People may also believe that meat tastes good and is filling. This is not a marvelous image to set for young children. If they were aware of the unhealthy conditions in which these animals are brought up, we could well change their view from an early age. Others may say that it takes a lot of effort and creativity to avoid the boredom of salads. This is complete nonsense. People may not have noticed, but one of the world’s most enjoyed meals is very much one hundred percent vegetarian. Pizzas and various pastas can satisfy millions of people without concerning the consumers. There has never been an incident regarding a person contracting a terminal illness from a pasta dish.
There are also many environmental problems with two thirds of the world eating animals. Livestock production is a major cause of desertification. This is when the land dries out and loses its topsoil so vegetation is unable to grow. Two hundred years ago, before mass meat production existed, the average topsoil in America was twenty one inches. Nowadays, it is just six inches that remain. Another daunting fact is that sixty million people will starve to death this year. If more people were aware of the situation and reduced their meat intake by ten percent, there would be enough space to grow crops for all sixty million. The large companies should consider these facts before taking a further step.
Not only is it very healthy to become a vegetarian but it is also the best route to take in the long run. There is a constantly growing concern of animals taking up too much space. For each burger sold in a regular fast food outlet, fifty five square feet of rainforest had to be destroyed. This action is not even a particularly good idea. Cattle ranched on rainforest land will consume all of its recourses within a few years. If they put as much money and effort into advertising healthy eating as they do meat products, they could well change the views of many people. Therefore, if this feat of deforestation reaches its peak we may see our countries without any rainforest.
Many organizations have put together animal welfare parties that think the animals should have some rights. For example, bulls raised for meat production are routinely castrated without any type of anesthesia or pain killers. Another dire fact is that most factory farmed animals have never seen a blade of grass in their life. The regular animal factory’s idea of ‘free range chickens’ is stuffing five chickens into the space of 40cm². This is simply wrong. I would like to know how meat eaters can go on eating their food knowing the animals they are eating are being put through such torture.
I conclude in saying that I think if more people knew about how these poor animals were being treated, the life-threatening infections and the frightful effects on our country’s rainforests that more people would change their mind about eating meat.
