Veganism: Veganism is the best lifestyle to follow if you are concerned with your health, animal rights, environmentalism, and third world countries.
“Those who claim to care about the well-being of human beings and the preservation of our environment should become vegetarians for that reason alone. They would thereby increase the amount of grain available to feed people elsewhere, reduce pollution, save water and energy, and cease contributing to the clearing of forests.”
“When non-vegetarians say that ‘human problems come first’ I cannot help wondering what exactly it is that they are doing for human beings that compels them to continue to support the wasteful, ruthless exploitation of farm animals.”
- Peter Singer, Animal Liberation, 1990.
Why is it that because someone is a philosopher, who sits around and thinks, it is assumed that what he thinks is logical and moral? Just because that same philosopher writes a book and a few crazy jackasses read it and decide it is the truth the world has been waiting for, and they make the philosopher their God and follow his every word, does it make that philosopher any more credible?
There is already more than enough food to feed everybody in the world right now; in the year 2050 there will still be enough food for everyone. And yet more than 700million people are malnourished (I'm sorry but it was taking too long to try and find an accurate number, if I find one I'll correct it). It is primarily in the third World that malnutrition kills 10 million people (mostly children) every year.
The problem is not a world shortage of food. The problem of malnutrition in the Third World is a complex one that most Americans have no experience with and thus do not understand well. Yes, weather extremes and pests can contribute to poor harvests, but it is a result of wars, corrupt governments, export policies, debt, poverty, lack of education, interference by NGO's, and AIDS. The root cause of malnutrition is inadequate distribution of the available food, for the world produces enough grain to provide 3,000 calories per person per day. Such an excess amount in fact, that large quantities are now being diverted to produce bio-fuel. However, we are not able to get the food to the people who need it most. I'm not referring to food handouts, but to policies that influence purchasing power, food prices and distribution practices.
“Those who claim to care about the well-being of human beings and the preservation of our environment should become vegetarians for that reason alone. They would thereby increase the amount of grain available to feed people elsewhere, reduce pollution, save water and energy, and cease contributing to the clearing of forests.”
Our philosopher obviously doesn't know that south american rain forests are being clearcut to make way for the soyfields to feed his "vegan" friends.
Soybean fields are not only replacing jungle and savanna land along the Eastern and Southern borders of the Amazon rainforest but also around cities that have sprung up deep within the rainforest such as Santerem and Boa Vista. Once towns and roads are built, an inevitable migration of homesteaders and other opportunists will occur. More jungle will be cleared for new towns and cities. Suburban sprawl, ranches and farms will cover the area where Brazil nut, mahogany, samauma and capirona trees once stood. Jaguars and spider monkeys will live in zoos, not jungles. (direct quote from http://www.mariri.net/content/view/28/1/).
Although the huge amount of vegetative waste can be turned into compost for soil amendment this is not nearly as efficient as using natural manure from animals, resulting in an increased dependence on environmentally unfriendly artificial fertilizers.
Save water and energy? Don't crops need to be watered? They certainly need considerable processing to make them fit for human consumption, and lengthy transport to get them to the consumers, both huge users of energy.
Pestecides applied to crops, especially in south and central America where non native crops are being grown are some of the biggest polluters on the planet.
“When non-vegetarians say that ‘human problems come first’ I cannot help wondering what exactly it is that they are doing for human beings that compels them to continue to support the wasteful, ruthless exploitation of farm animals.”
So there you have it. "Veganism" is the biggest blight on the face of the planet right now.
Save animals and the planet - Eat Meat.
3 comments:
Nice job overall.
The part about exterminating all land animals seems a little odd and extreme, though. The animals you listed are all domestic animals - are these the animals to which you are referring? Yes, they would have to go extinct. Many vegans don't mind this because we wouldn't be breeding any more of them, and therefore wouldn't be stuffing any more of them into factory farms.
Great blog.
When did the veganism movement really start? I think people tend to over-humanize animals.
Syera, if the whole population were to only eat vegetation how would we stop animals from destroying them? If you refuse to eat animals because you like them, how come you don't mind them going extinct?
Cowgirl, I agree with you, too many people think animals are some sort of 4-legged human in a fur coat. I'm not sure where "veganism" originated, maybe Syera knows.
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