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Benefits of a Meatless Society

Food is a large component of society holidays and gatherings revolve around it, food is

essential for survival, it nourishes and brings people together. Yet, people tend to not think of the

effects the production of our food has on the world as well as society. Meat and animal products

is a large part in the human diets, specifically Americans, and it makes up an industry that makes

millions off of meat consumers each year. Society does not know the harmful effects of the meat

eating habits have on those who live within that society and the world around us. If people regard

the effects of eating meat, they would began to notice the benefits a meatless society would reap.

The consumption of meat in a society, not only impacts one's health, but creates a conflict

of human morals and affects the global economy that reaches beyond the common dinner

plate.

The environment is heavily affected by the production of meat and animal products. With

global warming and the sea levels rising the human race is looking into the main sources of these

issues. Raising and selling meat is a process that includes growing food for the animals, shipping

the produce, slaughtering the animals, powering the farm, shipping and packaging the meat,

which all produce greenhouse gasses. In 2009 scientists “found the livestock industry to be one

of the main sources of carbon dioxide emissions”, thus one of the main factors contributing to

global warming (Preface to 'What Personal Nutrition and Dietary Choices Impact Health?). (See

chart below). Agricultural animals produce waste such as every living animal, which means in

large farming industries they accumulate an enormous amount of waste. As stated in a U.S.

Government Accountability Office report “800,000 hogs or 140,000 head of ​cattle could​ produce

more than 1.6 million tons of manure per year, which is one and one-half times more than the
sanitary waste produced each year by the city of Philadelphia” (Preface to 'Is There an

Environmental Crisis?). When it rains, the animal’s waste, considered an environmental toxin,

leaks into water supplies causing negative effects on people’s lives and the surrounding

ecosystems. Through the years the world witnessed a great deal of negative environmental

effects from this kind of run off such as in “Ontario, ​Canada​, [where] runoff contaminated well

water and lead to an illness outbreak… that sickened thousands and killed six people” or when

because of the “bursting of a

hog sewage lagoon in North

Carolina released 25 million

gallons of sewage into a

neighboring river, killing

millions of fish and closing

coastal shellfish grounds”

(Feedlot runoff). One of the

biggest issues the world’s

society faces is the

environmental problems that

come along with our ways life. By creating a meatless society humans would have solved a

major part of this

Chart 1.1 (information based off of Dr. Rajendra Pachauri research​)

Information sourced at: "Preface to ‘What Personal Nutrition and Dietary Choices Impact Health’?"
issue. A concern of a meatless society is that if there is no predator, humans, eating these

animals they would easily overpopulate the earth. This argument makes sense if you look at the

interworking of an ecosystems. Contrary to this belief there is an increase in livestock as human

consumption of meat increases. Between 1980 and 2010 there was a 23 percent growth in the

cattle, pigs, goats, and sheep population (Rising Number of Farm Animals Poses Environmental

and Public Health Risks). This can be explained by the expansion of factory farming, as the

demand for meat increases so does the amount of meat animals as the “80 percent of growth in

the livestock sector now comes from these industrial production systems” (Rising Number of

Farm Animals Poses Environmental and Public Health Risks). Along with the farm animals the

environmental effects brought with the effects of livestock farming increases. In the words of a

P.H.D nurse “Meat production can have an effect on the environment and our environment can

definitely have an effect on our health” (Mayhew).

In a meatless society, there is no longer the ethical dilemma of eating meat. Animals are

an important part of our lives beyond basic consumption. People could not imagine slathering

their beloved pets. Yet, people consume the meat of other animals. Society is far removed from

the killing of animals for their consumption. For many the process that made the hamburgers

they eat possible is something they would rather not think about. In present day society many

stress values of compassion. Many past and present generations teach children to respect and not

to harm others , but our meat consumption directly contradicts the core values people teach

children. Abuses of farm animals take place mostly in factory farms. Pigs in these factory farms

are subjected to “painful mutilations without anesthesia. Their tails are cut off to minimize tail

biting, an aberrant behavior that pigs demonstrate when they are unnaturally confined, and their
ears are notched for identification” when they are just mere piglets (Preface to 'Should Animals

Be Bred for Human Consumption’). While chickens are bred and mutated so that they become

bigger supplying more meat for a larger profit at the cost of the chickens welfare, they “grow so

heavy that their legs and feet cannot support their bodies, resulting in broken bones and painful

deformations” (Preface to 'Should Animals Be Bred for Human Consumption). A meatless

society would decrease the suffering of animals as well as teaching youth values of compassion.

These hormones and mutations not only affect the birds they are inflicted upon but the

humans who ingest them. In the past century, there is no debate that recent generations have

experienced an increase in cancer. According to The International Agency for Research on

Cancer states "processed meat" is a Class 1 carcinogen and lists "red meat" as a Class 2A

carcinogen, (Meat industry messaging rubs carcinogen into wound). There is a link between

meat and cancer as there has been an increase in cancer as people’s consumption of meat has

increased along with the increase of the production of processed meats. According to a P.H.D

nurse a vegetarian diet reduces hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes,

high blood pressure, high cholesterol and cancer (​Mayhew​). Meat free diets not only benefit a

person’s physical health but their mental health as well. According to an interview with

Therapist Susan Gessner who specializes in eating disorders “B vitamins, folate, Vitamin C,

Vitamin K, magnesium, potassium, omega3-fats, and glutathione”, all found in fruits and

vegetables, are “associated with the reduction of the stress hormone cortisol which in turn

reduces one’s stress reaction” from this list of vitamins “Folate, magnesium and Vitamin K have

been associated with the reduction of anxiety and depression”. Vegetarian diets are full of plant

based food increasing these micronutrients could result in a healthier society mentally and
physically. An argument against a meatless diet is a concern that people would not be able to

attain adequate protein. Protein can be consumed in many plant forms.. “Grains, legumes, seeds,

nuts and vegetables” can all be sources of healthy protein (Tober). By adopting a meatless

lifestyle society could 5.1 million people could be saved per year because of the health benefits

from this eating style (Martinko).

