Will the Earth notice the 37th anniversary of Earth
Day on April 22, 2007? We humans who swarm this majestic globe will
try again to justify the extraction of many resources from our celestial
home and rationalize our impact on the eco system. Mother Earth is stretched
to the limit. How can our individual and collective actions be changed
to consume fewer resources and reduce our impact? We can take many positive
steps but one we often overlook is our food choices. Animal-based food
uses about 5 times as much land, managed water, energy, pesticides,
fertilizers, and other petrochemicals as does the equivalent of plant-based
foods. This larger resource usage is mostly due to growing grain for
livestock. Virtually all the carbohydrates and 90% of the protein from
this grain come out as mountains of manure and noxious gases. Some manure
we reuse but much of it accumulates or is leached into waterways. The
noxious gases include methane, which is 20 times more destructive than
carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. By consuming more plant-based foods
we can create a positive change in this increasingly fragile world.
Have 37 Earth Days Made a Difference?
There have been many positive changes in the past 37
years. Forecasts for population increases are coming down due to family
planning, and respecting girls and young women by allowing their education.
Forecasts for oil consumption improved markedly after the oil crises
in the 1970's. Control and use of managed water has improved. Scientists
and engineers have made advancements in human nutrition, in topsoil
preservation and fertilization, and in irrigation practices. Awareness
of serious imbalances has grown despite strong pressures from those
who prosper from the status quo. But many challenges remain as we witness
a loss of species far in excess of the last five major extinctions.
Since 1970 the world population has grown from 3.7 billion to 6.6 billion,
with more than 3 billion in poverty. Livestock worldwide has increased
from 5 billion to 20 billion, requiring enormous resources.
Can We Get it Rght in the Next 37 Years?
There is a strong scientific consensus that says we
must get it right sooner than 37 years because we are rapidly exhausting
life-sustaining resources. One resource is managed water that we can’t
live without; the second is non-renewable fossil energy sources that
we could live without except for our profound addiction. Collectively
we must foster a world community working together for the benefit of
every living thing on this delicate planet. We know that 90% of managed
water goes to food production, and more than half of this for livestock.
In the US a vast majority of these animals are confined in deplorable
factory farm settings that generate 20 times as much waste as the human
population. By simply cutting back on the consumption of animal products,
and slimming our ever-growing waistlines, we can make a big difference.
In the US 30% of our oil and natural gas consumption is expended on
animal-based food production. This includes chemical inputs, fertilizers
and pesticides, and transportation needs. Most of those 18-wheelers
and the freight trains zipping from coast to coast contain food. More
vegetables on our plates, derived locally and seasonally, will help
the planet and the other creatures with whom we share it.
What Can One Person Do?
We are encouraged, especially on Earth Day, to consume
less of everything with the biggest emphasis on water and electricity.
We are provided with information on recycling waste from our homes and
factories, driving fuel-efficient cars, using public transportation,
walking or riding bicycles, insulating the home and water heater, substituting
energy saving light bulbs, using solar panels, persuading our utilities
to use solar and wind for electricity, and other admonitions. Its rare
that we are encouraged to eat more plant-based foods yet some studies
have determined this is the most effective action to take. As stated
by the Union of Concerned Scientists “The two worst things people
do to the planet in their daily lives are drive vehicles that get poor
gas mileage and eat beef.” Those of us who can adopt a vegetarian
or vegan diet can make an enormous difference and improve our health
at the same time. Those that choose to eat meat should look for sources
raised and butchered humanely.
How Do We Learn More About aHealthy, Earth-Friendly
Diet?
It is important to recognize that food is our most intimate
connection with the natural order. A healthy diet is one that contains
all of our daily nutritional requirements, a balance of protein, carbohydrates,
and fat, with a balance of vitamins, minerals, and fiber to sustain
healthy bodily functions.
Literature abounds on what others think is healthy eating.
If those providing advice emphasize vegetables, fruit, whole grains,
legumes, with a modest amount of seeds and nuts, you’re probably
getting the right message. If your shopping habits involve a majority
of choices in the produce and bulk food sections of the grocery store,
avoiding processed foods, you and the earth will be better off. If we
can collectively recognize that food sustains both our physical and
spiritual health, and that our very survival depends on balancing the
interdependent web of life of which we are part, this majestic but misunderstood
celestial sphere will provide for all life forms. Happy Earth Day.
Don Merrick can be reached at info@nwveg.org.
