Ten reasons why the cattle industry is not sustainable.

[MarathonMike]

Is it our place to leave a polluted, resource stripped world for our kids because we just had to have a Burger King on every corner? I'm not saying the gubmint shuts down the cattle industry.

I'm saying there ought to at least be competition through alternative crops and red meat substitutes that would lead to a reduction in the size of the cattle farms and the millions of gallons of water they consume and the tons of acrid cow shit they produce. Right now the farms keep getting bigger, they keep clearing more land, taking more water, producing more cow shit and cholesterol induced health problems.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Is it our place to leave a polluted, resource stripped world for our kids because we just had to have a Burger King on every corner? I'm not saying the gubmint shuts down the cattle industry.

I'm saying there ought to at least be competition through alternative crops and red meat substitutes that would lead to a reduction in the size of the cattle farms and the millions of gallons of water they consume and the tons of acrid cow shit they produce. Right now the farms keep getting bigger, they keep clearing more land, taking more water, producing more cow shit and cholesterol induced health problems.

Is it our place to leave a polluted, resource stripped world for our kids

You should definitely report the polluted cattle operations to the EPA.

because we just had to have a Burger King on every corner?

Burgers are delicious.

I'm saying there ought to at least be competition through alternative crops and red meat substitutes that would lead to a reduction in the size of the cattle farms

Who is preventing that competition? Link?

Right now the farms keep getting bigger, they keep clearing more land, taking more water, producing more cow shit

If God didn't want us to eat cows, he wouldn't have made them out of beef.

and cholesterol induced health problems.

There oughta be a law, eh comrade?

 

[buttercup]

Do liberals have thought patterns or even thoughts

This is not a liberal or conservative issue. It's common sense, exactly as the OP said.

It is a fact that animal agriculture is horrible for the environment, in a number of ways. It is a fact that it's not sustainable. Please don't perpetuate the false stereotype that conservatives don't care about the environment.

Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with the "climate change" fearmongering, but there are so many other environmental issues that are actual problems, that are caused primarily by animal agriculture (which is completely unnecessary.) Forget politics, do the research and let the facts and truth lead, not preconceived misguided ideas on what you think conservatives or liberals are supposed to believe. Come on people, this knee-jerk blind partisanship is so lame and foolish.

 

[koshergrl]

Is it our place to leave a polluted, resource stripped world for our kids because we just had to have a Burger King on every corner? I'm not saying the gubmint shuts down the cattle industry.

I'm saying there ought to at least be competition through alternative crops and red meat substitutes that would lead to a reduction in the size of the cattle farms and the millions of gallons of water they consume and the tons of acrid cow shit they produce. Right now the farms keep getting bigger, they keep clearing more land, taking more water, producing more cow shit and cholesterol induced health problems.

Last I looked, it wasn't our rural areas that are polluted.

It's the cities.

Though since the government started torching things, that has changed somewhat.

 

[MarathonMike]

Is it our place to leave a polluted, resource stripped world for our kids because we just had to have a Burger King on every corner? I'm not saying the gubmint shuts down the cattle industry.

I'm saying there ought to at least be competition through alternative crops and red meat substitutes that would lead to a reduction in the size of the cattle farms and the millions of gallons of water they consume and the tons of acrid cow shit they produce. Right now the farms keep getting bigger, they keep clearing more land, taking more water, producing more cow shit and cholesterol induced health problems.

Last I looked, it wasn't our rural areas that are polluted.

It's the cities.

Though since the government started torching things, that has changed somewhat.

The cow farms North of Milwaukee are turning Lake Michigan into an open sewer. I'm sure that is not an isolated problem.

 

[koshergrl]

Is it our place to leave a polluted, resource stripped world for our kids because we just had to have a Burger King on every corner? I'm not saying the gubmint shuts down the cattle industry.

I'm saying there ought to at least be competition through alternative crops and red meat substitutes that would lead to a reduction in the size of the cattle farms and the millions of gallons of water they consume and the tons of acrid cow shit they produce. Right now the farms keep getting bigger, they keep clearing more land, taking more water, producing more cow shit and cholesterol induced health problems.

Last I looked, it wasn't our rural areas that are polluted.

