Are Tofu Eaters Destroying the Environment?

Soy, you and deforestation.

Most people associate soy with tofu and soy milk. However, only a small portion of soy is consumed directly by humans. In fact, most of the world’s soy crop ends up in feed for poultry, pork, cattle and even farmed fish.

Unbeknownst to most of us, soy is found in almost all commercially produced meat or chicken that we eat.

And unfortunately, the expansion of soy to feed the world’s growing demand for meat often contributes to deforestation and the loss of other valuable ecosystems in Latin America.

A person might argue that if we stop eating meat then the destruction of forests to accommodate soy bean crops would end. That's hardly the case since the protein would need to be replaced, which would mean even more farm land would be needed to replace all that protein and all those calories. The problem of cow farts might pale in comparison to the damage done by maintaining the worlds population on a vegetable based diet.

Then if you decide that the whole world should not use pesticides or fertilizers in commercial farming, add on a lot more acreage that would be needed to feed the world. Without modern methods it takes far more land to produce the same crops. So along with Tofu being destructive to the environment, so called organic methods would do even worse damage due to needing all those extra acres of crops.

I believe it's a wash. Whether we eat meat or turn to an organic Vegan diet, similar damage would be done to the environment, making the histrionics over meat eating moot.

Soy Agriculture in the Amazon Basin

A Greenpeace report (link is external) in 2006 singled out McDonalds and international commodity firm Cargill as culprits; Cargill’s response forced Brazilian soy traders to not buy soy from farmlands deforested after June 2006. The Brazilian government followed with measures to monitor compliance and deny bank credit to municipalities guilty of deforestation. After several years, satellite monitoring confirms deforestation free soy; the reduction has even proved resilient to fluctuations in the soy market. Soy production has continued, primarily through yield increases but also through expansion into the Cerrado zone of southern Brazil, as well as northern Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay.

Isn't it interesting how reports on this never seem to mention that if you remove meat production from the equation, the protein must be replaced to prevent massive starvation around the world and what it would take to replace it, not to mention the exact same impact on the environment in the end.

Interesting Study

CONCLUSION Both the meat-based average American diet and the lactoovovegetarian diet require significant quantities of nonrenewable fossil energy to produce. Thus, both food systems are not sustainable in the long term based on heavy fossil energy requirements. However, the meat-based diet requires more energy, land, and water resources than the lactoovovegetarian diet. In this limited sense, the lactoovovegetarian diet is more sustainable than the average American meat-based diet. The major threat to future survival and to US natural resources is rapid population growth. The US population of 285 million is projected to double to 570 million in the next 70 y, which will place greater stress on the already-limited supply of energy, land, and water resources. These vital resources will have to be divided among ever greater numbers of people.

You forgot to mention that you can get all the protein you need from plants...so...there you go.

I don't eat meat or Eggs and I do martial arts 6 days a week as well as compete in JiuJitsu tournaments several times a year. hasn't impacted my negatively at all. I'm stronger now than I've ever been.

Meat is over rated.

Lentils have 9grams of protien per half cup serving
Black Beans 7.5
Lima Beans 7
Peanut Butter 7 per 1/4 cup serving
Rice 6.5
chick peas 6
Almonds 6
Chia Seed 6
Oat Meal 5
Cashews 5
Potatoes 4
Spinich 3

Then you can just supliment with plant based protien powder (Not soy) but pea and hemp.

Most fruits have 1-3 grams of protien per serving too.

Then take into account that most protein recommendations are way too high. Even for Body Builders.

You eat some good healthy meals and you're good. Seriously.

a reply to: Blaine91555


It's not just soy but the agenda to that is cult like to force people who eat meat to stop. They don't realize the farm land versus the civilization living in it to be turned into huge growing plots thus displacing millions for their agenda. The other thing is how EXPENSIVE it is to even try to go Vegan. I have made several Setans to replace eating meat, but look into the cost of Vital Wheat Gluten and Nutritional Yeast. Most people could not afford to live and eat as Vegans.

A gf made it for me once. It really looked like she did a great job at it. And it was the most unnatural tasting thing I ever tried to eat. Makes sour gummy worms taste like something humans were born to eat, in comparison. Dont trust the stuff!

originally posted by: whywhynot
Interesting Study

CONCLUSION Both the meat-based average American diet and the lactoovovegetarian diet require significant quantities of nonrenewable fossil energy to produce. Thus, both food systems are not sustainable in the long term based on heavy fossil energy requirements. However, the meat-based diet requires more energy, land, and water resources than the lactoovovegetarian diet. In this limited sense, the lactoovovegetarian diet is more sustainable than the average American meat-based diet. The major threat to future survival and to US natural resources is rapid population growth. The US population of 285 million is projected to double to 570 million in the next 70 y, which will place greater stress on the already-limited supply of energy, land, and water resources. These vital resources will have to be divided among ever greater numbers of people.

