Comments on: Would You Become a Vegetarian to Save The World? http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/ Fri, 01 Jun 2012 03:18:46 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Debrah http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-195365 Debrah Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:28:14 +0000 http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/#comment-195365 Free range eggs are no more helpful to the environment than battery eggs. The hens are still confined in a barn containing thousands of chickens, there is still a mountain of waste to deal with and it doesn't solve the problem except to give the consumer warm fuzzy feelings that he is doing something wonderful. The amount of antibiotics that all these animals must be fed to protect them from the incredibly filthy conditions that they exist in for their short lives, goes either into our water system through their waste or into the bodies of the consuming public. Same with the growth hormones that they are fed to make them grow faster so they can be marketed faster. Ever wonder why ten year old girls are getting their periods now? The change to a vegetarian diet would not come overnight. People are too stubborn and slow to learn for that to happen. So the likelihood of huge legions of no longer needed food animals wandering the countryside will never happen. However, if the demand for meat dwindled so to would the production. And considering that a good number of animals are forcibly impregnated it would not be a naturally occuring event. And so what if there was a mass extinction of herefords and holsteins, etc? These are breeds that man developed so it wouldn't be the same as how man has driven the Pere Davids Deer to extinction, or the Passenger Pigeon or the Quagga. Free range eggs are no more helpful to the environment than battery eggs. The hens are still confined in a barn containing thousands of chickens, there is still a mountain of waste to deal with and it doesn’t solve the problem except to give the consumer warm fuzzy feelings that he is doing something wonderful.

The amount of antibiotics that all these animals must be fed to protect them from the incredibly filthy conditions that they exist in for their short lives, goes either into our water system through their waste or into the bodies of the consuming public. Same with the growth hormones that they are fed to make them grow faster so they can be marketed faster. Ever wonder why ten year old girls are getting their periods now?

The change to a vegetarian diet would not come overnight. People are too stubborn and slow to learn for that to happen. So the likelihood of huge legions of no longer needed food animals wandering the countryside will never happen. However, if the demand for meat dwindled so to would the production. And considering that a good number of animals are forcibly impregnated it would not be a naturally occuring event. And so what if there was a mass extinction of herefords and holsteins, etc? These are breeds that man developed so it wouldn’t be the same as how man has driven the Pere Davids Deer to extinction, or the Passenger Pigeon or the Quagga.

]]> By: Debrah http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-195359 Debrah Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:15:18 +0000 http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/#comment-195359 You bring up a couple of interesting points that beg for clarification. The 2006 UN study that you mentioned was updated and the figures are more like 51% of the greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere are created by livestock of various forms. At the same time, 1/4 of the Amazon rainforest, the lungs of the world, have been leveled to make more room to graze cattle and to grow soy and corn to feed cattle. With the meat consumption projected to DOUBLE by 2050, how much more damage will be done to the planets lungs? Regarding your remark about flatulence, this is the result of cattle being fed soy and corn when their digestive systems were designed to eat grass. Unfortunately with current levels of meat eating, there is absolutely no possibility that that number of animals can be converted to a grass only diet. What's more, the bulk of the animals consumed by the world are out of necessity confined to feedlots and barns. That means there are concentrations of manure and urine that must be managed (or not) in these feedlots. This waste is stored in ponds where it breaks down and emits vast quantities of methane as it does so. Methane is many times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide. So anyway you look at it, the consumption of meat is incredibly damaging to the planet. Cutting back on meat consumption is helpful I'm sure, but with scientists projecting a doubling of the meat consumption rates by 2050, it doesn't appear that it is much more than similar to touching your brakes as you hurtle downhill. You bring up a couple of interesting points that beg for clarification. The 2006 UN study that you mentioned was updated and the figures are more like 51% of the greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere are created by livestock of various forms. At the same time, 1/4 of the Amazon rainforest, the lungs of the world, have been leveled to make more room to graze cattle and to grow soy and corn to feed cattle. With the meat consumption projected to DOUBLE by 2050, how much more damage will be done to the planets lungs? Regarding your remark about flatulence, this is the result of cattle being fed soy and corn when their digestive systems were designed to eat grass. Unfortunately with current levels of meat eating, there is absolutely no possibility that that number of animals can be converted to a grass only diet. What’s more, the bulk of the animals consumed by the world are out of necessity confined to feedlots and barns. That means there are concentrations of manure and urine that must be managed (or not) in these feedlots. This waste is stored in ponds where it breaks down and emits vast quantities of methane as it does so. Methane is many times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide. So anyway you look at it, the consumption of meat is incredibly damaging to the planet.

Cutting back on meat consumption is helpful I’m sure, but with scientists projecting a doubling of the meat consumption rates by 2050, it doesn’t appear that it is much more than similar to touching your brakes as you hurtle downhill.

]]> By: Uma Shankari http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-186936 Uma Shankari Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:44:53 +0000 http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/#comment-186936 Hmmmm...I have a lot more to say on this. May be some other time. Basically, I agree with Nelson. A good topic to debate on (Tho' I haven't contributed to it at all) and well expressed opinions, as usual. Hmmmm…I have a lot more to say on this. May be some other time. Basically, I agree with Nelson.

A good topic to debate on (Tho’ I haven’t contributed to it at all) and well expressed opinions, as usual.

]]> By: Phill Senters http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-185980 Phill Senters Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:00:53 +0000 http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/#comment-185980 If we et rid of all the animals, then the scientists will probably say we're all gonna freeze because of "Global Cooling" like they did in in the 70s. It's gonna be bad no matter what we do. Are we gonna kill all the cats and dogs when they blame some global crisis on them? If we et rid of all the animals, then the scientists will probably say we’re all gonna freeze because of “Global Cooling” like they did in in the 70s. It’s gonna be bad no matter what we do. Are we gonna kill all the cats and dogs when they blame some global crisis on them?

]]> By: B Nelson http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-185746 B Nelson Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:03:16 +0000 http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/#comment-185746 I am not a Vegetarian but have cut down my meat intake, most people eat 60% more meat a week than they actually need - a proper serving size is about the size of a deck of cards. and meat is not needed at every meal, or every day. I encourage people to eat FREE RANGE EGGS as a protein source (keeping your own hens is great!!) But the BEST thing I did for the environment, is stopped having kids after one! As much as we blame livestock - it is the numbers of people on the planet who are the biggest problems. Reduce the amount of meat you eat.. and reduce the amount of kids you plan to have. I am not a Vegetarian but have cut down my meat intake, most people eat 60% more meat a week than they actually need – a proper serving size is about the size of a deck of cards. and meat is not needed at every meal, or every day.
I encourage people to eat FREE RANGE EGGS as a protein source (keeping your own hens is great!!)
But the BEST thing I did for the environment, is stopped having kids after one! As much as we blame livestock – it is the numbers of people on the planet who are the biggest problems. Reduce the amount of meat you eat.. and reduce the amount of kids you plan to have.

]]> By: CHAN LEE PENG http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-185700 CHAN LEE PENG Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:30:29 +0000 http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/#comment-185700 Eating more meat is not only bad for your health, but also not good for our environment. The large scale domestic livestock has undeniably polluted the environment faster than a patch of vegetation. Eating more meat is not only bad for your health, but also not good for our environment. The large scale domestic livestock has undeniably polluted the environment faster than a patch of vegetation.

]]> By: Petalm http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-185600 Petalm Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:10:33 +0000 http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/#comment-185600 Well written. Well written.

]]> By: Teves http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-185566 Teves Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:32:26 +0000 http://socyberty.com/issues/would-you-become-a-vegetarian-to-save-the-world/#comment-185566 Good stuff... Good stuff…

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