Diaz 1

BiancaDiaz
ProfessorEfstathion
ENC2135
March2016

Introduction
Thelivestockindustryhasbeencalledoneofthebiggestcontributorstoclimatechange
andenvironmentaldegradation,accordingtotheFoodandAgricultureOrganizationof
theUnitedNations(LivestockaMajorThreattoEnvironment).Thistopicisvery
importanttomebecauseitcombinesthethingsIampassionateabout.SinceIwasyoung,
Ihavelovednatureandanimals.ButIfoundmyselftobeahypocriteifIateanimalsand
saidIlovedthem.ThenIbecameeducatedonhowcuttinganimalproductsoutofmydiet
significantlyimprovedthequalityofwater,land,andtheair.Ittooksometime,butI
madethechangeandIhavenotlookedback.BychangingwhatIate,myactionswere
speakinglouderthanmywords.Furthermore,Ifeelaresponsibilitytomaketheworlda
betterplace.Thestateoftheworldsenvironmentcurrentlyworriesme.Ifnoonecares,
thennothingwillchange.Therearethingsweallcandotolessentheimpactwehaveon
Earthwhilewearehere.
WhileauthorslikeJudecapperandscientistsfromtheSouthAfricanAnimalJournal
haveprovidedevidencethatanimalagricultureisnotproblematic,theydonotgive
adequateattentiontofactoryfarmsandthesheernumberofanimalsraisedfor
consumption.Also,notenoughpeopleintheanimalsciencefieldhavetriedtofind

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solutionstothegrowingdemandofanimalproducts,whichbeginswitheducatingthe
consumer.Theproblemisthatpeoplearenotattractedtoveganlifestyle,letalonethe
word.Andwithoutevengivingitatry,peoplealreadyhavebadopinionsonveganism.
Ifeveryoneknewwhatveganismcoulddofortheplanet,Ithinkmorepeoplewould
consideritoratgiveitatry.
Myaudiencewouldincludepeoplewhoarenotawareofthelivestockindustry
anditsimpactontheenvironment.Therearealotofgroupsandorganizationsdedicated
toanimalrights,buttheyfocusmoreontheethicaltreatmentofanimals.Even
environmentalorganizationsdonotemphasizeenoughonfoodseffectonthe
environment.Thereareamyriadofbenefitstochangingtoaplantbaseddiet,however
nooneiswillingtoseeoracknowledgethesebenefits.HopefullyIcaneducateand
persuademyaudiencethataplantbaseddietisthebestcourseofactionforsavingthe
world.InthispaperIarguethatifmorepeople,butnoteveryone,adoptplantbaseddiets
thentheenvironmentalimpactthatthelivestockhasontheenvironmentwillnotbeas
significantasitiscurrently.

LiteratureReview
Ihaveresearchedthelivestockindustryandtheproblemsthatfaceit.Ialso
researchedplantbaseddietsthatomitallanimalbasedfoodsandseeifthisasolutionto
theissuesbroughtupbythelivestockindustry.ThearticlesIfoundtobehelpfulwere
thosewrittenbyHenning,Capper,andClarke.Henninghadaverythorougharticlethat
providedsomuchdata.Henningsays:

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Whatifallhumansobtainedtheirrecommendeddailyintakeofproteinfrom
plantsourcesasinthesoyproteinscenario?Creatingthe457,986thousandtons
ofsoybeansnecessarytofeedtheprojectedninebillionhumansin2050would
nodoubthaveaconsiderableimpactontheenvironment.Howeveritwould
representa98%reductionofgreenhousegasemissions,a94%reductionin
biomassappropriation,anda32%reductioninreactivenitrogenmobilization
Thus,aplantbaseddietisnotonlymorehealthfulthantheotherdiets,itisalso
themostsustainableformofdiet.(pg.24)
Thisprovesthatgettingnutrientsfromplantsismuchmoreenvironmentallyfriendlythan
eatinganimalproducts.However,Capperisasupporterofthelivestockindustry.Her
viewisthatplantbaseddietswillnotcreateanylastingchange.AccordingtoCapper,
thereisnotaperfectsolutiontolivestocksustainability(pg.243).Ithinkitisgoodto
haveacounterargumentwhenwritingaproposalbecauseitshowsmewheretodomore
researchandwhatisproblematicwhenitcomestopromotingplantbasedfoodsover
animalbasedfoods.
ClarkesarticleVegetarianismandSustainabilitytookfrombothsidesofthe
argument,thenutritionalbenefitsofsupplyinganimalproductstotheworld,especially
developingnations,andtheenvironmentalbenefitsofeatingaveganorvegetariandiet.
Hersectiononwaterwasveryinformationandstraightforward,Ilikewhenshesaid,
Theharshrealityisthattherewillnotbeenoughwateravailabletoproduceenoughfood
fortheexpected9billionpopulationin2050ifweadheretocurrentdietarytrendsacross
theglobe.(3).Ithinkthisquoteisveryeffectivetoestablishaneed.