Except there are is no limited supply of food, energy and water. We just don't manage it well.

Every day, we (the worlds countries but probably just the US alone) throw away enough food to feed the entire worlds population. We aren't pushing desalinization plants, but there is more than enough water on earth for everyone for ever. All we need to do is convert most of our power grid to solar and wind and we have enough energy for all of our needs. There is no scarcity of resources only bad management.

Good thread, it is true. We need protein and beef and real chicken tastes so much better than soy. I think that those who slam meat saying that it is environmentally unfriendly are not thinking things through. I hate anything soy, I try to buy meat that is grown naturally. Soy and Monsanto go together, people talk about their chemicals, I see their pushing of soy and corn products as the worst of their practices. I would have to say that scientific advancement is negatively effecting our health more than anything else. Science creates the chemicals. Science is a tool used by bad more than for good, especially in the food industry.

a reply to: amazing

This not about healthy eating. It's about will a Vegan diet be just as bad for the environment as a traditional, natural for us diet. I'm suggesting there is no difference, so it's not a valid environmental argument.

Yeah making the "fake" meat is expensive. The way to truly do it is to go basic. Lot's of Fruits, Beans, Nuts, Vegetables. What going 90% Vegan (I will eat way too much bread and carbs and deserts that could be made with some Milk or egg in it) has forced me to eat more vegetables and Fruit and nuts and make my diet way more basic and actually affordable as well as cut out 99% of all fast food. I've never felt healthier...well except for the old age creeping up on me. LOL

The answer is cannabis. Hemp seeds are an excellent source of protein, the fibers are perfect for both fabrics and paper, and of course there are the drugs hidden in the flowers. It is truly a miracle plant that grows like a weed...

originally posted by: Blaine91555
a reply to: amazing

This not about healthy eating. It's about will a Vegan diet be just as bad for the environment as a traditional, natural for us diet. I'm suggesting there is no difference, so it's not a valid environmental argument.

I disagree though. Soy doesn't have to be part of a Vegan Diet. And most farm land is being used by dairy(for milk) and cow (for meat) farms and the corn fields they use to feed them. Even though corn is an unnatural part of a cows diet.

I'm not telling anyone to go vegan but, for this thread and for you, consider that without all those millions of acres for the cows and the corn they eat and the corn that is processed into High Fractose Syrup that is in nearly ever processed food we humans eat. Consider all the fruit and vegetables we could grow on that land. That's the real ecological and environmental argument here. Soy is pretty innocent.

originally posted by: Sahasrara
The answer is cannabis. Hemp seeds are an excellent source of protein, the fibers are perfect for both fabrics and paper, and of course there are the drugs hidden in the flowers. It is truly a miracle plant that grows like a weed...

Yeah, I use a hemp seed protien powder as well.

a reply to: Blaine91555


Ummm...why yes...yes they are...and not just the tofu eaters...the vegetarians and vegans as well...

Vegetarians and vegans are very flatulent folk...they no doubt have a deleterious effect as per anthropogenic global warming...

Or so I've heard...







YouSir

a reply to: whywhynot

Thank you. I'll give that a thorough read.

Travel through the midwestern states especially Illinois during the summer months, all you can see are fields of Corn, and Soybeans. As far as you can see. I wonder where all that goes!

originally posted by: YouSir
a reply to: Blaine91555


Ummm...why yes...yes they are...and not just the tofu eaters...the vegetarians and vegans as well...

Vegetarians and vegans are very flatulent folk...they no doubt have a deleterious effect as per anthropogenic global warming...

Or so I've heard...

YouSir

At times, yes, I am flatulent.

originally posted by: rickymouse
I would have to say that scientific advancement is negatively effecting our health more than anything else.

I ponder this all the time. It seems our hubris doesn't allow us to see or admit this on a large (enough) scale. Our best intentions and most of our inventions sow the seeds of our destruction. Wonder what the world will look like when my 6 year old grows up.

originally posted by: 38181
Travel through the midwestern states especially Illinois during the summer months, all you can see are fields of Corn, and Soybeans. As far as you can see. I wonder where all that goes!

High Fractose corn syrup in every cereal, Candy bar, cookie, Chip, Cracker and other processed food in the grocery store.

a reply to: whywhynot

OK, I read through that. I'd like to see it assuming a Vegan, organic diet as I think that would add enough needed farmland to balance the scale.

originally posted by: amazing

originally posted by: 38181
Travel through the midwestern states especially Illinois during the summer months, all you can see are fields of Corn, and Soybeans. As far as you can see. I wonder where all that goes!

High Fractose corn syrup in every cereal, Candy bar, cookie, Chip, Cracker and other processed food in the grocery store.

All GMO, do you know how much of the US soy crop is GMO??? Now imagine the poison used to produce that amount of soy! I forgot about Canola! Everyone uses canola oil now as well, how much of that is GMO?