Letters to the Editor: There is no ‘humane’ way to raise animals for meat. The suffering in the meat industry is as real as those of the poor, and most of the suffering comes from the way the animals are raised. The use of animals for food is never a ‘humane’ practice. It is an economic reality, and it must be changed if we are to have any chance of ending the world hunger facing people and animals on this planet.
It is a fact that animal agriculture is the largest contributor of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The meat industry emits approximately 70% more greenhouse gases than all the transportation methods combined. It is also a fact that only 4% of the animals that are killed are used for food.
If we are to do something about global warming, the meat industry must be changed. If we do not change to a production of’sustainable animal agriculture’, we will face a problem that will no doubt bring us to our knees.
In the United States, more than 600 million people in the U.S. do not have access to fresh, organic, antibiotic-free, hormone-free, or pasture-fed meats. Even less, 7.4 million people in the U.S. eat such meats. This is a problem. Only 9.5% of the total calories consumed in the U.S. come from animal products.
People in the United States need to be made aware that what they are eating, and how they are eating, is impacting on their health. The United States produces more than 5 times the volume of food waste compared to that of any other country. This is a great loss to society, and it is a waste of money.
The food industry is making more than $8 billion annually. It is not good business to feed the masses of people with food that is harmful to their health. It is a fact that if the industry would change its practices, there would be a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.
The beef industry is using one-third of the fossil fuels in the United States and consumes 70% of the water. What is the cost for these fuels, water, and water pollution? It is a fact that 80% of the greenhouse gases from this industry are produced in the water, making it a very important industry, and one that should be examined.
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