| Many nonvegetarians and some vegetarians alike | | | | the US have complex sewage systems to collect and |
| question whether being a vegetarian really makes | | | | treat human waste, there are no such systems on |
| any difference at all. Some bring up blurry ethical | | | | feedlots. As a result, most of this waste leeches into |
| situations to make it impossible to see a vegetarian | | | | water. |
| lifestyle as ethical. | | | | This means that large-scale, massive production and |
| If you are a prospective vegetarian for ethical | | | | slaughter of animals is not only unethical, but it also |
| reasons, but aren't sure whether or not a vegetarian | | | | causes serious environmental degradation. |
| lifestyle is truly a more ethical choice, here are some | | | | 3. It takes 7.5 pounds of protein feed to create 1 |
| statistics from EarthSave to help you make your | | | | pound of consumable hog protein; and it takes 5 |
| choice (for or against): | | | | pounds of protein feed to create 1 pound of |
| 1. Over 1.3 billion human beings could be fed each | | | | consumable chicken protein. Close to 90% of protein |
| year from the grain and soybeans that go to | | | | from wheat and beans is lost to feed cycling. |
| livestock in the United States. | | | | This means that an enormous amount of resources |
| This means that the entire population of the United | | | | are dedicated to producing wheat and soy just for |
| States could be fed (without losing any nutritional | | | | the purpose of feeding it to animals, which will be |
| value) and there would still be enough food left over | | | | slaughtered as "a source of protein"--even though |
| to feed one billion people. | | | | they only provide about 1/5 of the amount they |
| In a world where millions of people die each year of | | | | consume. |
| starvation, that type of food excess and inefficiency | | | | Not only can the production of meat be considered |
| could be considered unethical. | | | | an injustice against animals, but it can also be |
| 2. Livestock in the US produces roughly 30 times | | | | considered an injustice against human beings, as well |
| more excrement than human beings. While humans in | | | | as the environment in general. |