Vegetarian/Vegan Choices
For Animal Welfare
In the UK, two million land animals are slaughtered for food each day. A vegetarian diet does not contribute to this total and a vegan diet does not exploit or contribute to the suffering of animals in any way.
The Environment
Plant foods have a much lower impact on the environment, with lower carbon emissions and less water or land needed to produce the food, as compared to meat production.
For Saving Money
A recent study found that in countries like the UK, a wholefood vegetarian or vegan diet worked out much cheaper than a meat-based diet.
Reduce global warming
In its 2006 report, the United Nations said raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined.
Avoid excessive CO2 production
According to a UN Report, the livestock sector accounts for 9 per cent of CO2 deriving from human-related activities, but produces a much larger share of even more harmful greenhouse gases.
Reduce methane/nitrous oxide production
Cows and sheep are responsible for 37% of the total methane (23 times as warming as CO2) generated by human activity.4 With methane emissions causing nearly half of the planet’s human-induced warming, methane reduction must be a priority.
Greenhouse gas reductions through a vegetarian diet are limitless. In principle, even 100% reduction could be achieved with little negative impact. In contrast, similar cuts in carbon dioxide are impossible without devastating effects on the economy. Even the most ambitious carbon dioxide reduction strategies fall short of cutting emissions by half.
Save large amounts of water
Estimates of the water required to produce a kilo of beef vary, from 13,000 liters8 up to 100,000 liters9 . Whichever figure you use, the damage is plain when you consider that the water required to produce a kilo of wheat is somewhere between 1,000-2,000 litres.
Reduce destruction of topsoil & tropical rainforest
Thirty percent of the earth’s entire land surface — a massive 70% of all agricultural land— is used for rearing farmed animals. Much of this is grazing land that otherwise would host natural habitats such as valuable rainforests.
Livestock farming can lead to overgrazing causing soil erosion, desertification and deforestation.
Livestock production is responsible for 70% of deforestation in the Amazon region of Latin America, where rainforests are being cleared to create new pastures.
Reduce destruction of wildlife habitats & endangered species
The livestock industry is responsible for widespread deforestation and cultivation of vast tracks of land.