Ecological advantages

In the production of plant-based foods, the consumption of energy and resources is significantly lower than in the production of animal products. Primary consumption is lower because fewer resources are used for fertilizers, processing, storage and transportation. Only the greenhouse performs poorly. The main energy supplier is the sun. Water consumption is also lower. It takes 1800 liters to produce 1 kg of wheat, and 15,400 liters to produce 1 kg of beef. Furthermore, there are no processing losses with plant-based foods, as they can be consumed directly. In comparison, it takes 7 kg of grain to produce 1 kg of beef.

Organic farming aims to keep the farm’s nutrient cycle as closed as possible and to maintain and promote soil fertility. In organic farming, genetic engineering is prohibited, and only 50 additives are permitted. There are sometimes considerable differences between the various organic labels. While state seals usually have only minimum standards, the seals of organic associations are associated with stricter rules. Organic vegan agriculture combines the principles of veganism with organic farming. Organic farming leads to lower primary consumption, pollutant emissions, pollution of water, less negative impact on biodiversity and better soil quality.

Regional and seasonal products lead to less pollutant emissions because the transport distance is shorter and the food is fresh. Fairtrade products usually have environmental requirements, but they have a long transport route. Since these are mostly luxury foods (tea, coffee, chocolate), it is important to look for a Fairtrade seal on them.

Further disadvantages of intensive animal farming

Feed is usually grown in monocultures. This leads to a high use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides. This is associated with genetically modified plants, resistant pests, uncontrolled spread and loss of biodiversity. Primeval forests, such as the Amazon, are cut down or fire-eroded for feed. Farming leads to large amounts of manure and slurry, which in turn leads to nitrate enrichment in soil and groundwater. Phosphate overacidifies the soils. Copper also has a negative effect on soil biology. This oversupply of certain substances leads to a loss of biodiversity and promotes pathogenic fungi and algal blooms. The high use of antibiotics leads to resistant viruses. 75% of agricultural emissions come from livestock. This accounts for 33% of greenhouse pollutants. These include primarily methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide. 30% of the world’s fish stocks are overfished, 60% are maximally exploited. High bycatch also leads to a loss of biodiversity. Factory farming causes enormous suffering to animals and has now reached global proportions.

Animals killed for food since this page was opened.

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0 wild caught fish 0 ducks 0 geese 0 goats 0 pigeons and other birds 0 cats
0 chickens 0 pigs 0 turkeys 0 cattle 0 dogs 0 horses 0 camels and other camelids
0 farmed fish 0 rabbits 0 sheep 0 rodents 0 buffalo 0 donkeys and mules

It is also important to think of all the animals in the meat, dairy and egg industries that are killed but never eaten because their remains end up in the trash. In addition, dozens of marine animals, such as seahorses, turtles, and dolphins die because they end up as bycatch in nets. They are not included here. The numbers for dogs and cats are based on a rough estimate and refer to Southeast Asia.

Sources: FAOSTAT [Region: World + (Total), Element: Producing Animals/Slaughtered, Items Aggregated: Meat, Total > (List), Year: 2013], Fish count estimates (fishcount.org.uk), dog count estimates, dog and cat estimates, cats estimates

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