It's crucial to remember that our food choices have a significant impact on the planet. Every year, more than 70 billion farm animals are raised and slaughtered in inhumane conditions. The treatment these animals endure is not only cruel, but it also takes a toll on the Earth's resources and biodiversity.
Wild spaces are needed to maintain biodiversity to keep the planet healthy but as you can see from the graph most of the land used for food production is for farmed animals and the food needed to feed them.
The more these wild spaces are desecrated to raise farmed animals and their food means less biodiversity, less habitat for wildlife, less freshwater availability, more greenhouse gas emissions, and less oxygen that we all rely on from the plant life of these wild spaces.
Transitioning to a plant-based diet can help mitigate these environmental challenges. It not only reduces cruelty to animals but also helps restore habitats for wildlife and improves the health and stability of our planet. By embracing plant-based foods, we can promote sustainability, protect the environment, and support our health and well-being.
Graph: Samyui-Adams, Julia. 2023, February 7th. “The Shift to Plant-based Eating: Land Use”. https://greenerhenley.org.uk/the-shift-to-plant-based-eating-land-use/.