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OnmyInternetsearch,websiteslikecowspiracy.comandworldwildlife.orgwere
helpful.OntheCowspiracywebsite,itisbasedoffthedocumentaryofthesamename.
Theyhaveafactssectionwheretheyprovidesources,videos,andinfographicsabout
animalagricultureandhoweatingplantbasedismoresustainablethaneatinganimal
products.Forexample,Ilearnedthatthelivestockindustryputsoutlargequantitiesof
nitrousoxide,65%ofallnitrousoxidetobeexact.Also,wasteproducedfrom2,500
dairycowsisequivalenttoIcanusethesefactstosupportmyclaimthatplantbased
dietsareoverallmoresustainable.Thevideosareorganizedbyissue,whichisextremely
helpfulwhenIneedtogetinformationonacertainissueinsteadallofthematonce.
FortheWorldWildlifewebsite,itdiscusseshowfoodingeneralisproblematic
andweneedtochangethewaywethinkaboutit.Icanusethiswebsiteasinspirationto
findthebestwaytosharemyproposal.Thewaytheypresenttheinformationandthe
waythewordtheinformationisverycompelling.Thiswebsiteisusefulforgetting
informationbecausetheyhavemultiplesectionscalledPriorityCommoditieswhich
hasafoodproductionissuethengoesintodepthastowhyitisproblematic.ThePriority
Commodity,farmedfish,hasnegativeimpactssuchasallowingchemicalstoleachinto
theocean.Thedifferentsectionsallowyoutoseeissueswithaspecificfoodproduct.
LiketheCowspiracywebsite,thisishelpfulbecauseitcondensesalltheinformationina
topicintooneareainsteadofscatteredornotthoroughlyexplained.

Interview

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IchosetointerviewJudeCapper,aLivestockSustainabilitySpecialistwithaPhD
inAnimalSciences.IchoseJudeCapperbecausesheauthoredoneofthepapersIread
duringmyresearch.WhenIgoogledher,shehadawebsiteaboutsustainabilityand
livestock.Sheisnotinfavorofplantbaseddietsoveranimalbaseddietswhenitcomes
tosustainability.Bytalkingtoher,Iwantedtogetanotherperspectivewhilestillhaving
myquestionsanswered.Shesays,Forexample,recentanalysesshowedthatasparagus
consumptionwasassociatedwithgreaterGHGemissionsthanporkorpoultry.This
mademethinkabouthowmuchweeatasparagusvs.howmuchweeatporkorpoultry.I
foundthistobeveryinterestingsinceIhadneverheardofthisbefore.Ilearnedfromthis
interviewthatDr.Capperinthisdoesnotthinkplantbaseddietsarearealsolutiontothe
livestocksustainabilityproblem.Ididhoweverfindithelpfulthatshepointedoutaclear
issuewhenIaskedheraboutwhereimprovementintheanimalagriculturebusinesscould
takeplace.Wateruse.Allagriculturalindustrieshaveworkedovertheyearstoreduce
thequantityofwaterrequiredbyimprovingefficiency,butthatwillbecomemorecrucial
aswehavemoreconsumerscompetingforwaterresources.Thisissomethingshereally
recognizesasanexpertinthisfieldsoIwillbeabletodevelopgoodpointsoffofthis
topic.Ithinkthepartsoftheinterviewwhereshepointedoutthatasparaguscreates
greenhousegasesandthatthetransportationgreenhousegasclaimhadbeendebunkedis
helpingmethinkmorecritically.Sincesheistakingtheoppositestance,sheprovidesme
withweakpointsinmyargumentthatIcanresearchmoreandtrytoprovewhymore
peopleshouldconsiderthislifestyle.

