DOES EATING MEAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT?

There are many negative health implications related to a diet that is mainly made up of red meat.  In the last century, there have been huge increases in obesity due to poor diet and nutrition.  People are more keen to visit a fast-food restaurants rather than preparing their own food.  Fast-food corporations, with their endless marketing budgets, entice people with processed foods that are cheap and unhealthy and reaping the benefits of their unwillingness to take a more proactive approach to their health and well-being. 

What are the benefits to a diet high in meat consumption? (They are not really benefits):

• High cholesterol and heart disease due to high fat and cholesterol content.
• Conventionally raised beef contains hormones and antibiotics.
• Processed meats (bacon, ham and sausage) are unhealthy due to their high fat, preservative and salt content.
• The mistreatment and murder of animals. 
• Obesity.
• Linked to diseases such as diabetes, heart attack and cancer.

What many people are not aware of are the implications a diet high in meat has on our environment.  Factory farming is not only promoting cruel and the unethical treatment of many animals, it has a devastating effect on the environment, especially when we are seeing water shortages across the globe.  Here are some of the environmental implications:

• Animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation.
• Livestock and their byproducts account for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide (Co2) per year, or 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.
• Methane is 25 – 100 times more destructive than CO2.
• Methane has a global warming power 86 times that of CO2.
• Livestock is responsible for 65% of all emissions of nitrous oxide – a greenhouse gas 296 times more destructive than carbon dioxide and which stays in the atmosphere for 150 years.
• Emissions for agriculture projected to increase 80% by 2050.
• US methane emissions from livestock and natural gas are nearly equal.
• Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) water use ranges from 70 – 140 million gallons annually in comparison, animal agriculture water consumption ranges from 34 – 76 trillion gallons annually.
• Agriculture is responsible for 80 – 90% of US water consumption.

All above facts are available via the following link:  http://www.cowspiracy.com/facts/

Our population is growing at an alarming rate.  Due to this population growth, the demand for meat grows and with the demand for more meat, there will be more deforestation (trees provide oxygen) and more demand for water.  Ask yourself, why is there such a huge increase in pulminary (asthma/bronchitis) disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancers and obesity?  The introduction of processed foods and factory farming are definitely contributing factors.  People are dying because of what they eat.  Does this seem right to you?  Our elected officials are not doing enough to contribute to a more sustainable future for the people those who have elected them.  They pander to big corporations who only care about their profits. 

We must take a more proactive approach to our health and our environment.  There are many people out there who have viable solutions to make our world more sustainable.  Isn’t it time to allow them to bring their initiative and ideas to the table?  Isn’t it time for REAL change and not the false identity of change our current leaders keep talking about?  Isn’t it time our governments stop spending money on war in favour of creating real positive change across the globe? 

The earth can’t sustain the population growth and our demand for more meat.  People must assess what is more important, the need to eat meat or saving our planet from destruction.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

THE VENUS PROJECT

There are so many people who are concerned about the trajectory of where civilization is heading and the state of our planet in the future that they have committed to find viable and sustainable solutions to accommodate humanity’s demand on the planet’s natural resources.

The industrial revolution has allowed people all over the world to connect much quicker driving demand for products skyrocketing.  We now live in a world where people must have everything – televisions, cars, computers, phones, boats, etc.  When purchasing or consuming – most people don’t make the connection regarding the direct consequences to the environment/planet regarding what they are buying or consuming.  Corporations are making products that don’t have longevity because they want people to buy more.  This is devastating to the planet and the planet’s natural resources.  Corporations have news conferences on their latest products creating much hype for items that people really don’t need.  

What happens when the planet’s natural resources are depleted?  We can’t plant trees fast enough to keep up with the demand for paper products.  As of today, the planet has only 27 years left of oil – after that, there is no more.  Will governments and corporations then turn to sustainable and renewable energy?  Corporations and governments, with the help of corporate media, have given the people the wrong message – BUY, BUY, BUY.  This will not sustain humanity any longer.  The planet is running out of food, water and forests.  We can’t afford to keep polluting our waters with chemicals and oil spills.  Clear-cutting forests is no longer an option in order to produce more food via cattle ranches.  What is the solution?

We know that as long as there is wind and sun that we can provide power via wind and solar energy – but the oil industry holds the reigns of power and has politicians in their back pockets.  We know that oil pollutes and is destructive for the planet – we all know the environment and economic destruction oils spills by Exxon and BP have had, so why do we continue to support this destructive behaviour?

Society has to embrace new methods and ideas in order to ensure our survival.  We must commit to new ideas and support each other to ensure the success of these modern ideas.  One such concept is the Venus Project.

According the their website, the Venus Project proposes the following:

The Venus Project proposes a system in which automation and technology would be intelligently integrated into an overall holistic socioeconomic design where the primary function would be to maximize the quality of life rather than profit.

This proposal, I am sure, has drawn much negative criticism from big corporations as their ultimate goal is to maximize profit without regard to the environment or the consumers quality of life. 

The Venus Project is the vision Jacque Fresco’s life’s work.

 

Jacque Fresco: Futurist

Mr. Fresco’s background includes industrial design and social engineering, as well as being a forerunner in the field of Human Factors. Mr. Fresco has worked as both designer and inventor in a wide range of fields spanning from biomedical innovations to totally integrated social systems.

The Venus Project reflects the culmination of Mr. Fresco’s life work: the integration of the best of science and technology into a comprehensive plan for a new society based on human and environmental concern. It is a global vision of hope for the future of humankind in our technological age.

You can find more information, as well as the above information on the Venus Project by visiting https://www.thevenusproject.com/en/about/resume

We should embrace new ideas such as the Venus Project – these are the ideologies that will ensure a brighter tomorrow where people can support each other and work together to create a positive future.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!