It's the cities.

Though since the government started torching things, that has changed somewhat.

The cow farms North of Milwaukee are turning Lake Michigan into an open sewer. I'm sure that is not an isolated problem.

I'm pretty sure it is. Generally speaking, if a place is an open sewer, it means the feds have been there.
Do you have a link? Isn't Milwaukee a city? Perhaps you should address it as an urban issue, rather than a rural one. I'm not sure how attacking people in the Western United states is going to clean up the cess pools of the cities.

 

[buttercup]

Is it our place to leave a polluted, resource stripped world for our kids because we just had to have a Burger King on every corner? I'm not saying the gubmint shuts down the cattle industry.

I'm saying there ought to at least be competition through alternative crops and red meat substitutes that would lead to a reduction in the size of the cattle farms and the millions of gallons of water they consume and the tons of acrid cow shit they produce. Right now the farms keep getting bigger, they keep clearing more land, taking more water, producing more cow shit and cholesterol induced health problems.

Last I looked, it wasn't our rural areas that are polluted.

It's the cities.

Though since the government started torching things, that has changed somewhat.

The cow farms North of Milwaukee are turning Lake Michigan into an open sewer. I'm sure that is not an isolated problem.

I'm pretty sure it is. Generally speaking, if a place is an open sewer, it means the feds have been there.
Do you have a link?

A contaminated lake is not an isolated case at all. Unfortunately, it's becoming the reality. Think about the ridiculous amount of farm animals in existence (billions.) All of those animals create fecal waste (yes, shit. and urine.) On some big farms, that waste fills up entire lagoons, which often ends up polluting rivers or contaminating ground water. That pollution not only causes fish and other wildlife to die, but it causes sickness in nearby communities.








Also, the cattle industry and animal agriculture in general wastes crazy amounts of water and other resources.

Take a look at this site too: http://graphics.latimes.com/food-water-footprint/ It's interactive and eye-opening.


The bottom line is, mankind is trashing this planet that we're supposed to be stewards of. And animal agriculture is the leading cause of many of those environmental problems. Not only is it destructive to the planet, it's making people sick, and factory farming is pure evil. If you look into it, you'll see what I mean.

There's no doubt that eating less meat (or going vegan) is the best thing people can do for the environment, as you can see in the article below. It's time to set aside political stereotypes and think logically. If anyone claims to love animals and care about this world, the logical conclusion is to ditch meat and dairy. Especially when it's completely unnecessary. There is no nutritional need to eat animal flesh, and in fact numerous studies show that vegetarians and vegans are at a lower risk for heart disease, cancer and other diseases that have become far too common. So why support barbaric, outdated cruel industries that are destructive in a number of ways, when it's completely unnecessary and much better NOT to? These days there are a fast-growing number of plant-based alternatives that not only taste just as good (or better) but are healthier and of course don't involve the exploitation and torture of innocent animals. It's a win-win, in every way. Personally I think when one looks at the bigger picture and weighs all of it, they'd be a fool not to.

Avoiding meat and dairy is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth

 

[fncceo]

I am talking about an industry that can't continue growing with human population.

So... who do I have to kill to get my steak on?

 

[karpenter]

Bison Herds Stretched From Horizon To Horizon
Those Areas Of The Plains Are Still Sparsely Populated
So Space Isn't A Problem
Animal Husbandry Has Created More Space
For Crop Farming

The Bison Also Fed For Themselves
So Feed Isn't A Problem Either

 

[karpenter]

Is there a shortage of land?

No
N. America's Great Plains Are Tremendous
There's The Savannas Of Africa
And The Grasslands Of Central Asia Are Even Bigger
Australia...Sheep, Sheep, Sheep
They Raise Cattle And Pigs Too

These Animals Add Plenty Of Organic Material
To Other-Wise Barren Land
Increasing Top Soil Fertility
Human Waste Is A Bigger Health Problem
For Most People On Earth

Avoiding meat and dairy is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth

This Is Another Neurosis
You've Created For Yourselves
And Try To Force On Society At Large
Seek Help

 

[koshergrl]

Do liberals have thought patterns or even thoughts

This is not a liberal or conservative issue. It's common sense, exactly as the OP said.

