Global warming, an issue not unheard of for us millennials, is numbering the days we have on this planet. It is the underlying cause of the disappearance of rain in some states but its also causing the sea level to rise, threatening to drown coastal states. Global warming is the small red line on the thermometer inching its way towards warmth even in colder months and the unpredictable natural disasters.
This issue, although not a new one, is the plague of our generation. Years of ignorance towards the subject caused it to be pushed off the global agenda and now technological advances and loads of research is giving us the opportunity to understand what is happening to our ecosystem and the greater impact it continues to have on our lives. Although the general acceptance of global warming is a step in the right direction, in order to ensure that this planet is livable for decades to come we need to become more environmentally conscious and sustainable.
As young people it is often hard for us to gauge what we can do to help the issue. Some college campuses have implemented environmentally sustainable waste centers, food options, and buildings. Other schools have started clubs and projects that deal with the environment and get the community talking about the issue that should be a priority. Global warming has been taking the backseat to many other social and international issues, when in reality it should be held on the same plane. If we fail to change the current predicted course of global warming, the earth will not be a livable environment, and the other issues, social and other that we have fought for, will cease to matter as well.
Augustana College’s biology department had a viewing of the documentary Cowspiracy last week which my roommate and I decided to attend. The documentary focuses on the little known fact that raising livestock to be eaten and provide dairy products is responsible for nearly 51% of fossil fuels being emitted. The agricultural livestock industry is also responsible for the destruction of rain forests, the pollution of our oceans, and the overuse of water. While the exact percentage of fossil fuels emitted is nearly half the number presented in the film, the other arguments director and filmmaker Kip Andersen voiced throughout the film, against a meat-centric diet and in favor of veganism, made sense.
The film states that with an increasing population and an increasing demand for meat, the earth cannot provide all the resources needed to sustain animal agriculture at such a rate, much less basic human environmental demands. To change this we must make diet changes that decrease our meat and dairy product consumption.
In the past I always thought that a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle was based solely off of morality and ethics, however in addition, there are other serious environmental factors that should urge people to adopt these diets. As young adult we are in control of what we are putting into our bodies. Many of us are responsible for our own grocery shopping and cooking or we eat in a dining hall where there are ample opportunities to avoid meat and dairy products. I’m not saying that everyone should go vegan right now, as there are individual and personal factors that play into people’s dietary concerns. However, I am saying that we need to lessen our consumption of these animal related products.
Easy changes can be made in our diets to decrease our meat and dairy intake some examples might be opting for nut based milk products over regular milk, a change that has serious health benefits across the board. Another easy change in our diets could be replacing meat at some meals for beans, lentils, and tofu, all of which are high in protein and vastly more environmental. Lastly, I suggest taking baby steps towards going vegetarian or vegan over time, which will make it seem more natural and less like an overwhelming choice. Maybe go vegetarian for a week and then try two weeks. This will allow you to gradually cut out animal based food products and experiment with what types of plant based proteins and other food sources best fill the gap.
I urge you to take two hours out of your day and watch Cowspiray, or even do a little research into animal agriculture. Once the facts are clear, it is hard to ignore the obvious changes that need to be made in order so that we can call earth our home for years to come.