Climate change has hauled itself into the mainstream media conversation over the past decade, with temperatures rising and extreme weather events such as the historic flooding in Venice once dubbed “a once in a lifetime event” With many radical yet arguably necessary plans, such as Bernie Sanders green new deal coming about, it’s easy to forget that us as people contribute more to climate change than we’d think. Yet, there is one industry that we can control so easily yet year after year, decline to talk about, the meat industry. The meat industry is responsible for a colossal waste of resources each year, about 1800 gallons of water is used in the production of 1 pound of beef, to put those numbers in perspective, that’s ten years of recommended water consumption by humans, in other words, the meat industry is wasting water at an unprecedented rate. The simple solution would be to cut meat consumption in half, or go vegetarian; however, many people are reluctant to give up their primary source of nutrients, while a plant-based diet provides a suitable replacement, it is more expensive than the traditional meat diet, people with a limited income can’t afford to eat a meatless diet while remaining in the recommended nutrients guidelines. In addition to the amount of water used in the production of meat, vast spaces of grassland are also required, as well as produce and food for the animals. This massive consumption of resources is starting to take a toll on us and our environment. Water shortages in towns and severe drought don’t help.
It is an inevitability that we will face the impacts of climate change within the next 10-20 years. There is one way we can stop it, however, eat less meat, that does not mean to go vegetarian, that does not mean to go vegan, that means to trust ourselves and the people around us to eat less meat and reduce the amount needed to be produced by the meat industry. This option is looking more like a stark reality we will have to live in if the efforts by the current government to deny climate change keep up. The consumption of meat in America has to end or go down, and it has to start right now.