The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture

Question 1

About this Deck: “The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture”

Answer 1

This deck parallels the briefing at: https://vbriefings.org/environment/

• There are no formal citations here, although sources may be mentioned. Full citations with links are provided int he briefing.
• It would be best to read the briefing before studying these cards. Reading the briefing first provides understanding and context.

Question 2

What is the briefing titled “The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture” about?

Answer 2

An overview of the devastating impacts of animal agriculture on the environment.

Question 3

Provide a summary of the briefing on The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture.

Answer 3

Animal agriculture is a leading driver of environmental destruction, contributing more to global greenhouse gas emissions than transportation while fueling deforestation, habitat loss, pollution, and ocean dead zones. Its inefficiency stems from the vast resources needed to produce minimal human nutrition.

Scientists highlight that shifting to plant-based diets, which have the smallest environmental footprint, is one of the most effective ways to combat these issues and secure a sustainable future.

Question 4

Name three environmental issues caused by animal agriculture.

Answer 4

1. Habitat destruction
2. Deforestation
3. Pollution

Question 5

What often leads people concerned about the environment to embrace veganism?

Answer 5

After adopting a vegan diet for environmental reasons, they become aware of the injustices within animal agriculture and embrace the ethical case against animal exploitation.

Question 6

What are the key points presented in the briefing on The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture?

Answer 6

1. Scientists, institutions, and experts agree about the severe destructive impact of animal agriculture.
2. Vegan diets have by far the smallest environmental footprint.
3. Animal agriculture plays a major role, if not the major role, in our most urgent environmental problem—global warming.
4. Animal agriculture is strongly implicated in habitat loss, deforestation, desertification, water waste, air pollution, and excrement contamination.
5. Biomass distribution figures put animal agriculture’s dominance of the planet in perspective.
6. The root cause of animal agriculture’s environmental harm is its extreme inefficiency.

Question 7

According to the Worldwatch Institute, what is a major driving force behind environmental damage?

Answer 7

The human appetite for animal flesh, which contributes to deforestation, erosion, water scarcity, air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, social justice issues, and disease spread.

Question 8

What did the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) call meat?

Answer 8

UNEP called meat the “world’s most urgent problem.”

Question 9

What did UNEP say about the use of animals as a food-production technology?

Answer 9

UNEP stated that the use of animals as a food-production technology has brought humanity to the verge of catastrophe.

Question 10

What did UNEP suggest would reduce harmful environmental impacts?

Answer 10

UNEP suggested that a substantial worldwide diet change away from animal products would be necessary to reduce harmful environmental impacts.

Question 11

What is Joseph Poore known for?

Answer 11

Joseph Poore is a PhD Oxford researcher who led a comprehensive study examining 38,700 farms in 119 countries to analyze agriculture’s environmental impact.

Question 12

According to Joseph Poore, what is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on the planet?

Answer 12

A vegan diet is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on the planet.

Question 13

What did Joseph Poore say about the environmental benefits of avoiding animal products?

Answer 13

He said that avoiding animal products delivers far better environmental benefits than trying to purchase sustainable meat and dairy, and it has a bigger impact than cutting down on flights or buying an electric car.

Question 14

What did Sir David Attenborough say about changing our diet?

Answer 14

Sir David Attenborough stated, “We must change our diet. The planet can’t support billions of meat-eaters.”

Question 15

According to economist Lindsay Wilson, how does the carbon footprint of a vegan diet compare to a meat-centric diet?

Answer 15

Vegan diets have roughly half the carbon footprint of a meat-centric diet.

Question 16

How does the carbon footprint of a vegan diet compare to the average American diet, according to Lindsay Wilson?

Answer 16

Vegan diets have about 60% of the carbon footprint of the average American diet.

Question 17

What did findings published in the journal Nature Food in 2023 reveal about plant-based diets compared to meat-rich diets?

Answer 17

Plant-based diets produce about 75% fewer greenhouse gas emissions, use 54% less water, and require 75% less land than meat-rich diets.

Question 18

According to a 2022 study from Stanford and Berkeley, what is the potential impact of phasing out animal agriculture?

Answer 18

Phasing out animal agriculture has the potential to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 19

Why is methane emitted by livestock particularly harmful to the climate?

Answer 19

Methane is 80 times more potent at warming the planet than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.

Question 20

How much does livestock contribute to global warming according to various estimates?

Answer 20

Estimates of livestock’s contribution to global warming vary from 14.5% to 87%, depending on assumptions made.

Question 21

What percentage of global warming did the 2006 UN FAO report estimate livestock contributed?

Answer 21

The 2006 UN FAO report estimated livestock contributed 18% to global warming (not peer-reviewed).

Question 22

What did the 2009 Worldwatch Institute report estimate as livestock’s contribution to global warming?

Answer 22

The 2009 Worldwatch Institute report estimated livestock contributed at least 51% to global warming, after identifying under-counted emissions and other issues in the UN report.

