For the past few decades, climate crisis and global warming became a burning issue for all of us. We all keep discussing how the heatwaves and wildfires are killing us, killing animals and destroying woods. We also make deforestation as the part of our discussion over tea and coffee like we do at the office/college canteen. But we hardly take any steps to stop it or reduce it.
In 2019, a team of researchers at Oxford University were involved in finding the solution for the weather crisis all over the globe. Joseph Poore, who was leading the team came up with the idea that vegan diet is the only dietary plan which can actually help to reduce climate crisis. It can also revive the greenhouse effect, use of land and water. Dairy industry, poultry farms, slaughter houses captures a big chunk of land and water usage is the biggest factor at these places. If this will be reduced drastically, then wastage of land mass and water will be reduced and we can save it immensely.
A major landmass can be used for agriculture which can help the farmers grow more food for humans and animals. The water we will be saving from the above mentioned industries can be used in the farming lands to grow green vegetation.
In November 2021, it was found that the Amazon forest which is considered as the carbon sink of the world, is generating less oxygen. Now, Amazon is expelling a billion tons of carbon dioxide in a year. This all happened due to the Amazon wildfire recently occurred, which killed thousands of animals and deforestation.
Recently, Imperial College of London found that the carbon footprint coming from a cheese burger is equal to the carbon footprint of nine felafels and pitas, or six fish and chips. 1 kg of beef emits 60kg of CO2, whereas 1kg green peas emits only 1kg of CO2. Lamb and cheese emit more than 20kg of CO2, on the other hand, poultry and pork emit 7kg and 6kg of CO2 respectively.
Vegan food items emit lesser amount of carbon dioxide, which means, its more beneficial and can easily help the ecosystem. Such as, bananas (0.7kg),, rice (4kg), apples (0.4kg), soy milk (0.9kg), tomatoes (1.4kg), and root vegetables (0.4kg). Nuts emit 0.3kg, but have a negative land use because nut trees store carbon. I’m right now not asking everyone to go vegan overnight. But, you can consciously reduce your meat consumption, that will lead to save water, fuel and power and we can live in a healthy planet. We can easily increase the shelf life of our planet.