Environmental impacts of vegetarianism
Many people choose vegetarianism over meat consumption because they think their decision will be beneficial to their health and the environment. Previous assertions have claimed that vegetarianism is beneficial due to its ability to lower emissions and lower land use. They have also claimed to be healthier to the consumer because red meat can be detrimental to one’s health. However, a study done by Cranfield University has made new assertions that are contrary to previous beliefs.
Cranfield University has done a study on the effects of vegetarianism to the environment. Their findings make the old ones seem contradictory and bring new aspects into question. Despite old claims that vegetarianism will be beneficial to the environment due to the increased quantity of land for faming, these claims failed to look at the harmful effects of deforestation. They failed to see that switching the food source from livestock to plants would lead to increased land cultivation and deforestation abroad. So, belief that vegetarianism helps protect the environment is questionable.
Another contradictory claim is that switching from meat to vegetables is beneficial to one’s health. While meat consumption does have its negative effects, the study has shown that meat substitutes and other foods vegetarians resort to are not as healthy as previously believed, and meat substitutes can be highly energy-intensive and processed.
This study raises numerous contradictions to previous statements that vegetarianism is good for one’s health and environment. Perhaps the results of this study will cause vegetarian rethink whether their decision to switch from meats to substitutes/vegetables is really helping their environment and health, or if it is doing more work to damage it.
Question: Do you think the previous claims that vegetarianism is, indeed, beneficial to the environment is credible? Or do you believe that these new assertions and contradictory claims are credible enough to change one’s mind about the effects of vegetarianism? Do you think a vegetarian who has switched from meat consumption to vegetarianism merely for the sake of the environment will rethink their diet after having seen the new side to it? Why? Do you think that both vegetarians and carnivores need to be more concerned about where their food comes from and what it costs in terms of energy and the environment? If vegetarianism isn’t necessarily an environmentally friendly option, what about other eating habits like being a localvore or only eating organic?
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