Question 23

What percentage did the UN revise livestock’s contribution to in 2013?

Answer 23

In 2013, the UN revised livestock’s contribution to 14.5%, after partnering with the International Meat Secretariat and International Dairy Federation.

Question 24

What estimate did Dr. Sailesh Rao from The Climate Healers organization provide for livestock’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions?

Answer 24

In 2019, Dr. Sailesh Rao concluded that livestock’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is 87%.

Question 25

How does the contribution of livestock to global warming compare to the transportation sector?

Answer 25

By almost all estimates, livestock's contribution to global warming is greater than that of the entire transportation sector (cars, trucks, trains, airplanes, and ships), which the EPA estimates to be 15% globally.

Question 26

What are the key consequences of global warming for human populations and wildlife?

Answer 26

1. Rising Temperatures 2. Sea-level Rise 3. Extreme Weather Events 4. Impact on Agriculture and Food Security 5. Biodiversity Loss 6. Health Risks 7. Ocean Acidification and Coral Bleaching 8. Disruption of Migration Patterns 9. Social and Economic Inequality

Question 27

What does the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) say about climate change?

Answer 27

The IPCC states that "The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a livable future."

Question 28

What role do rainforests play in sustaining life on Earth?

Answer 28

Rainforests are the lungs of the planet, creating the oxygen that sustains animal life.

Question 29

How does the loss of rainforests contribute to global warming?

Answer 29

The loss of rainforests reduces carbon sequestration, which in turn contributes to global warming.

Question 30

What did the Smithsonian Institution report about Amazon rainforest destruction between 1995 and 2000?

Answer 30

From 1995 to 2000, the equivalent of seven football fields of Amazon rainforest were destroyed every minute.

Question 31

According to Yale University, what is the leading cause of Amazon rainforest destruction?

Answer 31

Yale University maintains that 80% of Amazon rainforest destruction is caused by animal agriculture.

Question 32

What role does overgrazing by livestock play in desertification?

Answer 32

Overgrazing by livestock is considered an important factor in desertification worldwide.

Question 33

What are ocean dead zones, and what causes them?

Answer 33

Ocean dead zones are areas where oxygen levels are too low for most marine life to survive, caused by eutrophication, which is an excess of nutrients (mainly nitrogen and phosphorus) from animal waste and fertilizers.

Question 34

How does animal agriculture contribute to ocean dead zones?

Answer 34

Animal agriculture contributes to ocean dead zones through animal waste runoff and the use of fertilizers, with animal agriculture using 83% of global farmland.

Question 35

How does animal agriculture contribute to water pollution?

Answer 35

Animal agriculture generates wastewater containing contaminants like blood, fat, and other pollutants that degrade water quality. It also contributes pathogens, antibiotics, and growth hormones, which contaminate water supplies.

Question 36

What are the dangers of pathogens from livestock manure?

Answer 36

Manure from livestock can carry pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and Giardia, which can contaminate water supplies and pose a risk to human and animal health.

Question 37

How do antibiotics and hormones in animal agriculture affect water systems?

Answer 37

Antibiotics and growth hormones used in animal agriculture can enter water systems through manure runoff, disrupting aquatic ecosystems and contributing to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Question 38

Compare the gallons of water required to produce one pound of some typical food products.

Answer 38

The gallons of water required to produce one pound of… Beef: 1,850 Pork: 720 Chicken: 520 Soybeans: 256 Wheat: 220 Corn: 148

Question 39

How much water is required to produce one pound of beef?

Answer 39

It requires 1,850 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef.

Question 40

How much water is required to produce one pound of pork?

Answer 40

It requires 720 gallons of water to produce one pound of pork.

Question 41

How much water is required to produce one pound of chicken?

Answer 41

It requires 520 gallons of water to produce one pound of chicken.

Question 42

How much water is required to produce one pound of soybeans?

Answer 42

It requires 256 gallons of water to produce one pound of soybeans.

Question 43

How much water is required to produce one pound of wheat?

Answer 43

It requires 220 gallons of water to produce one pound of wheat.

Question 44

According to a 2018 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), what percentage of mammal biomass on Earth is made up of farm animals?

Answer 44

62% of mammal biomass on Earth is made up of farm animals.

Question 45

How much of the mammal biomass on Earth is attributed to humans?

Answer 45

34% of the mammal biomass on Earth is attributed to humans.

Question 46

What percentage of the mammal biomass on Earth is wild animals?

Answer 46

4% of the mammal biomass on Earth is wild animals.

Question 47

How does the total weight of chickens on farms compare to the total weight of all wild birds?

Answer 47

The total weight of chickens on farms is approximately 2.5 times that of the total weight of all wild birds.

Question 48

What is the weight ratio between humans and their livestock compared to wild mammals?

Answer 48

Humans and their livestock combined outweigh wild mammals at a ratio of about 24 to 1.

Question 49

Why is animal agriculture considered inefficient?

