The Pros And Cons Of The Consumption Of Animals
Veganism; just the word sends animal lovers and bacon lovers alike into fits, and the CBC Ideas Podcast “Meat on the Table” is no exception. Within the first ten minutes of the show, Paul Kennedy had lost all control as moderator, while Gary Francione and Nicolette Hahn Niman interrupted and insulted each other. Gary was the passionate voice of people who believe that the killing and using of animals for food should be abolished. Contrarily, Nicolette attempted to explain how the consumption of animals is a necessary part of the cycle of nutrients. Through their insults and habits of interrupting I quickly became wary of the program, however, one point made by both sides stuck with me.
People say that the next big war will be fought over
water, and both sides of the debate brought up the implications of water in the animal farming industry. Using current husbandry practices it takes 441 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, which is enough to supply 880 people with their recommended daily dose of water. Water is a hot commodity these days, and members of the animal family do need a lot of water to stay healthy. As an equestrian of eight years I often aid my coach with the feeding and watering of the horses, and when every horse has its own big bucket of water that needs to be refilled daily, you quickly notice that a lot of water is required to keep those horses over prolonged time periods. In the United States alone, meat consumption accounts for 30% of their national water footprint, while all agriculture combines to form 92% of their national water footprint.
People say that the next big war will be fought over
water, and both sides of the debate brought up the implications of water in the animal farming industry. Using current husbandry practices it takes 441 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, which is enough to supply 880 people with their recommended daily dose of water. Water is a hot commodity these days, and members of the animal family do need a lot of water to stay healthy. As an equestrian of eight years I often aid my coach with the feeding and watering of the horses, and when every horse has its own big bucket of water that needs to be refilled daily, you quickly notice that a lot of water is required to keep those horses over prolonged time periods. In the United States alone, meat consumption accounts for 30% of their national water footprint, while all agriculture combines to form 92% of their national water footprint.