Whether it’s Meatless Monday, Weekday Vegetarianism or simply cutting down meat consumption – people from developed countries are eating less meat, and it’s already making a difference. Even though some argue that cutting-back-consumption campaigns don’t push enough of a paradigm-shift, we’re already seeing the changes: 400 million animals were spared in the US alone in 2014 because people ate less meat.
Some 93 percent of people still eat meat and it’s difficult to imagine a future where most people won’t, but a world that eats less meat is already on the right way. According to a new report, meat consumption has been steadily declining in the U.S.—by 10% per capita since 2007. In 2014, the U.S. raised and killed 9.5 billion land animals for food, but 400 million (almost 4%) were saved simply because people skipped a few meaty meals.
Paul Shapiro, Vice President, Farm Animal Protection for The Humane Society of the United States explains:
“What that means is that compared to 2007, last year almost half a billion fewer animals were subjected to the torment of factory farming and industrial slaughter plants–and that’s despite the increase in the U.S. population,” Shapiro explains.
Things are starting to change in the US when it comes to meat – and the same trend can be noticed in most of the developed world. In 2012, the average American consumed 71.2 pounds of red meat (beef, veal, pork, and lamb) and 54.1 pounds of poultry (chicken and turkey), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and that number has went down significantly.
It’s worth noticing that on the other hand, developing countries are generally increasing their meat consumption so that on a global level, meat consumption has actually grown by a small margin – but this takes nothing away from the people who actually made a difference and consumed less meat; and as more and more countries go through this cycle, they too will ultimately reduce their consumption.
So why is this a good thing? Aside for the ethical reason of saving the animals themselves why is eating less meat a good thing?
The reasons can be split into two main categories: it’s good for you, and it’s good for the planet.
Why eating less meat is good for you:
- reduce cancer risk; hundreds of studies suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risk. Both red and processed meat consumption are associated with colon cancer.
- reduce heart disease risk; it’s well known that (especially red) meat increases heart disease risk and can damage blood circulation.
- reduce diabetes risk; research suggests that higher consumption of red and processed meat increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- reduce obesity; people on low-meat or vegetarian diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices.
- live longer; red and processed meat consumption is associated with increases in total mortality, cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.
- improve the quality of your diet; if you eat less meat, you’ll have the chance to substitute it with a healthy alternative. For example, consuming beans or peas results in higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium with lower intakes of saturated fat and total fat.
Why eating less meat is good for the planet:
- reduce your carbon footprint; the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions – far more than even transportation. Other foods don’t generate as much greenhouse gas.
- reduce water usage; the water needs of livestock are huge, far outweighing vegetables or grains. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef. Soy tofu produced in California requires 220 gallons of water per pound.
- reduce fossil fuel dependence; on average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. Compare this to the 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein.
Best news I’ve heard all year. Hopefully, one day no animal will be slaughtered because of us.
Very interesting article!! Ifrah Khan@GGT
What would be interesting to find out is what are they replacing meat with. More veggies, fish, etc…
Fish is meat..
june 30 2015 this article.
i wish u guys were right, when i look it up .. ican’t find the same articles
http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2015-july/growth-in-meat-consumption-for-developing-and-emerging-economies-surpasses-that-for-the-developed-world.aspx#.VjCXWLcve70
oh yeah, ur graph shown there where “less meat” is consumed is also from the so called USDA … same as my source
so who’s right ?
I’m not sure these graphs contradict each other – for one thing, yours is calculated as a percentage change from the total consumption (compared against an index year), while the one in the article is per capita.
I would like to see the authors calculations, though – more because I’m keen on open journalism than because I harbour some kind of suspicion.
Pingback: An Evening of Compassion & Fashion - Epicurean Vegan
Pingback: 10 tekenen dat 2015 een topjaar was voor de vegarevolutie - Viva Las Vega's - Viva Las Vega's
Pingback: 10 tekenen dat 2015 een topjaar was voor de vegarevolutie | VATD
Pingback: Welcome Back! First Meeting of the Spring Semester : Humanism and Animals – Humanists Of Boston University
that’s great news and maybe future generations will eat bugs and grubs and roots and berries but i’m old and set in my ways, thank you very much.
and by the way, isn’t beef consumption increasing worldwide?
Pingback: 400 Million Fewer Animals Were Killed for Food in 2014 Because People Eat Less Meat
Pingback: Love Animals? Interested in Veganism? - LIVE A LESS ORDINARY LIFE
Pingback: VEGANISM AND ‘CHEATING’ | Marion Writes
Pingback: The Doom Saga Part 2: Solutions – The Paradoxical Parasite
Pingback: À tout le monde, désolé d’avoir été un tel végan – Le mythe végétarien
Pingback: 6 sfaturi simple spre a deveni vegetarian – Vegetarian prin Lume
Pingback: Tecnologia vai salvar os animais | Android ApK
Pingback: WEGANIZM W LICZBACH - InfoVege
Pingback: The Five Best Reasons to take on Meat-Free Week – Viva! – The Vegan Charity
Pingback: The Five Best Reasons to take on Meat-Free Week — | Viva! - The Vegan Charity
Pingback: Negativni učinci suvremenih prehrambenih trendova na pokret za prava životinja (3/3) | Antikalopsia