It is a fact that animal agriculture is horrible for the environment, in a number of ways. It is a fact that it's not sustainable. Please don't perpetuate the false stereotype that conservatives don't care about the environment.

Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with the "climate change" fearmongering, but there are so many other environmental issues that are actual problems, that are caused primarily by animal agriculture (which is completely unnecessary.) Forget politics, do the research and let the facts and truth lead, not preconceived misguided ideas on what you think conservatives or liberals are supposed to believe. Come on people, this knee-jerk blind partisanship is so lame and foolish.

That explains why our rural areas are such cesspools...

Oh wait a minute..they AREN'T.

 

[Darkwind]

There needs to be a concerted effort to reduce beef and dairy consumption and the farms that raise them. I like a good steak as much as anyone but it takes way too much land, water and feed to produce a pound of steak. Add to that the negative affects on the environment and health. This article is a good summary of the many downsides of the cattle industry. No one wants to hurt farmers, but the trajectory has to change. We need smaller cattle farms and more meat alternatives. I don't see this as a political issue, it seems more to be a common sense issue.

10 Reasons Why the Meat and Dairy Industry Is Unsustainable | Care2 Causes

/---/ Go enjoy a tofu burger and leave us alone.

I don't like tofu anymore than you. I am talking about an industry that can't continue growing with human population.

It can, and will.

 

[Blues Man]

Is it our place to leave a polluted, resource stripped world for our kids because we just had to have a Burger King on every corner? I'm not saying the gubmint shuts down the cattle industry.

I'm saying there ought to at least be competition through alternative crops and red meat substitutes that would lead to a reduction in the size of the cattle farms and the millions of gallons of water they consume and the tons of acrid cow shit they produce. Right now the farms keep getting bigger, they keep clearing more land, taking more water, producing more cow shit and cholesterol induced health problems.

There are alternatives and you are completely free to avail yourself of any of them.

 

[buttercup]

Do liberals have thought patterns or even thoughts

This is not a liberal or conservative issue. It's common sense, exactly as the OP said.

It is a fact that animal agriculture is horrible for the environment, in a number of ways. It is a fact that it's not sustainable. Please don't perpetuate the false stereotype that conservatives don't care about the environment.

Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with the "climate change" fearmongering, but there are so many other environmental issues that are actual problems, that are caused primarily by animal agriculture (which is completely unnecessary.) Forget politics, do the research and let the facts and truth lead, not preconceived misguided ideas on what you think conservatives or liberals are supposed to believe. Come on people, this knee-jerk blind partisanship is so lame and foolish.

That explains why our rural areas are such cesspools...

Oh wait a minute..they AREN'T.

If you had read my second post, it was clear I was mainly talking about big industrial agriculture, not small farms. Don't ignore the bigger picture because you want to focus on the cute little mom and pop farm. That's being willfully blind.

 

[MarathonMike]

Do liberals have thought patterns or even thoughts

This is not a liberal or conservative issue. It's common sense, exactly as the OP said.

It is a fact that animal agriculture is horrible for the environment, in a number of ways. It is a fact that it's not sustainable. Please don't perpetuate the false stereotype that conservatives don't care about the environment.

Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with the "climate change" fearmongering, but there are so many other environmental issues that are actual problems, that are caused primarily by animal agriculture (which is completely unnecessary.) Forget politics, do the research and let the facts and truth lead, not preconceived misguided ideas on what you think conservatives or liberals are supposed to believe. Come on people, this knee-jerk blind partisanship is so lame and foolish.

That explains why our rural areas are such cesspools...

Oh wait a minute..they AREN'T.

If you had read my second post, it was clear I was mainly talking about big industrial agriculture, not small farms. Don't ignore the bigger picture because you want to focus on the cute little mom and pop farm. That's being willfully blind.

There is a lot of willful blindness going with the cattle industry. The negatives are easy to overlook because the data is very difficult to ascertain:
a. How much water do cattle farms REALLY use?
b. How much cattle waste is REALLY produced?
c. How much of cattle waste makes it into streams, rivers, and lakes?
d. How much 'cattle produced methane' pollutes our air?
e. How much grain do they REALLY consume?
f. How much more water does Alfalfa take to grow than other grains?
g. How many and what kind of drugs are injected into the cattle?
h. How unhealthy is cow meat to consume?
i. How many trees per year in foreign countries are being cleared for cattle ranches?

