reply to post by schrodingers dog
Thanks for posting this. This is why I'm a vegetarian. I've seen too many videos of atrocities like this. I realise that my single and silent
action won't make a difference in the grand scheme of things...
Our global society does not need to consume the amount of meat that we do... it's sickening. I would bet that most people who eat meat would not be
able to look an animal in the eye and slice its throat. Also consider that most hunters are very conscious of killing only what they can consume, and
doing it humanly. Single shots to the brain or heart. Many of my family and friends hunt and will confirm this.
Here's some interesting statistics and facts about livestock for to digest (pun intended):
Number of people worldwide who will die as a result of malnutrition this year: 20 million
Number of people who could be adequately fed using land freed if Americans reduced their intake of meat by 10%: 100 million
Percentage of corn grown in the US eaten by people: 20
Percentage of corn grown in the US eaten by livestock: 80
Percentage of oats grown in the US eaten by livestock: 95
Percentage of protein wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 90
How frequently a child dies as a result of malnutrition: every 2 point 3 seconds
Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on an acre: 40,000
Pounds of beef produced on an acre: 250
Percentage of US farmland devoted to beef production: 56
Pounds of grain and soybeans needed to produce a pound of edible flesh from feedlot beef: 16
User of more than half of all water used for all purposes in the US: livestock production
Amount of water used in production of the average cow: sufficient to float a destroyer
Gallons of water needed to produce a pound of wheat: 25
Gallons of water needed to produce a pound of California beef: 5,000
Years the world's known oil reserves would last if every human ate a meat-centered diet: 13
Years they would last if human beings no longer ate meat: 260
Calories of fossil fuel expended to get 1 calorie of protein from beef: 78
To get 1 calorie of protein from soybeans: 2
Percentage of all raw materials (base products of farming, forestry and mining, including fossil fuels) consumed by US that is devoted to the
production of livestock: 33
Percentage of all raw materials consumed by the US needed to produce a complete vegetarian diet: 2
Number of US medical schools: 125
Number requiring a course in nutrition: 30
Nutrition training received by average US physician during four years in medical school: 2 point 5 hours
Most common cause of death in the US : heart attack
How frequently a heart attack kills in the US: every 45 seconds
Average US man's risk of death from heart attack: 50 percent
Risk of average US man who eats no meat: 15 percent
Risk of average US man who eats no meat, dairy or eggs: 4 percent
Amount you reduce risk of heart attack if you reduce consumption of meat, dairy and eggs by 10 percent: 9 percent
Amount you reduce risk of heart attack if you reduce consumption by 50 percent: 45 percent
Amount you reduce risk if you eliminate meat, dairy and eggs from your diet: 90 percent
Average cholesterol level of people eating meat-centered-diet: 210 mg/dl
Chance of dying from heart disease if you are male and your blood cholesterol level is 210 mg/dl: greater than 50 percent
and finally...
Meat contains no essential nutrients that cannot be obtained in higher quality directly from plant sources.
[edit on 6.29.2009 by Avarus]
