In recent decades, leading environmental organizations and policy makers have been conspicuously silent on the environmental impacts of our food choices. In particular, many activists have critiqued the absence of dialogue around the disproportionately destructive impacts of animal agriculture. But that appears to be changing.
Pastoralists Switch from Herding to Growing Crops
Animal gifting charities encourage supporters to purchase cows and goats for families in countries experiencing extreme hunger and poverty, often pointing to traditions such as pastoralism and nomadic herders’ longstanding reliance on livestock for sustenance. However, in response to climate change, pastoralists are increasingly abandoning animal husbandry and shifting to growing drought tolerant crops and climate resilient, indigenous fruits and vegetables instead.
Grass-Fed Beef Means Much More Methane
A new Harvard study finds that shifting to all grass-fed beef production in the U.S. would require 30% more cattle just to keep pace with present production. It would also increase beef’s methane emissions by 43% and would require more pastureland than we have. The researchers conclude the only way to guarantee lower environmental impacts is by reducing beef consumption overall.
Why We Need Plant-Based Approaches to Global Hunger
The holiday season is officially upon us, and groups like Heifer International and OxFam are ramping up their “animal gifting” donation campaigns with a deluge of catalogs and emails encouraging people to “gift” farmed animals to food insecure families in developing countries. But animal agriculture is a leading contributor to climate change and food insecurity. Here’s why efforts to reduce global hunger should focus on sustainable plant-based approaches wherever possible.
Animal Agriculture’s Impact on Climate – Do Percentages Matter?
Like me, you might be accustomed to seeing percentage figures on posters and elsewhere, indicating livestock’s share of greenhouse gas emissions. I’m not keen on quoting figures indicating livestock’s climate change impacts, unless I can try to explain them. Posters are not a great way to do that. One problem is that, while environmental processes are dynamic, the figures are often portrayed as if they’re set in stone. Another problem is that the figures depend on whichever factors have been taken into account, which can vary significantly from one report to another.
7 Ways Plants Are Fighting Global Hunger
Animal agriculture is a major driver of climate change and food insecurity. Efforts to reduce hunger should focus on sustainable plant-based approaches wherever possible. Here’s why and how.
On A Budget-What To Buy
Even without fancy cooking equipment or a lot of space to work with, eating vegan on a budget is well within your reach. Kitchen Staples Investing in a couple good kitchen appliances could save you time and money in the long run. Set yourself up for success by optimizing your kitchen! Don’t even have a […]
True Cost of Foods
Great First Step Congratulations, reading this is a great first step in expanding your thinking about what it means to make money-wise food choices. Feeling confident about which foods are available and how to prepare them opens your world to a vast bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and protein-rich beans, nuts and […]
Activities & Resources
handouts – videos – links 2017 Events… October 28 – Central Florida Veg Fest: FL (Sponsor/Speaker) October 15-18 ~ Animal Grantmakers Conference: OR (Moderator) October 2 ~ FARM: World Day for Farmed Animals: Global (Sponsor) September 7-10 ~ International Animal Rights Conference: Luxembourg (Sponsor/Speaker) September 2 ~ Compassion Over Killing: DC VegFest: DC (Sponsor/Exhibitor) August 26 […]
Disease Prevention
Top Killers “Diseases of affluence” linked diets heavy in animal-sourced foods are top killers in the U.S. and high-consuming populations around the world. Heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes cause the death of more than a million people a year in the U.S. alone. These conditions have been repeatedly linked with the consumption of meat […]