UN Urges a Vegan Diet To Feed A Growing Population

mohandasgandhi:

A recent report released by the United Nations found that the rate in which other cultures are moving toward a Western diet that’s heavy on both meat and dairy is simply unsustainable. The UN also proclaimed that diet was one of the largest contributors to fossil fuel consumption. With the global population surging to a predicted 9.1 billion by 2050, a vegan diet will be a must in order to be able to feed the population.

According to the report, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Production and Consumption: Priority Products and Materials, seen on the Guardian:

Impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth increasing consumption of animal products. Unlike fossil fuels, it is difficult to look for alternatives: people have to eat. A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.

A vegan diet has the least impact on the planet. Mickey wrote that animal byproducts are the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. According to a report from World Watch Institute, they are responsible for 32.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 51 percent of annual worldwide human caused greenhouse gas. The number one cause of global warming is found on your plate.

If the idea of going completely animal free seems intimidating at best, consider making changes gradually. For me, alterations in my diet have to happen gradually in order to stick. Consider eating a vegan diet twice per week. Or if eating vegan is too much for you, consider limiting dairy consumption to just local eggs and high quality cheeses from small producers and choose to give up meat at least a few times per week. Consider being a weekday vegetarian or at the very least participating in Meatless Monday. After a while you just won’t miss the meat at all.

More from the Guardian article:

A global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty and the worst impacts of climate change, a UN report said today.

Professor Edgar Hertwich, the lead author of the report, said: “Animal products cause more damage than [producing] construction minerals such as sand or cement, plastics or metals. Biomass and crops for animals are as damaging as [burning] fossil fuels.”

Agriculture, particularly meat and dairy products, accounts for 70% of global freshwater consumption, 38% of the total land use and 19% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, says the report, which has been launched to coincide with UN World Environment day on Saturday.

I heard about this article! Fantastic.

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    recent report released by...United Nations found...rate in...

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    A recent report released by the United Nations found that the rate in which other cultures are moving toward a Western...

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    mohandasgandhi: A recent report released by the United Nations found that the rate in which other cultures are moving...

24. sunshineroom reblogged this from thepoorvegan and added:

    it just makes sense. even though veganism not what most people have been brought up with…we have to learn, think about...

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    recent report released by the United Nations found that the rate in which other cultures are moving toward a Western...

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    There you go! Now do you understand why supporting action on climate change and be a meat eater is hypocritical? It’s...

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    Reasons to be a vegan: a bunch of shit that doesn’t matter to me Reasons to not be a vegan: MEAT

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    FUck that shit, I say we start reducing the number of humans. I ain’t giving up meat even if I have to hunt the animals...

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    I wish more people realized this.

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