grocery vegetables
Did you know that your diet may be contributing to emissions of greenhouse gas emissions?  Raising cows, either for beef or dairy production generates greenhouse emissions by 18% of gas that vehicles worldwide, according the United Nations Food and Agriculture (FAO).  A 2006 study from the University of Chicago found that greenhouse gas emissions caused by a system in which the meat for 35% of calories compared to emissions produced by a diet based on plants was akin to driving a Chevrolet Suburban from a Toyota Camry. The results of this study also showed that the diet switch from red meat to a diet based on plant or poultry could reduce emissions to the extent that it would be like going to a Toyota Camry Toyota's Prius. The bottom line is that what we put into our body plays an important role in the pollution of our planet. It is equally important to opt for public transport whenever possible, using reusable shopping bags, and saving electricity and water in our homes and workplaces. Â
Greenhouse gas emissions are not the only environmental problem around rearing. beef cattle occupy about 30% of the land surface of the earth when we take into consideration how the space is used to produce livestock feed. When trees are cleared for pasture, the obvious result is deforestation. This leads to loss of habitat for endangered and vulnerable species, and contributes to global warming. practices such as overgrazing contributes to soil compaction and soil erosion.
Raising cattle is also an important source of water pollution. Animal waste can enter groundwater and contaminate wells when it is applied as liquid fertilizer for antibiotics and hormones given farmland. livestock, as well as chemicals from tanneries, fertilizers and pesticides for feed crops are also known water contaminants.  Furthermore, the production of animal feed requires large amounts of water, as do the animals themselves, and intensive grazing disturbs cycles. Put water simply, livestock production is resource-intensive.
Many people are simply not ready to become vegetarian but the reduction of red meat and dairy consumption is an important step towards reducing the environmental impact of cattle industry. If all consumers of meat from the family in America went without eating animal products for only one day per week (or animal had three free meals per week) consider the overall impact that this could have on emissions. greenhouse gas emissions A new way to have an impact is to buy organic meat products. milk and organic meat and dairy producers make use of chemicals out of the equation, how their food is grown Using techniques of land management that avoid chemicals in the first place. grass-fed beef is just that the grass The Fed requires much less in terms of additional growth of crops on more land to feed cattle graze simply because they up and moved to another pasture each days. little more organic practices result in reduced demand for the use of antibiotics, animals are healthier because they have better living conditions and were fed a diet adapted to their case, instead of a Scientific mixture.
Unfortunately, removing the beef and dairy in our diet will not solve all of our supply base of problems. Much of agriculture employs large unsustainable agricultural practices that we are a long way away from achieving balance. agricultural policy in our country needs to swing away from subsidizing the growing huge quantities of corn and soybeans, and support small, production. sustainable crop farmers have been encouraged to grow maize as the markets have been created to absorb these crops. It and livestock end up eating corn, they would not eat normally, and the dangerous strains of E. coli came into being. This is why ethanol is a fuel for cars, rather than the focus turning to energy efficiency or even Electric powered vehicles. For a terrible place where our food comes from, pick up a book by Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals and In Defense of Food, from your local library.
David Kraft is a freelance author that writes about a variety of subjects. He supports eco-friendly living and green products such as reusable shopping bags For more information about eco-friendly living, visit his reusable bags site.
Healthy Groceries for a Raw Food Diet : Organic Fruits & Vegetables for Raw Food Diets