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Conclusion
Mypaperhasevolvedfromsayingthatweallneedtoadoptplantbaseddietsto
bemoresustainabletotryingtogettingasmanypeopleaspossibletoreducetheirmeat
consumptionandadoptplantbaseddiets.Throughmyresearchandinterview,Ilearned
thatchangingourdietswouldnotsolvealltheenvironmentalproblemsbecausethereare
manyotherfactorstoconsider,especiallywhenitcomestofarmingandagriculturein
general.Also,byloweringthedemandforanimalproductswillresultinlessanimals
raisedforconsumption,whichwillhelplessentheimpactofmanyenvironmentalissues
likepollution,landusage,waterusage,andgreenhousegases.Ialsoknowthatthebest
peopletotargetarethosewholiveindevelopedcountriesbecausedevelopingcountries
haveverylargegrowingpopulationsandthedemandforanimalproductsishigh.Itis
besttotargetplaceswherepopulationsaremorestableinsteadofaworldwideapproach
becauseitwouldbetoodifficulttogeteveryoneonboard.
WhenIstarted,Ionlyfocusedonmeat,butthroughmyInternetresearchIfound
thatallanimalproductshaveasignificantenvironmentalimpact.IamgladIbroadenthe
scopebecauseitwouldnothavebeenaccuratetosaythatmeatwasnotgoodforthe
environmentbutotheranimalproductswerenot.Allanimalproductstakeatollonthe
environment,allfoodgrowndoes.Buttheeffectsofanimalagricultureismuchmore
detrimentalthanotherfoodgrown.

AnnotatedBibliography

Diaz 7
Bristow,Elizabeth."GlobalClimateChangeAndTheIndustrialAnimalAgriculture
Link:TheConstructionOfRisk."Society&Animals19.3(2011):205224.Web.
14Feb.2016.
Thisarticleexploresdifferentorganizations,socialmovementorganization,industry
stakeholders,andgovernmentagencies,andhowtheyhandletheissueofanimal
agricultureandclimatechange.Thereisacorrelationtomytopicbecauseitdiscusses
howthisissueisnotgivenfullattentioninplaceslikethegovernment,whichIthinkis
somethingimportanttoconsider.Thissourceoffersnewinformationbyproviding
informationonwhereanimalagricultureandclimatechangeisprimarilydiscussedand
whereitisnotdiscussed.
Capper,J.L."ShouldWeRejectAnimalSourceFoodsToSaveThePlanet?AReview
OfTheSustainabilityOfGlobalLivestockProduction."SouthAfricanJournalOf
AnimalScience43.3(2013):233246.Web.13Feb.2016.
Inthissource,theauthorstatesthattakingonavegetarianorveganlifestyleisnota
panaceafortheissueofsustainabilityandthelivestockindustry.Alotoffactorsmatter,
butmakingsurethetenantsofsustainabilityaremet,environmentalstewardship,
economicviability,andsocialjustice,willmaketheissueofsustainabilityinanimal
agricultureeasiertosolveforfuturegenerations.ThisrelatestomytopicbecauseIam
investigatinghowlivingaveganlifestylebenefitstheenvironment.Itofferstheideathat
changingwhatyoueatwillnotsavetheenvironment,whichIthinkisaninteresting
counterargumenttomytopis.Thisrelatestomyothersourcebecauseitaddresses
veganism/vegetarianismandsustainability.

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Chauhan,DineshsinghS.,andNilotpalGhosh."ImpactofClimateChangeonLivestock
Production:AReview."JournalofAnimalResearch4.2(2014):22339.Web.13
Feb.2016.
Indiareliesonanimalagricultureforamultitudeofreasons,howeverthisadversely
affectsthembecauseclimatechangeeffectstheproductionofanimalproductsinthis
country.Thisrelatestomyresearchtopicbecauseitprovidesevidenceofhowanimal
agriculturehasnegativeeffectsontheenvironment.Itrelatestomyothersourceby
sayingthatthereisaproblemwiththelivestockindustry,butitgoesintodetailhowthe
livestockindustryendsuphurtingitself.Ifoundthissourceinterestingbecauseitisfrom
India,andhowtheyrelyonanimalagriculturebutatthesametimeitiscreating
problemsforitself.
Clarke,Alexis."VegetarianismAndSustainability."JournalOfTheAustralian
TraditionalMedicineSociety21.2(2015):1061116p.Web.13Feb.2016.
Clarkewritesthatavegetariandietplaceslessstressontheenvironment,
duetolesslanduseanddecreasingtheamountofwatergoingtocreatefood.This
relatestomytopicbecauseIwanttoarguethatswitchingtoplantbasedfoodsismore
sustainablefortheworld.Thissourcehowever,relatestotheinformationinCappers
article,sayingthatifeveryoneswitchedtosplantbaseddiet,notallenvironmentalissue
willbesolvedandothereconomicissueswillarise.
Scholtz,M.M.,etal."ResearchAndDevelopmentOnClimateChangeAndGreenhouse
GasesInSupportOfClimateSmartLivestockProductionAndAVibrant