The answer is no one really knows. What is undeniable is that ALL of those negatives taken together are enough to make an effort to reduce cattle head count and acreage of cattle farms and grow more alternative livestock, crops or develop read meat substitutes. It isn't an all or nothing proposition.

 

[buttercup]

There needs to be a concerted effort to reduce beef and dairy consumption and the farms that raise them. I like a good steak as much as anyone but it takes way too much land, water and feed to produce a pound of steak. Add to that the negative affects on the environment and health. This article is a good summary of the many downsides of the cattle industry. No one wants to hurt farmers, but the trajectory has to change. We need smaller cattle farms and more meat alternatives. I don't see this as a political issue, it seems more to be a common sense issue.

10 Reasons Why the Meat and Dairy Industry Is Unsustainable | Care2 Causes

/---/ Go enjoy a tofu burger and leave us alone.

I don't like tofu anymore than you. I am talking about an industry that can't continue growing with human population.

It can, and will.

Actually, people are waking up, en masse, to all the negatives (and there are many) of the animal industries in general, and more and more people are going vegan everyday. So, I'm sorry but you're just wrong. All those industries are slowly dying. Not just meat and dairy, but also things like fur, products tested on animals, etc. It's all about supply and demand. There is less demand for those things the more people learn about what actually goes on, and there is a fast growing demand for vegan or cruelty-free products.

Got Milk? A Tale Of Two Cities
White gold: the unstoppable rise of alternative milks
Vegan Statistics: Why The Global Rise in Plant-Based Eating Isn’t A Fad

I think a lot of this has to do with the internet, because it has exposed so many things that decades ago people simply didn't see. So thank God for the internet!

I know that right now this is a very unpopular position to hold around here, but veganism is the future. Not only can we see that happening with our own eyes, it's also the future from a biblical perspective (Isaiah 11:6-9, Hosea 2:18, etc.)

 

[MarathonMike]

Truth be told I am not a vegan and I don't think I could ever be. I consume a lot less beef and milk than I used to, but I still love a good steak or hamburger. As I said before it doesn't have to be an all or nothing proposition. We can have a smaller, more efficient, less polluting cattle industry along with meat and milk alternatives.

 

[Yarddog]

There needs to be a concerted effort to reduce beef and dairy consumption and the farms that raise them. I like a good steak as much as anyone but it takes way too much land, water and feed to produce a pound of steak. Add to that the negative affects on the environment and health. This article is a good summary of the many downsides of the cattle industry. No one wants to hurt farmers, but the trajectory has to change. We need smaller cattle farms and more meat alternatives. I don't see this as a political issue, it seems more to be a common sense issue.

10 Reasons Why the Meat and Dairy Industry Is Unsustainable | Care2 Causes

/---/ Go enjoy a tofu burger and leave us alone.

I don't like tofu anymore than you. I am talking about an industry that can't continue growing with human population.

Lamb is a good alternative. I know a lot of people dont like it, however you could probably mix ground lamb with ground beef to make the beef go a lot further.

 

[Yarddog]

There needs to be a concerted effort to reduce beef and dairy consumption and the farms that raise them. I like a good steak as much as anyone but it takes way too much land, water and feed to produce a pound of steak. Add to that the negative affects on the environment and health. This article is a good summary of the many downsides of the cattle industry. No one wants to hurt farmers, but the trajectory has to change. We need smaller cattle farms and more meat alternatives. I don't see this as a political issue, it seems more to be a common sense issue.

10 Reasons Why the Meat and Dairy Industry Is Unsustainable | Care2 Causes

it takes way too much land, water and feed to produce a pound of steak.

Is there a shortage of land?

Well the federal government owns/ controls like 80 % of the land in Nevada. maybe we should recoup some of that, of course the problem might be mostly water. Maybe we just need to raise thinner cows.

 

[MarathonMike]

We had venison taco meat the other night and it was great. My sons who are major carnivores couldn't believe it wasn't beef.