Environment
A plant based diet is better for the environment
Environment
A plant based diet is better for the environment
Our diet plays an important part in protecting the environment. We only have to consider that a diet rich in meat, requires three times the natural resources of a plant-based diet.
In livestock farms, farm animals consume large amounts of feed. The production of 1 kilo beef requires 7 kg of crops in order to raise the cows until they’re slaughtered, while 4kg of crops are required for each kilo of pork.
It is estimated that 70% of the planet’s agricultural land is used for animal breeding and is also responsible for 91% of the Amazon’s deforestation.
Animal breeding causes a corresponding burden in global water consumption. Livestock uses about 70% of drinking water. To produce 1kg of wheat, 1,000-2,000 liters of water are required, while to produce one kg of beef requires 13,000-100,000 liters of water. In addition, the antibiotics and hormones used, as well as the waste produced in livestock farms, burden the ecosystem with water pollution.
It should be noted that excessive animal farming leads to the emission of large amounts of air pollutants in the atmosphere and furthermore worsens the greenhouse effect. 1/3 of the methane production, which is related to human activities is produced by cows and sheep raised in livestock farms. A cow releases 500 liters of methane daily. While the methods of processing livestock products and their transport, especially when there are long distances involved, participate in increasing the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere.
But the ones sounding the alarm are the oceans. If you thought the only dangers came from the rising sea levels, then you are mistaken. Scientists estimate that with the depleting overfishing, intensification of fish farms and pollution, the oceans will have no fish by 2048!
Therefore, it is high time we changed our eating habits to protect our environment, which includes land and sea.
Check out our recipes, as a way to help in stopping climate change, while there is still time.
Of course, it is of equal importance to shape our habits accordingly, for example to stop using disposable plastics, recycle what we can, and promote reuse as much as possible, and most importantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by changing the profile of the energy we use daily (cycling, walking, electric cars or hydrogen cars, use of RES and more)