are raised on huge factory farms. Tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of animals are crammed together in a small area. The image of Old MacDonald is long gone. Sure there are a few family farms left, but even most of these now have to work with the larger corporations just to survive. In a market economy the individual animal is of no regard. The environmental consequences of factory farming do not matter either. The corporate leaders spend their time off site, so environmental impacts do not affect them directly. Long term effects do not impact the bottom line because in many cases state and federal regulations do not force them to clean up after themselves. The goal of companies is to do everything as cheaply as possible. In most cases, environmental regulations of these farms are extremely weak. In addition, factory farms also get large subsidies to encourage them to remain in a state or move to a state. The government wants the company in their state in order to add to their tax base or provide jobs so they subsidize various aspects of the industry such as water usage. Because of this, when a person buys meat they are not paying the full cost of that meat. Other costs come out of our taxes and come in the form of environmental damage.

In future newsletters, we will look into these issues in detail. In the meantime, celebrate Earthday knowing that you are doing a very important thing for the environment – being vegetarian.

If you have any ideas for future articles, or have questions or comments feel free to e-mail me at sbcousins@earthlink.net.

Stirling Cousins has a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology and environmental science from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She is a teacher and has taught middle school science. In 1990 she helped found a group called VeganAction in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband, Brian. She is currently at home raising her two year-old daughter.