Kiaya Living

Animal Agriculture - The Bigger Picture When we think of ‘environmental issues’, ‘green issues’ or the ways we can live more sustainable lives, many of us will instantly be thinking of things such as sorting through our recycling, transportation emissions, carbon-footprint, pollution,waste reduction, saving electricity etc. etc. However, to much surprise andregret, the greatest threat to mankind on the planet today, is animalagriculture. 

Let me elaborate this. Animal agriculture is responsible for 91% of Amazon destruction. 1 – 2 acres of the rainforest, the lungs of our life-giving earth, are destroyed every second.  Every second! What is more, animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions – which is more than all transportation on the planet combined, (total greenhouse gas emissions from transportation equals to13%). What is evermore staggering is that livestock and their byproducts account for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, which is 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.

Another astounding fact from the Cowspiracy Facts page voices that, ‘One hamburger requires 660 gallons of water to produce – the equivalent of 2 months’ worth of showers.’ 

Let’s please take a moment, for the innumerable times we’ve been told by the mass media corporations of world, friends, teachers, colleagues - whoever - to live more environmentally-friendly lives, we must reduce our water needs –Remember the importance of taking quick showers, turn the tap off while brushing our teeth, reduce use of water sprinklers in summer, etc. etc. Yet, in relation to the hamburger fact above - what a load of tish tosh!

In 2008, a year of supposed food crisis, the world had grown enough food to feed 11 billion people. However, devastatingly, half of this was fed to animals to feed the mass global population’s demanding meat habit, thereby leaving over 1 billion people without enough food to survive, let alone thrive.  This mass collective of unconscious thinking is driving the world down a destructive path of great suffering. 

If only we could collectively realise this, and together, create a world no longer built on exploiting one another, other beings and the planet for the mere futility of profit gain.

To me, all these devastating facts scream out, “Human race! What are we doing? Why are we destroying the planet’s finite resources and billions of sentient creatures for our own greed and gluttony? Let’s try to put an end to this devastation now.” 

This problem lies at the root cause of the lack of knowledge on this subject. Not enough people are aware of this, and, unfortunately, when people are aware, many of us feel as though the world’s heavy burdens cannot be changed through the act of just changing ourselves. But here me now, we are living in precarious times. Our future depends on what we do today. If we want to sustain humankind and live in a world with enough abundance to meet our basic needs for the remainder of our lives and the future generations to come, then now is the time to face these global issues head on, starting by informing ourselves on these issues. 

It is from this point that I feel the importance of illuminating the many benefits of leading a plant-based lifestyle. As cited on the Earth Save website: 

Land required to feed 1 person for 1 year:

Vegan: 1/6th acre

Vegetarian: 3x as much as a vegan

Meat Eater: 18x as much as a vegan

From this we can gather that if the world were living on a plant-based diet, there would be a big boom in the abundance of food with enough to feed every human being and every animal. The planet would thrive. All would be well fed, and likely to be free from many diseases, which are commonly caused by acidic-forming animal products. The wonders of living on a plant-based diet reach far and wide. By eating a plant-based diet we can have lower blood pressure due to a higher intake in potassium-rich foods. We can also reap the benefits of lower cholesterol, simply because plants contain no cholesterol. Moreover, foods such as coconut, nuts, seeds and avocados contain high level of good fats, which is what our bodies need. 

In today’s society, obesity is something that is growing and growing in the Western world and as a result of such, is creating mass amounts of people with copious health problems. By eating a wholefood, plant-based diet, weight loss can become a great deal easier than trying to restrict calorie intake while still consuming animal products, in which ultimately leads to metabolic damage later on in life. Through eating more plants, one naturally begins to increase their intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, thereby resulting in weight loss. 

I feel it is now important to highlight another topic in relation to a plant-based diet. Many of us, when hearing about the benefits of eating a diet rich in plant-based foods may ask ourselves, “But what about the benefits of protein from meat?” The calcium from cow’s milk?”, or, “What’s wrong with eating eggs?”. These are the questions I hear time and time again, and it’s no surprise really when we consider the billions of pounds spent on advertising these animal products which, to put it plainly, are not meant for human consumption and hold little nutritional value. 

‘Billions of dollars are spent on advertising by the meat and dairy industries to convince you (or scare you—fear is powerful) that you need milk for strong bones and lots of meat for a healthy body. When you hear “osteoporosis,” what words come to mind? If you said “calcium” and “milk,” then the American Dairy Association has done its job well. The fact is that science doesn’t support these claims. Animal products are actually incredibly acid-forming, which in turn promotes calcium loss from bones. This is why countries that consume the most cow’s milk, and its by-products, also have the highest bone fracture rates.’[1] 

For greater insight into this information and all things related to the benefits of a plant-based diet, look no further than The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. To this day, The China Study has sold well over 1 million copies, raising it to the pedestal as one of America’s best-selling books on nutrition.

The authors describe their eight principles of food and health:

1. Nutrition represents the combined activities of countless food substances. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

2. Vitamin supplements are not a panacea for good health.

3. There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants.

4. Genes do not determine disease on their own. Genes function only by being activated, or expressed, and nutrition plays a critical role in determining which genes, good and bad, are expressed.

5. Nutrition can substantially control the adverse effects of noxious chemicals.

6. The same nutrition that prevents disease in its early stages can also halt or reverse it in its later stages.

7. Nutrition that is truly beneficial for one chronic disease will support health across the board.

8. Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected. 

Our planet is capable of providing us all with an abundance of foods and medicines, providing us with all things we could possibly ever need. It’s time we collectively realise this, rise up and put an end to the mass suffering and exploitation of all sentient creatures, the environment and the earth as a whole.  "We cannot tire or give up. We owe it to the present and future generations of all species to rise up and walk!" - Wangari Muta Maathai ❤

- Words by Nicole Kiaya Jackson