Being Vegetarian is Good for the Planet

Plant-based diets are growing in popularity with every passing day. An estimated 5 percent of the U.S. population was vegetarian or vegan in 2011, compared to a mere 0.04 percent in 1985. Diners choose a plant-based diet for a variety of reasons; some for animal welfare benefits, others for health purposes. 

While both of these reasons are completely valid, Earth911 focuses on veg for another benefit - protecting the environment. From keeping your trash cans empty to reducing your carbon footprint, here are eight ways going veg is good for the planet.

Plant-based diets are growing in popularity with every passing day. An estimated 5 percent of the U.S. population was vegetarian or vegan in 2011, compared to a mere 0.04 percent in 1985. Diners choose a plant-based diet for a variety of reasons; some for animal welfare benefits, others for health purposes. 

While both of these reasons are completely valid, Earth911 focuses on veg for another benefit - protecting the environment. From keeping your trash cans empty to reducing your carbon footprint, here are eight ways going veg is good for the planet.


 

1. Reduce water consumption

Farming accounts for 70 percent of all fresh water drawn from lakes, waterways and aquifers, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization. Meat production, especially the feeding of cattle, is especially water intensive.
It takes about 2,500 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef, compared to a mere 25 gallons to produce one serving of rice or grain, according to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. More conservative estimates put the water consumption of cattle farming closer to 1,000 gallons per pound, but either way, that's a lot of water.
If you aren't ready to commit to a vegetarian or vegan diet full time, consider opting for a meat-free meal once each week, which can save a whopping 84,000 gallons of water per year.
On days you still eat meat, choosing poultry instead of beef also cuts down on water use. It only takes about 500 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of chicken compared to the thousands of gallons required for beef, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Save Even More: Save 27,412 Gallons of Water This Year

2. Save fossil fuels

Conventional farming methods use petrochemical, or oil-based, fertilizers for feedstock crops. Pumping water from rivers and transporting and refrigerating meat also racks up the fossil fuel use of meat production - amounting to figures that may shock you.
It takes about 54 calories of fossil fuel to produce 1 calorie of protein from beef, compared to 2 calories of fossil fuel for 1 calorie of protein from soy. According to some estimates, more than one-third of all fossil fuels consumed in the U.S. are used in animal production.
By cutting out meat for only one meal each week, you can save more than 15 gallons of gasoline per year. For added savings, try a "Vegetarian Week" a few times a year. Who knows? You may even like it!



 

3. Protect open space

Millions of acres of land, many of which were once rainforest, are used for livestock grazing and farming animal feed. In its 2010 report "What's Feeding Our Food?" Friends of the Earth estimates that about 6 million hectares of forest land, an area twice the size of Belgium, is converted to farmland each year - most of which goes to livestock and animal feed farming.
By choosing a vegetarian or vegan meal once each week, you could save nearly 8,000 square feet of open space from being converted to farmland.
Find Out: What Makes a Sustainable Farm

4. Stop topsoil erosion

About 30 percent of the world's entire land surface - a whopping 70 percent of all agricultural land - is used for farming animals, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization. An additional one-third of the land suitable for farming crops is used to produce animal feed.
Livestock farming naturally causes soil erosion: Soil tends to break down and wash away after years of grazing and pasturing. But when farms are overstocked, as many are, erosion and desertification takes place at accelerated rates.
About 20 percent of the world's grazing land has been designated as degraded, mostly because of overgrazing, compaction and erosion attributable to livestock activity. 70 percent of grazing land in dry areas is considered to be degraded.
The good news is that you can save 87-square feet of topsoil from erosion by choosing a plant-based meal only once each week. Rack up the savings by going veg a bit more frequently.
 



