Ecological Reasons

DEFORESTATION

Deforestation is one of the major problems for the earth's ecological system. By destroying the forest we are disturbing the water cycle, causing droughts, causing the extinction of rare animals and insects, and causing other animals to leave their homes, ruining the local eco system. An area of forest equal to 20 rugby fields is lost every minute. According to a report by Friends of the Earth, as much as 80 percent of global deforestation is caused by conversion of forests into agricultural land.

Forests act as a major carbon store because carbon dioxide (CO2) is taken up from the atmosphere and used to produce the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins that make up the tree. When forests are cleared, and the trees are either burnt or rot, this carbon is released as CO2. This leads to an increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration. CO2 is the major contributor to the greenhouse effect. It is estimated that deforestation contributes one-third of all CO2 releases caused by people.

One-third of terrestrial environments are covered by forests. Half of these are tropical forests which are believed to house more that half of the planet's net primary productivity and half of all identified species. Deforestation at its current rate is causing mass extinction of hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of plant and animal species. If the current trend continues, one-quarter of the world's species may be extinct within the next 25 years.

WATER POLLUTIONFROM FARMS

“My estimation of contaminated water caused by livestock surpasses that of humans by ten times as much, and three times more than industrial pollution.”says Philip Kapleau. “millions of hectares of jungle and forest are destroyed each year, and then converted into pastures and crops exclusively for feeding animals.” "More than half of the water in the World is consumed by livestock. In order to produce one kilo (.26 lbs.) of meat, more than 20,000 liters (5,284 gls) of water is necessary, but to make one kilo of wheat it only takes 227 liters (60 gls), and one kilo of rice is only 454 liters (120gls)."

Each second 125 tons of waste is generated from the meat industry. the disposal of the waste leads to the contamination of rivers and produces toxic gases like ammonia, methanol and carbon dioxide, contaminating the atmosphere, and affecting the ozone layer by contributing to the greenhouse effect (global warming).

WATER POLLUTION KILLS FISH

Excess nitrate from heavy fertilizer use and farm slurry pollutes drinking water supplies and kills life in rivers. Nancy Stoner, director of NRDC's Clean Water Project says that the over overflow of manure from feedlots into lakes and river is killing fish, wildlife, and is a major threat to public health for the residents that live around factory farms or get their water from these lakes and rivers. "The scope and severity of these pollution problems underscore the need for stronger federal and state regulation."

From 1995 to 1998, 250 manure spills in the five Midwest states bordering the upper Mississippi River killed more than 3.3 million fish. Midwest manure spills and factory farm runoff also contribute significantly to the "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico.

"We urge the EPA to close the loopholes that allow factory farms to turn our rivers and lakes into manure sewers," says Merritt Frey of the Clean Water Network. "It's time to bring this industry into the 21st century and protect Americans from feedlot pollution."