Answer 49

Animal agriculture is inefficient because most of the feed calories consumed by an animal go toward energy for daily living, and some energy is used to produce body parts that are not consumed.

Question 50

How much of global farmland is used by animal agriculture, and what percentage of total calories does it produce?

Answer 50

Animal agriculture uses 83% of global farmland but produces only 18% of total calories and 37% of calories from protein. (The 2018 Joseph Poore Oxford Study.)

Question 51

According to the 2018 Joseph Poore-led Oxford study, what percentage of farmland is used to grow food for human consumption, and how much of the total calories does it produce?

Answer 51

17% of farmland is used to grow food for human consumption, which produces 82% of total calories and 63% of calories from protein.

Question 52

How many calories of plant feed are required to produce one calorie of food from animals, on average?

Answer 52

According to the World Resources Institute, on average, it takes 24 calories of plant feed to produce one calorie of food from animals.

Question 53

How much feed is required to produce one pound of meat from farm animals?

Answer 53

It takes on average 4 to 6 pounds of feed to produce one pound of meat from farm animals.

Question 54

Why does the 5 to 1 feed conversion ratio understate the inefficiency of animal agriculture?

Answer 54

The 5 to 1 feed conversion ratio understates inefficiency because it compares the weight of wet output (meat) to the weight of dry input (feed grains).

Question 55

According to a University of Minnesota study, how much of the crops fed to animals contribute to the human diet as meat and other animal products?

Answer 55

Only 12% of the crops fed to animals contribute to the human diet as meat and other animal products.

Question 56

What counterclaim is there for the arguments that "The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture" briefing makes?

Answer 56

In the Agriculture and Human Values journal in 2021, Finnish researchers put forth a seemingly reasonable argument that there is no convincing case for climate veganism.

Question 57

What did Finnish researchers argue in the 2021 Agriculture and Human Values journal regarding climate veganism?

Answer 57

Finnish researchers argued that there is no convincing case for climate veganism, but their conclusion was more nuanced, stating that climate considerations obligate one to follow a predominantly vegan diet.

Question 58

What does the Finnish study in the 2021 Agriculture and Human Values journal suggest about the moral obligation of following a vegan diet?

Answer 58

The study suggests that climate considerations oblige one to follow a predominantly, but not strictly, vegan diet, acknowledging some exceptions like certain types of fish consumption and discarded foods.

Question 59

Does the Finnish study in the 2021 Agriculture and Human Values journal dispute the overall sustainability of vegan diets compared to other diets?

Answer 59

No, the Finnish study does not dispute the sustainability of vegan diets. It concurs with the idea that vegan diets are more sustainable compared to other diets.

Question 60

How was environmentalism related to veganism from the beginning?

Answer 60

Environmentalism was part of veganism from the beginning, as early vegans embraced a lifestyle that respected both sentient beings and the planet, aligning with the principles of environmental and sustainability movements.

Question 61

What role did early vegans play in environmental and sustainability movements?

Answer 61

Early vegans were forerunners of today's environmental and sustainability movements, promoting a natural way of living that valued both sentient beings and the planet.

Question 62

What other resources are there for the briefing "The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture"?

Answer 62

1. Our World in Data 2. Greenpeace 3. The Guardian

Question 63

What kind of data does Our World in Data provide regarding food systems?

Answer 63

Our World in Data provides extensive data on the environmental impacts of different food systems, including animal agriculture, covering aspects such as greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption.

Question 64

How does Greenpeace highlight the environmental effects of industrial meat production?

Answer 64

Greenpeace highlights how industrial meat production contributes to climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.

Question 65

What topics does The Guardian frequently cover regarding meat production?

Answer 65

The Guardian frequently publishes articles on the environmental costs of meat production, focusing on issues like deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 66

Why do environmental concerns often serve as a gateway for many people to consider veganism?

Answer 66

Environmental concerns resonate with a broader audience and often serve as a gateway for many to consider veganism, especially those who might not connect with the moral case for animals.

Question 67

What should you do early in a conversation when discussing veganism?

Answer 67

Early in the conversation, gauge the interlocutor’s primary concerns—whether they are more focused on the environment, health, or ethics—to tailor the discussion accordingly.

Question 68

How should you approach someone who is deeply concerned about the environment regarding veganism?

Answer 68

If they are deeply concerned about the environment, spend more time discussing the environmental benefits of veganism. People who adopt a vegan diet for environmental reasons are often more receptive to the ethical message later on.

Question 69

How can you link the environmental benefits of veganism to broader values?

Answer 69

Emphasize how the environmental benefits of veganism align with broader values like sustainability and justice, while keeping the core message in focus: animals are sentient beings who deserve compassion.

Question 70

How should you pivot to the ethical perspective once someone understands the environmental argument for veganism?

Answer 70

Once someone understands the environmental argument, pivot to the ethical perspective by saying, “While the environmental benefits are clear, veganism is also about respecting animals as individuals.”