Facts & Figures
Eating less meat will
Eating less meat will save thousands of lives each year from heart disease, strokes, cancer, and diabetes
Government policy is to
Government policy is to supply 6000 households with free water per month. If we were to save just 15% of the total water used to convert animals into meat at the abattoir, then 104000 households could be provided with all their water needs for one year (Compassion in World Farming)
More than ½ the maize
More than ½ the maize we grow goes to animal feedlots, while 1 child dies every 45 min from malnutrition-related sickness
If every South African goes
If every South African goes meat free one day a week 11200 cattle, 2 million chickens, 10 000 pigs, 22300 sheep will be saved from slaughter WEEKLY (Compassion in World Farming)
Animal agriculture contributes significantly to
Animal agriculture contributes significantly to the destruction of tropical rainforests, soil erosion, dwindling reserves of fresh water, land, fuel and other resources.
A University of Chicago study found
A University of Chicago study found that the average American diet including all processing food steps, annually produces 1.5 tons of CO2- equivalent more than a meat free diet
250l of water is needed to
250l of water is needed to produce 1kg wheat, 25 000l of water is required to produce 1kg meat. Government policy is to supply 6000 households with free water per month. If we were to save just 15% of the total water used to convert animals into meat at the abattoir, then 104000 households could [...]
Protein derived from meat requires
Protein derived from meat requires 25 times more energy to produce than comparable protein from vegetable sources
It requires 500 times as much
It requires 500 times as much land to produce 1kg of beef as it does to produce 1kg vegetables
To produce ½ kg beef requires
To produce ½ kg beef requires as much water required for a 7 minute shower everyday for 6 months.
Facts & Figures
- Compare the Carbon Footprint of a Vegan Burger to a Beef Burger
Did you know that if everyone in the world made a simple switch from a selected meat-based meal to meat analog meal saves a total of over 26 billion tons of CO2-eq
Find the relevant report in the NEWS section below- Based on German research, its been calculated
Based on German research, its been calculated that “A vegan driving an SUV is more ecofriendly than a meat-eater riding a bicycle.” The contribution to global warming is just part of the problem with livestock. The same Dutch study found that livestock occupy 80% of total human land in use. A colossal amount of water is spent maintaining pasture for grazing, which could be far more efficiently used to grow food crops. And according to the FAO report, livestock emissions produce 64% of all human-induced ammonia into the atmosphere, one of the main causes of acid rain, which damages crops, and is almost always blamed on industry and transport.
- Having meat free days
Having meat free days or going vegetarian has many health benefits:
REDUCE HEART DISEASE: Recent data from a Harvard University study found that replacing saturated fat-rich foods (eg. meat and full fat dairy) with foods that are rich in polyunsaturated fat (eg. vegetable oils, nuts and seeds) reduces the risk of heart disease by 19%.
FIGHT DIABETES: Research suggests that a higher consumption of red and processed meat increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
CURB OBESITY: People on low-meat or vegetarian diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices. A recent study from Imperial College London also found that reducing overall meat consumption can prevent long-term weight gain.
LIVE LONGER: Red and processed meat consumption is associated with modest increases in total mortality, cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.
IMPROVE YOUR DIET. Consuming beans or peas results in higher intakes of fibre, protein, zinc, iron and magnesium and lower intakes of saturated fat and total fat.
- By going vegetarian or having meat free days
By going vegetarian or having meat free days you will help:
- Avoid excessive CO2 production,
- Reduce methane/nitrous oxide production,
- Save large amounts of water,
- Avoid polluting our streams/rivers/oceans,
- Reduce destruction of topsoil & tropical rainforest,
- Reduce the destruction of wildlife habitats & endangered species,
- Reduce the use of antibiotics, growth promoters and chemicals
- Most of us eat more meat
Most of us eat more meat and other protein rich foods than we need to stay healthy.
In 2007 the World Cancer Research Fund report recommended limiting the consumption of red meats such as beef, pork ad lamb because of a ‘convincing’ link with colorectal cancer. Links have also been found between high meat diets and obesity and heart disease.
Remember also that climate change is a threat to our future health. As the world warms up it is likely that levels of air pollution, and thus allergies and respiratory diseases, will rise, as will the rate of infectious diseases
