Rise of the Carnivore

Hey everyone!

I LOVE eating meat very much!

Some of the greatest food ever made are roast chicken, barbecued ribs, grilled steaks and BACON (does Fig. 1 make you drool?).

Fig. 1: Assorted barbecued meat
(source: http://www.hillcountryny.com/assets/file/HC-Delivery-Special_20100727.pdf)

However, like many meat-lovers, I did not know that current meat consumption levels are unsustainable, thus contributing to environmental degradation.

To meet the same calorie requirements, a yearly meat-based diet would require 816kg of feed grains while a lactoovovegetarian diet only require 450kg of feed grains (Fig. 2) (Pimentel & Pimentel, 2003). Thus 37% of global crops are used as feed stock for farm animals (Rosen, 2000). 

Fig. 2: Comparison of average meat and plant-based diets 

(source: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full.pdf)

When one factors in every direct and indirect resource used, the environmental cost of meat production, particularly beef , is much higher than crops (de Vries & de Boer, 2009). With global consumption of meat increasing from 47 million tonnes in 1950 to 260 million tonnes in 2005 (Brown, 2006).

Furthermore, deforestation is heavily practised to gain more farm space and fuel this unsustainable consumption (Fig. 3). Should our precious forests be sacrificed just for us to eat more meat?

Fig. 3 Deforestation in the Amazon for cattle ranching (source: http://moonofthesouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Deforestation-Amazon-1024x667.jpg)

Unsustainability also stems from increased meat consumption in developing nations due to the combination of rising wealth and the perception of meat as luxurious food. Meat consumption is projected to rise in developing nations by 107 million metric tonnes in 2020 (Delgado, 2003). This will only stress our world’s resources further.

Much water is also used in meat production. Such usage becomes dubious when one considers the water shortage faced by numerous third-world nations. If people simply reduced consumption, more water can perhaps be allocated to this countries. Thus developed nations should reduce meat consumption while developing nations should begin implementations to curb future demands.

But can we convince people to eat less meat? Are there alternatives to provide the same nutrition? Can we replace the unique taste of meat?

Stay tuned for more gastronomic information!

Literature Cited

Brown, L. R. (2006). Feeding Seven Billion Well. Plan B 2, 163-181.

de Vries, M., & de Boer, I. (2009). Comparing environmental impacts for livestock products: A review of life cycle assessments. Livestock Science, 1-11.

Delgado, C. L. (2003). Rising Consumption of Meat and Milk in Developing Countries Has Created A New Food Revolution. The Journal Of Nutrition, 3907S-3910S.

Matthews, E., & Hammond, A. (1999). Critical consumption trends and implications: degrading earth's ecosystems. . Washington D.C.: World Resource Institute (WRI).

Pimentel, M., & Pimentel, D. (2003). Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 660S-663S.

Rosen, C. (2000). World Resources 2000-2001, People and Ecosystems: The Fraying Web of Life. Washington D.C.: Elsevier Science.