Vicky Bond
Plant-based options are becoming more and more widely available and accessible, making it easier for many to make informed decisions about the food they choose.
World Population Day is a day to consider the urgent issue of population growth. And if ever there was a time to think about it, the time is now. But I’m not talking about the human population.
Animals raised for food is an ever-growing number that's far outstripping the 7.7 billion humans on the planet. In fact, it's 10 times that amount.
Each year, the number of animals raised for food in factory farms grows as meat and dairy is seen across many countries as an every day, or even every meal, neccessity. __And this growth is having a devastating impact on the world we live in. __
Many people recycle, switch their lightbulbs to energy-saving and their cars to hybrids. But eating animals remains a huge contributor to climate change and our footprint.
Agriculture is a significant driver of climate change, and climate change, in turn, adds further stress to land systems, worsening existing risks – for example of land degradation and biodiversity loss.
~WWF Living Planet Report 20201
While people often know that the Amazon rainforest is being burnt down for cattle, they don’t always realise it’s also being stripped to make way for growing crops that will then feed factory-farmed animals all around the world.
But, while the energy and resources used to raise animals for food are having a hugely negative impact on the environment, this isn't the only issue.
When you visit the doctor they'll often stress the importance of taking the right prescription of antibiotics, or avoid giving you antibiotics altogether. This is to try and reduce the risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
There is no such consideration when it comes to animals.
Animals raised for food are made to live in crowded conditions to try and produce as much meat as possible as quickly as possible. They frequently get sick and antibiotics are used to treat them. In many countries outside Europe, antibiotics are also still used as growth promoters.
In fact, there's barely any regulation on antibiotic use outside Europe and, even in Europe, animals are given antibiotics when they're healthy, just in case they get sick.
If you think about the sheer number of animals being raised for food - remember there's ten times as many factory-farmed animals in the world as humans - you’ll see the danger of this antibiotic use.
Antibiotic resistance is a serious risk, with over 700,000 people dying every year from resistant bacterial infections2. The more animals we have, the more treatments that are given, the more the risk of resistance increases.
Not only does the number of animals raised for food pose a growing risk to our health and environment, but the animals living in these factory farms suffer a life of abuse, confined in cages, crates or barren pens.
What can you do?
When we consider the global population today, we need to include all the additional living beings we breed, factory farm and eventually consume. We must address the population issue of eating animals and the pressing crisis that awaits us all if we do not reduce our consumption of everything, including meat and dairy.
Choosing a plant-based diet can go a long way to reducing these issues, helping us to live more sustainably and compassionately.
Plant-based options are becoming more and more widely available and accessible, making it easier for many to make informed decisions about the food they choose.
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