 

5. Minimize GHGs

Emissions from animal agriculture contribute to more greenhouse gases than all the trucks and cars on the planet combined, according to a 2006 study conducted by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.
The main source of GHGs produced in animal farming is livestock manure, which is rich in both methane and nitrous oxide - two highly potent greenhouse gases. The Vegetarian Society estimates that livestock produces 37 percent of the total methane and 65 percent of the total nitrous oxide generated by human activity.
To combat the problem, some states are recapturing gases generated from animal waste and converting them into electricity, decreasing both emissions and agricultural runoff. But if you're looking to cut the carbon footprint of your evening meal, consider going veg at least once each week to minimize GHGs.
Bet You'll Love: The Plant-Based Diet: Who's Doing It, Why It Works

6. Reduce agricultural runoff

One of the top environmental concerns surrounding livestock farming is agricultural runoff, and the reason is fairly simple: Animals poop a lot. In fact, farmed animals produce about 130 times as much excrement as the entire U.S. population - an unbelievable 87,000 pounds of waste per second!
For obvious reasons, the thought of all that waste winding up in rivers, streams and other waterways is slightly disturbing to environmentalists. When livestock farm pollutants, including nitrogen, phosphorus, antibiotics and pesticides, enter waterways, they can cause a great deal of damage. Algal blooms are a particularly serious problem, blocking waterways and damaging natural ecosystems.
Other studies show that runoff-related contaminants can also make us sick. An estimated 19.5 million Americans fall ill each year from waterborne parasites, viruses or bacteria, including those stemming from human and animal waste, according to a study published in the scientific journal Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.
An ever-growing number of states are modifying legislation in an effort to keep agricultural runoff out of waterways. But if you want to reduce your contribution to the problem, just opt for a plant-based meal once each week - which will reduce more than 400 pounds of manure produced by food animals.


 

7. Minimize packaging waste

Going veg has many waste-saving benefits outside of your home, but dining on a plant-based meal can also help keep household garbage cans empty.
Unlike fresh produce, which creates no packaging waste if you bring your own bag, meats are often heavily packaged in polystyrene foam, plastic film and other non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle materials. Minimize packaging waste in your home by going vegetarian or vegan at least once each week.
Reduce your packaging waste even further by starting with a whole food when you go veg. Build your meals around fresh fruits and vegetables, and bring your own bag to the bulk foods section to stock up on grains like rice and quinoa. You may be surprised by how little trash you're left with!

8. Create more compostables

Reducing packaging waste is great, but what about all the food scraps created during your cooking project? Opting for a plant-based meal, especially vegan choices, ensures that all of these leftovers will be easily compostable.
All organic material is biodegradable, including meat, eggs and dairy. But tossing meat scraps and bones, eggs and dairy products like milk, butter and yogurt onto your household compost pile could yield less than pleasant results.
Such ingredients are known to create a foul smell around your pile and attract pests like rodents and flies. For this reason most experts, including the EPA, suggest that you shy away from tossing these leftovers onto your pile.
On the other hand, vegan ingredients like nut shells and fruit and vegetable scraps create no ill effects when tossed on household piles, ensuring your plant-based meal will be truly zero-waste.

Tips on Choosing Veg

Are you sold on veg and want to give it a whirl in your own kitchen? If you aren't quite sure where to start, Earth911 is here to help. Here are four quick and easy tips that will help you have a pleasant plant-based experience.

• Start small: "Vegetarian Weeks" are growing in popularity each year. But you don't have to go veg for an entire week to make a difference. If you eat meat regularly, start by opting for one vegetarian or vegan meal each week to ease your transition. Once you've found a few vegetarian options that strike your fancy, gradually work your way up to your ultimate goal.
• Try something new: If you already know veggie burgers and soy dogs aren't for you, don't try to choke one down for your weekly vegetarian meal! Think outside your comfort zone, and you may be pleasantly surprised at how tasty plant-based meals can be. Try some savory vegan pasta, a mouth-watering portabella steak or a hearty helping of roasted eggplant for a mind-opening bite.
• Use a recipe: If cooking vegan or vegetarian food is new to you, take the guess-work out of preparation by using a recipe. Not sure where to start? Earth911 compiled a huge library of vegan and vegetarian recipes that are sure to convert even the most staunch veggie-hater.
• Don't be afraid to say, "yuck": Omnivores often refer to veg-based meals as "rabbit food." While most vegans eat far better than Thumper, it's true that some choices are not for everybody. If you try a plant-based dish and don't particularly like it, don't get discouraged, and, more importantly, don't be afraid to admit it. Choosing meals that are pleasing to your palate is the best way to ensure your supper is just as satisfying sans-meat.

 Source:
8 Ways Vegetarian is Good for the Planet - Earth911.com


 LINK:  http://earth911.com/news/2012/04/09/how-vegan-and-vegetarian-diets-help-the-environment