Animal Agriculture Deforestation – Why Should People Put A Stop

Livestock farming is considered one of the principal causes of climate change and negative impacts on the environment. As people around the world consume more animal products the effects on global emissions, deforestation, and wildlife are only worsened.

Effect of animal agriculture on climate

Livestock farming and Meat production alone contribute to 14.5% of global greenhouse gases and are more than the contribution by the transport sector. As part of Impact of Animal Agriculture on Climate, these emissions include enteric fermentation of methane, manure production and storage of nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide emission from feed production and feed stuff transportation. Methane for instance, has more mitigated greenhouse effect than carbon di-oxide and this is why livestock farming is a powerful promoter of global warming.

Animal agriculture deforestation

Animal agriculture deforestation

 

Deforestation and land use

Cattle ranching and feed production are some of the main reasons Animal agriculture deforestation of the world’s tropical region occurs. So, while vast swathes of South American forest are cut down to produce pasture for beef cattle or to grow soy, much of which is fed to the animals rather than being consumed directly by people. Animal agriculture deforestation not only liberates the carbon dioxide stored in plants but also causes the elimination of the required resources forcing many species on the edge of extinction.

Water and resource use

To produce animals for food consumption is quite an investment. They require thousands of gallons of water per pound of beef produced; therefore, their utilization of freshwater is highly inapt. Furthermore, as the Impact of Animal Agriculture on Climate, the feed production does require substantial parts of arable land and other areas that can be used in producing crops for direct human consumption.

A call for change

Some solutions for the Impact of Animal Agriculture on Climate and Animal agriculture deforestation are the following – reduce meat consumption and switch to plant-based diets, buy products from sustainable farming, implement non-wasting practices. New choices mean new possibilities; if we all decide to change the way we consume food, then deforestation, loss of bio-diversity and climate change are things of the past.