So the UN has been taking a serious gander at the environmental impact of consumption and production. I'm sure they've been making this assessment for years, but I think it's pretty powerful for such a strong body to announce how much we really cannot rely on animals for fuel. Yesterday, the UN released new report statistics that compared meat and dairy production to the use of fossil fuels. "Animal and dairy production accounts for...
- 70% of GLOBAL fresh water consumption
- 38% of TOTAL land use
- 19% of the WORLD's greenhouse gases "
So let's unpack this: we try to consume less fossil fuels by using solar energy or cleaner gasoline. But we can't consume less food...who would want to? So, it makes sense that our best alternative is to switch to different kinds of foods, away from animal products.
In 2050, 9.1 billion people will occupy the globe. According to the U.N., our food supply will have to increase by 70% to feed them. That's wild.
The earth can't just pass out like a stressed cook in the kitchen who is trying to feed WAY more people than she has resources for. That's what a human would do. So the stress is going to look a little different, in a big way. Pretty sure no one wants to be here when that happens.
In 2050, I will be 64, running marathons, and spending time by the beach and in the mountains with my family. Clean air would be nice. (This is Lake Tahoe from our trip in August. One of the most beautiful places ever. I don't want to give up being on one of those boats surrounded by mountain beauty.)
I'm crazy motivated and stirred-up by seeing the big picture of things. For me, this means consuming other things than meat and dairy. Simple. I'm ridiculously thankful that my upcoming year as an intern will expose me to these quickly colliding worlds of nutrition and public health. But for now, I am one person wanting long-term sustainability.
For the news article, check out:
For the U.N.'s full assessment, super long, but full of great info check out: