The increase in the production and consumption of meat has resulted in damage to the natural environment. What are the causes of this? What can be done to solve this problem?

The ever-growing demand of meat becoming a staple in many households has led to significant destruction to the environment with beef

in particular

driving climate change through not only cows’ emission of methane but

also

the deforestation taking place for grazing fields. In other to tackle

this

problem, alternative proteins need to be more commonly available

while

at the same time, laws need to be enacted to protect the land. When it comes to the production of meat, the entire planet suffers from a host of problems which mainly involve the greenhouse gas footprint

coupled with

the degradation of land. In terms of air pollution, cattle are the number one offender when it comes to food, emitting more than double the toxic fumes into the atmosphere than the next fresh source, lamb. Through their digestion and waste cows alone contribute roughly 40% of the total methane gas, a very potent substance which traps far more heat than carbon dioxide. Regarding the land itself, the

last

decade has seen entire forests cleared to make way for grazing, most noticeable being a large portion of the Amazon, where the removal of trees and vegetation was harmful enough, but the soil being grazed upon has now become infertile for generations. The way forward is to look at substitutes for protein intake

while

simultaneously pressuring governing officials to get involved. The availability of protein-rich foods to the average consumer would be a good place to start, taking a plant-based fresh replacement as a prime example, if only the price were to be reasonable

along with

the convenience, many would make the switch instantly and perhaps never turn back to meat. As for government action, regulations need to be legislated to prevent any

further

earth from being utilized for agriculture,

instead

, farmers should have to repurpose existing farmland rather than doing more damage to the already fragile world. If both suggestions were to occur,

overall

fresh consumption would drop

together with

the earth being preserved for tomorrow’s future. In conclusion, the world’s food consumption is detrimental to the planet, speeding up climate change like no other. With a more varied selection of proteins

as well as

laws stopping the expansion of

this

industry, the world can preserve

this

trend before it is too late.