The price of meat production is beyond the prices you pay at the supermarket. It is

estimated that if people continue the way they eat meat “it could cost the U.S. between $197

billion and $289 billion each year—and the global economy up to $1.6 trillion—by 2050”

(Davis). Health issues that arise with eating meat such as, cancer, and heart disease, (as described

in above paragraph) lead to tremendous cost in health care. It is estimated by the University of

Oxford that there would be a savings of .6 - 1.3 trillion dollars for a vegetarian society and .7 -

1.4 trillion for a vegan society in just health care alone (Martinko). The amount of land needed

to sustain farming is huge. “Cattle alone use one-quarter of the earth's land” (Vegetarianism).

Land that is used to raise animals could be used to grow a large amount of crops instead as “the

amount of land required to feed one meat eater could theoretically feed fifteen to twenty

vegetarians, in addition the crops used to feed livestock creates ​a ​“94 percent waste of food”

(Vegetarianism) Added with all the other environmental effects and clean up (as described in

paragraph 2) adds up to a large sum of waste of money. The same Oxford study also predicted

that the environmental savings would be about .6 - 1.6 trillion dollars for a vegetarian society and

.2 - 1.8 trillion dollars for vegans society (Martinko). Meat production cost comes straight out of

your taxes and directly subsidizes the meat industry. According to the author of Meatnonmic$

the U.S government spends about “$38 billion each year to subsidize the meat and dairy
industries” (Simon). Over all if society nixed animal products, the U.S could save $2 trillion - $3

trillion and the world could save $20 trillion to $30 trillion (​Davis​).

Consumption of meat is not a just an animal issue, it is a human issue. The effects of a

meatless society would be greatly beneficial. Major issues affecting the world today could be

solved such as the loaming environmental issues, human health because of meat and economic

crisis. As well as saving animals from tortuous lives and gruesome deaths. A society the

consumed plant based products would see numerous benefits.


Works Cited

Davis , Lauren Cassani. “The Economic Case for Worldwide Vegetarianism.” The

Atlantic, 28 Mar .2016,

www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/03/the-economic-case-for-worldwide-vegetarianism

/475524/​.

"Feedlot runoff." Environmental Encyclopedia, edited by Deirdre S. Blanchfield, Gale,

2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CV2644150537/OVIC?u=centra

lp&xid=c19602ff.

Gessner, Susan. 14 Nov. 2017.

Martinko, Katherine. “Study Reveals Tremendous Benefits of Eating Less Meat.” Tree

Huger , 24 Mar. 2016,

www.treehugger.com/health/study-reveals-tremendous-benefits-eating-less-meat.html

Mayhew, Patricia. 13 Nov. 2017.

"Meat industry messaging rubs carcinogen into wound." Sydney Morning Herald

[Sydney, Australia], 5 May 2017, p. 14. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491097634/OVIC?u=centralp

&xid=26ceb994.

Palmer, Sharon. "A Plant-Based Diet Has Impressive Benefits." Vegetarianism, edited by

Amy Francis, Greenhaven Press, 2015. Current Controversies. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,
ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010705254/OVIC?u=central

p&xid=3b86f6bc. Originally published in Environmental Nutrition Newsletter, Jan. 2014.

"Preface to 'Is There an Environmental Crisis?'." The Environment, edited by Louise I.

Gerdes, Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010132164/OVIC?u=central

p&xid=68334d58​.

"Preface to 'Should Animals Be Bred for Human Consumption?'." The Rights of

Animals, edited by Auriana Ojeda, Greenhaven Press, 2004. Current Controversies. Opposing

Viewpoints in Context,

ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010062129/OVIC?u=central

p&xid=3ceda30e.

"Preface to 'What Personal Nutrition and Dietary Choices Impact Health?'." Nutrition,

edited by David Haugen and Susan Musser, Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010785105/OVIC?u=central

p&xid=2a907e2e.

“Rising Number of Farm Animals Poses Environmental and Public Health Risks.” World

Watch, 15 Nov. 2017, ​www.worldwatch.org/rising-number-farm-animals-​poses-environmental-

and-public-health-risks-0

Simon, David Robison. “10 Things We Wish Everyone Knew About the Meat and Dairy

Industries.” Peta,

www.peta.org/living/food/10-things-wish-everyone-knew-meat-dairy-industries/.
Tober, Stephanie. "Vegetarians can get protein from a variety of sources." St. Petersburg

Times [St. Petersburg, FL], 5 Dec. 2001, p. 8D. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A80566161/OVIC?u=centralp&

xid=746850dc.

"Vegetarianism." Environmental Encyclopedia, edited by Deirdre S. Blanchfield, Gale,

2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CV2644151452/OVIC?u=centra

lp&xid=53be287b.

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