Editor,
I was delighted to hear in a recent Daily Lobo article that La Posada is taking steps to be more environmentally friendly. There is, however, an easier way to save water and help the environment: eat less meat. According to an extensive United Nations study, raising animals for food contributes more to climate change than all cars, boats and trains combined. If we’re serious about saving the planet, the best choice we can make is to leave meat off our plates.
Although La Posada’s new dishwasher uses 50 percent less water than its predecessor, the water saved is a drop in the bucket compared to the 2,463 gallons required to produce just one pound of meat.
The amount of resources wasted on producing animal-derived products is staggering. We currently feed more than 70 percent of the grain grown in the United States to animals raised for food. Similarly, nearly half the water and 80 percent of agricultural land in this country is used for livestock. Passing resources through animals that use up to 90 percent of the energy they consume simply by living their lives requires exponentially more land, water and other resources than simply eating plants directly. Farmed animals also produce about 130 times as much excrement as the entire U.S. population, much of which finds its way into our local waterways.
Thankfully, it’s never been easier to find delicious and “green” meals — such as vegan pizza and veggie barbecue meats — at your local grocery store. For more information about the impact of animal agriculture on the environment, visit peta2.com.
Drew Winter
College Campaigns Assistant
