Startling New Study Shows Our Global Appetite for Cheeseburgers Is Killing the World’s Biodiversity

There’s something big that many people don’t know about our global food system – in short, it’s at the heart of our environmental crisis. Why’s this? Well, thanks to our appetite for meat and dairy, our food largely relies on factory farming. As we know, industrial animal agriculture is anything but kind to animals, but it’s also a major source of deforestation, air and water Pollution, and species extinction. And while we certainly need to pay attention to these causes and do our part to lessen their impact on the environment, the often overlooked threat to animal habitats and our environment is agriculture, which is draining our world of its biodiversity. And we have yet another study to prove it.

In a new study by World Wildlife Fund, titled Appetite for Destruction, researchers found that 60 percent of global biodiversity loss is due to meat-based diets. The study was presented at the 2017 Extinction and Livestock Conference in London recently, in partnership with Compassion in World Farming (CIFW). In the findings, researchers warn that soy used for animal feed is putting a huge strain on natural resources leading to loss of land and species.

The study notes that some of the world’s most vulnerable areas such as the Amazon, Congo Basin, and the Himalayas are all being pushed to the brink due to land conversion for soy plantations. In fact, around 85 percent of global soy crops is fed directly to animals (humans consumption is less than 6 percent). Worldwide, the total area of soy covers over one hundred million square kilometers, the combined area of France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. If global demand for meat continues to grow, the study says that soy production would need to increase by nearly 80 percent by 2050 – which would mean a whole lot more deforestation.

Agriculture is responsible for a staggering 80 percent of deforestation, causing humans and animals to lose their homes, and throwing entire ecosystems — as well as our planet — off balance. Soy production is one major culprit, destroying four million hectares of forest in South America every year. In total, about 18 million acres of forest are lost worldwide every year to soy.

“The world is consuming more animal protein than it needs and this is having a devastating effect on wildlife,” said Duncan Williamson, WWF food policy manager. “A staggering 60 percent of global biodiversity loss is down to the food we eat. We know a lot of people are aware that a meat-based diet has an impact on water and land, as well as causing greenhouse gas emissions, but few know the biggest issue of all comes from the crop-based feed the animals eat.”

Our current global food system is already being pushed to its absolute limit and as it stands, we are running out of land and water to produce more monoculture crops that primarily go towards feeding livestock. Approximately 70 billion farm animals are being raised for food annually and about 95 percent of animals consumed in the United States are raised on factory farms. But this doesn’t mean there is no hope in solving this problem.

If everyone in the United States gave up meat, we would be able to redirect enough grain to feed 1.4 billion people. It’s become clear we’re feeding our “food” more effectively than we’re feeding people. The study notes how protein-rich soy is now produced in such high quantities in the U.K. that the average European consumes approximately 61kg or about 134.49 pounds each year, indirectly by eating animal products. If people just consumed that soy directly, it would save a lot of suffering and damage to the planet.

With the world’s population estimated to reach over nine billion people by 2050, we need to take a serious look at our food choices. Mitigating the deforestation associated with soy production boils down to limiting your consumption of animal products. By eating less meat, we can also help fight Climate change, reduce our water footprint, reduce Pollution, and prevent further habitat destruction and species extinction, plus redirect grain for people to eat.

You can #EatForThePlanet starting today. Just follow the three simple steps below.

1. Moderate: Limit consumption of your favorite meats like beef, lamb, pork, etc.

2. Replace: Try to swap animal-based products in your daily diet with vegan alternatives (milk, butter, mayo, cheese, grilled chicken, beef crumbles, sausages, cold cuts, etc.)

3. Embrace: Add plant-based whole foods (local and organic when possible) to your diet like greens, fresh fruits, and vegetables, whole grains, plant proteins like lentils, nuts/seeds, beans, tofu, etc.

As Nil Zacharias, the co-founder of One Green Planet says, “Eat in a way that nourishes you without starving the planet.”

We all have the power to create a better future for our children, and the countless animals we share the planet with, by making one easy swap. If you’re ready to start doing this in your own life, check out One Green Planet’s #EatForThePlanet campaign.

Image source: crustmania/Flickr