Essay on The Meat Industry - 969 Words

The Meat Industry The cattle industry produces vast amounts of strain in the environment. It is energy inefficient, pollutes water, occupies many acres of land, and deteriorates the health of the people who abuse its consumption. The government subsidizes this industry. Therefore, the price paid for meat doesn’t reflect the environmental hazards involved in the process. In order to protect our health and the health of the environment we should pay close attention to our food choices and make sure we don’t support industries that degrade it. The energy return ratio (as food energy per fossil energy expended) of the most energy efficient factory farming of meat is 34.5%, while that of the least energy efficient plant food is 328%.†¦show more content†¦Land is greatly affected by the meat industry. The percentage of U.S. agricultural land used to produce meat is 56%. The strains on land include topsoil erosion and depletion of forested areas. The percentage of U.S topsoil loss directly associated with livestock raising is 85%. In Mexico 37 million acres of forest have been destroyed since 1987 to provide additional grazing land for cattle. The cattle industry is a driving force behind the destruction of the tropical rainforests. Until 1994, in the Amazon the total deforested area was of 450, 000 square Km. The current rate of species extinction due to destruction of tropical rainforest amounts to one thousand per year. Various species of plants live in the tropical rainforest, which can be used for their medicinal properties. These plants need yet to be discovered. We can not afford to risk their extinction. Heart attacks are the number one cause of death in America due to high saturated fat in the bloodstream, as a result of fast food diets. Among other health problems, excessive meat consumption is also linked to colon cancer. Americans consume in average double the amount of protein required by the body. This lowers the levels of calcium. Calcium is needed to process protein, the body acquires it from the bones, weakening them and causing stereoclorosis. Other healthShow MoreRelated meat packing industry Essay1001 Words   |  5 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Rights and responsibilities in the meatpacking industry nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the early twentieth century, at the height of the progressive movement, â€Å"Muckrakers† had uncovered many scandals and wrong doings in America, but none as big the scandals of Americas meatpacking industry. Rights and responsibilities were blatantly ignored by the industry in an attempt to turn out as much profit as possible. The meat packers did not care if poor working conditions led to sicknessRead MoreTechnical Support For Emerging Meat Industry Technology1067 Words   |  5 PagesBackground Carne Technology was formed in 2004 the main function of this industry is to provide technical support to emerging meat industry technology. 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