Navani H. Nagesh
Two volunteers from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, India had painted themselves in blue and
green to resemble the Earth on Bengaluru streets on February 10. This event was held to
urge the participants of the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the environmental crisis by urging
people to go vegan.
PETA states that there is an increasing number of people in India and around the world
who are going vegan as it is the most effective way to reduce environmental destruction.
That is because meat, egg, and dairy industries waste massive amounts of water, energy
and land. They also say that according to the United Nations, animal agriculture is responsible for nearly one-fifth of all human-induced greenhouse-gas emissions which, by some
estimates are greater than all the world’s transportation systems combined.
Dr. Kiran Ahuja, Manager of Vegan Projects, says, “There is nothing natural in
consuming meat, eggs, or dairy.
Most animals used for food today live on massive
industrial factory farms, where they are bred in cramped wire cages, metal crates, or
other extremely restrictive enclosures inside filthy, windowless sheds in thousands.
He also says that most don’t even get to feel the warmth of the sun on their backs or
breathe fresh air until the day they’re loaded onto trucks heading to slaughterhouses.
The factory farming industry strives to maximize output while minimizing costs-always
at the animals’ expense. The giant corporations that run most factory farms have found
that they can make more money by squeezing as many animals as possible into tiny
spaces, even though many of the animals die from diseases or infections.
According to PETA, mock meats are the best option for people who want to savor the
taste of meat without actually destroying the planet, harming animals, or facing major
health consequences. An ever-growing lineup of mock meats can give you
all the taste of the real thing but without cruelty or cholesterol.
These days, meat-like foods are being made with soya, jackfruit, lentils, mushrooms,
beans, peas, and other plants instead of animals. Similarly, eggs are being made from
mung beans instead of being stolen from chickens. Milk is made from nuts, rice, soya,
oats, millet, etc.
Meat, egg, and dairy production is a major source of the greenhouse gas emissions that
accelerate climate change. Animals raised and killed for food are first in line for the water
and food we need. The meat, egg, and dairy industries use one-third of the world’s freshwater, and one-third of global cropland for feed. This, while water scarcity already affects
every continent – over two billion people live in countries experiencing high levels of
water shortages, and more than 690 million people still go hungry. Facilities linked to
raising animals for food occupy 45 percent, or nearly half, of the global surface area. The
meat, egg, and dairy industries are linked to species extinction because as animal
agriculture continues to take over the Earth's landmass, species-rich habitats are being
destroyed.
Millions of Indians lack adequate food and water, yet animal agriculture uses a staggering
one-third of the world’s freshwater resources, as well as one-third of the world’s global
cropland as feed for animals. Imagine how many of India’s hungry could be fed with
these crops directly instead. It will only worsen if we don’t adjust our food systems.
India is already experiencing the damaging effects of climate catastrophe in the form
of extreme weather like scorching heat, droughts, wildfires, and unprecedented rainfall,
and this is set to worsen if corrective steps are not taken now.
80 billion land animals and up to trillions of fish are killed for food every year. Eating
meat leaves behind an environmental toll that generations to come will be forced to deal
with. The meat industry is one of the primary contributors to problems such as pollution,
food shortages, and the emptying of our oceans. Raising animals for food also requires
massive amounts of water, energy, and land.
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