this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2023
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I think it's closer to 90%, but 75%, for sure. Livestock farming is hugely more resource intensive than crop farming. And there are good plant based substitutes for the nutrition you get from livestock products.
The environmental impact is what motivates me to eat plant based food over livestock based. Also the cruelty in industrial livestock farming. There are positive health benefits in removing livestock based food from your diet, but that's actually a lesser motivator for me. I'm not strict about it by any means, but I take any opportunity to avoid livestock products when I can.
When we include refrigerating and preparation needed for meat, it probably goes well over 90%.
Water usage is also big part of the problem.
I get it that not everyone has to be vegetarian, but at least reducing meat consumption is important.
They haven't even got into the micro-footprints found in the huge variety of food crops available across the world with a plant based diet. It's the opposite of hunting. The more we plunder, the more successful that plant becomes.