Research shows factory farming and extensive use of chemicals and pesticides are the main contributors to green house gasses and severe climate change
Although there are still people who regard climate change as a hoax (despite the fact that glaciers are melting in an alarming rate), more and more people in the world are becoming aware that the rapid changes in the climate is real.
90% of scientific studies all agree that climate change is real and in fact, according to a recent study published in journal Science, with title of “Global Warming and This Winter’s Cold Weather,” the researchers say that human-induced global warming is happening and without mitigating measures, the Earth will continue to get warmer over the next century with serious consequences.
You may be surprised to hear that extensive use of chemicals and pesticides, genetically modified organisms, factory farming and confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) account for a very high percentage of the climate change:
Although majority of people might think that greenhouse emissions (from crude oil) account for a high percentage of the rapid changes in climate, the fact is that according to a 2006 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, including 37% of methane (CH4) emissions and 65% of nitrous oxide emissions. In fact, methane released from billions of imprisoned animals on factory farms is 70 times more damaging to the earth’s atmosphere than CO2.
Currently, there are more than 65 billion animals (with 10 billions of them in US) including chickens, cows and pigs who are literally imprisoned and tortured in confined animal feeding operations (known as CAFOs). These animals are subjected to live in a very unhealthy and brutal environment and for the two and a half years that they live in their stalls, they can’t even turn around. They are fed on GMO corn and soybeans instead of green grass and stress, lack of physical activity and lack of vitamin D often make them more prone to a wide range of diseases. These animals are routinely injected with rBGH growth hormones (that have been linked to a wide range of health issues including cancer and early puberty) and antibiotics. These hormones and antibiotics are a threat to our environment and health since they usually end up showing in our lakes, rivers or drinking water.
Nitrous oxide emission pollution from agriculture and industry of synthetic commercial fertilizers are 200 times more damaging per ton to environment than CO2:
In agriculture, nitrous oxide emission is the result of huge amount of chemicals, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers used for growing GMO corn and soy fed to animals raised in CAFOs.
These toxic chemicals and pesticides will eventually end up in our environment and drinking water, the same way that hormones and antibiotics from animal wastes leach into our soil and water. These toxic pesticides and insecticides are having disastrous impacts on our environment and health.
Although biotech promised that GMOs will reduce the use of insecticides and chemicals, a report by Charles Benbrook, a research professor at the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources at Washington State University shows that since the introduction of GMOs, the use of chemicals have increased by 500 million pounds: http://www.seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-food/GMOs-increase-pesticides-herbecides-use.php
As a matter of fact, 94% of GMO corn is treated with neonicotinoid class of insecticides including imidacloprid or clothianidin. Studies have directly linked disappearance of bees, birds and other useful insects in soil with neonicotinoids and recently, more than 37 million bees in Canada died after large GMO corn fields treated with neonicotinoids were planted: http://www.seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-food/neonicotinoids-pesticides-colony-collapse-of-honeybees-suppressing-immune-system.php
In addition, researchers have raised concern that the damage associated with neonicotinoids is beyond birds and bees and the neurotoxin can affect the human nervous system and may even harm developing brains of the unborn babies: http://www.seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-food/neonicotinoid-pesticides-neurotoxins-pose-serious-threat-to-human-bees-birds-beneficial-insects.php
Factory farming isn’t just disastrous to the environment, but to our health and humanity:
The maga mega rich corporations who are in charge of meat and dairy industry don’t want you to know that 95% of the meat, dairy and eggs sold in the U.S. come from animals in CAFOs fed on GMOs, antibiotics and hormones. That’s why they spend millions of dollars bribing politicians and fighting GMO labeling movement: http://www.seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-food/biotech-chemical-corporations-spent-millions-to-defeat-Washington-GMO-labeling-initiative.php
Most of animals prisoned and tortured in CAFOs have no choice but to live in an unhealthy environment and during their short lives, they are often subjected to tremendous emotional and physical abuse. The first time that most of these animals see the sunlight is when they are shoved into small cages to be taken to slaughterhouses.
Food corporations often have the picture of happy and healthy animals on their packaging, but the reality cannot be further from the truth. Recently, USDA reduced the budget of federal meat and poultry inspection. What is hard to believe, although it is very true, that under its current regulations, the USDA inspection allows chicken feces or heavy metals to be used in cows or chickens’ feed. What’s even worse is the fact that the USDA inspector doesn’t usually look for unhealthy animals and only picks the ones that look healthy for inspection. Recently, the reports showed that chicken slaughterhouses use high volume of new bacteria-killing chemicals to hide the presence of salmonella: http://www.seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-food/factory-chickens-bacteria-killing-chemicals-salmonella.php
That’s how your favorite beef, chicken, or farmed seafood (fish or shrimp) could be contaminated with high volumes of drugs, cleaning chemicals, hormones, antibiotics and bacteria like E. coli: http://www.seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-food/drugs-chemicals-hormones-antibiotics-heavy-metals-in-red-meat-fish-poultry.php
The alternative is to take our farms back from mega mega rich Frankenfood corporations including Monsanto and DuPont:
I believe that there is a brighter side to human nature; a side that did let us evolve and grow to create a million explanations of life- through art, music, poetry, or mathematics.
There is a way to have enough foods in abundance for everyone on this planet. A way that’s far less damaging to both environment and our health. The alternative is to support and invest in a socially responsible and small-scale agricultural system; a system that will support our local farmers and organic producers who could produce organically grown sustainable produce and fresh products with affordable prices.
As an average consumer, we need to boycott products that come from factory farms and choose more environmentally friendly products. We must continue to fight for our right to know what’s in our food since 95% of non-organic or grass fed meat, dairy and eggs come from hellish factory farms.
By the mid-century, the world population is going to be about 9 billion and we no longer have the luxury to afford this reckless and environmentally disastrous agricultural system. The colony collapse of bees by itself is a giant of an issue, since 80% of our food is directly pollinated by bees.
Every one of us can become an advocate fighting for food transparency and sustainable food choices. We can continue to fight for our right to know what’s in our food, so we can choose more sustainable and environmentally friendly products.
Sources:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/17-5