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Industry."SouthAfricanJournalOfAnimalScience44.5(2014):S1S7.Web.16
Feb.2016.
Thisrelatestomytopicbecausetheauthorsacknowledgethatcurrentlivestockpractices
arenotsustainable.Itdoesnotrelatetomyothersourcesinsayingthatavegetarianor
vegandietwillhelplessentheeffectsofanimalagriculture.Infact,theydonotseeplant
baseddietsasaviablesolutionbecauseanimalproductsoffervitalnutrientstothosein
developingcountries.ThearticlewasalsodonebyRedMeatResearchandDevelopment
SouthAfrica.Afterfurtherresearch,thisgroupwantstoprovideredmeatinapriceand
environmentallyfriendlyway.Ithoughtthiswasainterestingfact,andissomethingI
shouldconsiderwhenreadingmysources.
Svoray,Tal,AviPerevolotsky,andPeterM.Atkinson."EcologicalSustainabilityIn
Rangelands:TheContributionOfRemoteSensing."InternationalJournalOf
RemoteSensing34.17(2013):62166242.Web.15Feb.2016.
Humansuseoflandforlivestockgrazingandotherpurposeshasaseriousimpactonthe
qualityofsoil.Remotesensingisusedtoseethedamagedonetothelandandassessit.
ThisrelatestomytopicbecauseIaminvestigatinghowcurrentanimalagricultureisnot
beneficialfortheplanet,andthisarticledemonstrateshowremotesensingcandetermine
thequalityofland.Itdoesnotrelatetotheothersourcesbecauseitfocusesmoreon
scientifictesting,ratherthansayingthatanimalagricultureismoreharmfulorbenign.
However,itdoesrelatetoothersourcesbysayingthatexcessivegrazingduetoanimals
ishaveanimpactontheenvironment.Rangelandsthatarefacedwiththreats,inmycase

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overgrazingbyanimalsforconsumption,needtobemonitoredbyremotesensingto
ensuretheycanrecoverandremainhealthy.

WorksCited

Diaz 11
Bristow,Elizabeth."GlobalClimateChangeAndTheIndustrialAnimalAgriculture
Link:TheConstructionOfRisk."Society&Animals19.3(2011):205224.Web.
14Feb.2016.
Capper,J.L."ShouldWeRejectAnimalSourceFoodsToSaveThePlanet?AReview
OfTheSustainabilityOfGlobalLivestockProduction."SouthAfricanJournalOf
AnimalScience43.3(2013):233246.Web.13Feb.2016.
Chauhan,DineshsinghS.,andNilotpalGhosh."ImpactofClimateChangeonLivestock
Production:AReview."JournalofAnimalResearch4.2(2014):22339.Web.13
Feb.2016.
Clarke,Alexis."VegetarianismAndSustainability."JournalOfTheAustralian
TraditionalMedicineSociety21.2(2015):1061116p.Web.13Feb.2016.
"Food."WorldWildlife.org.WorldWildlifeFund,n.d.Web.01Mar.2016.
Graa,Joo,AblioOliveira,andMariaManuelaCalheiros."Meat,BeyondthePlate.
DataDrivenHypothesesforUnderstandingConsumerWillingnesstoAdopta
MorePlantBasedDiet."Appetite90(2015):8090.Web.28Feb.2016.
Henning,Brian."StandinginLivestock's''LongShadow'':TheEthicsofEatingMeatona
SmallPlanet."Ethicsandtheenvironment16.2(09):63;63,93;93.Web.28Feb.
2016.
"LivestockaMajorThreattoEnvironment."LivestockaMajorThreattoEnvironment.
FAO,n.d.Web.28Feb.2016.
Scholtz,M.M.,etal."ResearchAndDevelopmentOnClimateChangeAndGreenhouse
GasesInSupportOfClimateSmartLivestockProductionAndAVibrant

Diaz 12
Industry."SouthAfricanJournalOfAnimalScience44.5(2014):S1S7.Web.16
Feb.2016.
Svoray,Tal,AviPerevolotsky,andPeterM.Atkinson."EcologicalSustainabilityIn
Rangelands:TheContributionOfRemoteSensing."InternationalJournalOf
RemoteSensing34.17(2013):62166242.Web.15Feb.2016.