"Crazy Title? After reading this post, please comment what you think! All criticism welcome."When I hear the word animal rights, I think of non-human animals being separated from exploitation to satisfy a human desire. This thought of animal rights, however does not simply benefit non-human animals but also, benefits humans. Most individuals have encountered an animal lover, animal rights activist, or vegan/vegetarian. The actions of an animal rights activist, environmentalist, and humanitarian can all work in tandem. You may be amazed to know that animal rights are linked to many other ethical issues. Animal rights are human rights because of its impact on climate change, hunger, health ailments, and resource depletion affecting humans quality of life.
Climate change is a huge area of concern for the majority of the world because of its effects on keystone species, weather, harvests, methane in permafrost, and much more. To combat climate change most think of driving less or turning off the lights, but have you ever thought about the impact of what you put on your plate? What we have on our plates may impact the world we live in more than we think. Currently 18% of the world carbon emissions come from animal agriculture, more than the transportation sector (Koneswaran et al. 578). So eating a burger has a bigger impact than driving a car? Why does animal agriculture have such a big impact? Well, cows have to release gas from all of the grass, and that gas is methane. Methane is a gas 23 times more potent than CO2 (FAO). Not only is the gas a threat to our planet, the deforestation is too. Trees are not only important to your everyday “tree hugger”, they provide medicine to those in need, shelter for wildlife, and purification of groundwater and rivers. Deforestation, is also a concern considering trees help transform greenhouse gasses that promote climate change into oxygen but “70 percent of former forests in the Amazon have been turned over to grazing” (FAO). These greenhouse gases are a large threat, and emissions emitted by agriculture are predicted to increase by 80% in 2050 (Tilman et al. 515). If the demand of animal products were to decline, an 80% increase of greenhouse gasses in 2050 could be avoided. The effects of animal agriculture on climate change can impact every living being on the planet (especially people in developing countries). Not only could animal agriculture effect our climate, it could address hunger. I am sure we have all heard “World hunger” at a beauty pageant, but what about at our table? Most Americans see meat as simply a source of protein, but it can be much more. In a population of 7.4 billion people, currently around 56 billion animals are raised for slaughter in the United States (USDA 2017). In the US 70% of grain is fed to the livestock people then eat (Koneswaran et al. 2018). We could feed “800 million people” with the grain we feed to livestock (Cornell 1997). So we feed 70% of our grain to 56 billion animals eaten every year in America and we still have world hunger? Well, I am sure there is a reason! Maybe animal products take up less land to produce? It turns out, 45% of the land on earth is used for animal agriculture (Thornton et al. 2011). So, how does animal agriculture take up so much land? Well, every cow needs around five acres of land for grazing (McBride et al. 2011). Sadly, It can take over 15 pounds of grain to make a pound of meat (Gold 2004). Along with animal agriculture land degradation and climate change, we inevitably will face species extinction. The extinction of one species could affect more than we could imagine. At times, one single species (though they could seem to be of small value) could collapse all ecosystem services and food webs that it contributes to. In ecology this is called a keystone species and it “controls the environment and thereby determines the other species that can survive in its presence” (O'Neill 333). Examples of a species that are given a small value to humanity are ants. Yes ants! Without ants eating larvae we would have more deadly parasites from flies and fleas in select countries. Much like ants, there are multiple other species that affect humans directly. The loss of keystone species would be a loss to the human species and the exponential rate of deforestation and climate change could make that loss a reality. Not only are the impacts of animal agriculture felt on land, our oceans could be impacted too. Though trees are extremely important to human and nonhuman life, the ocean provides more than we could imagine for mankind. The ocean is the reason we breathe, eat, and even set foot on land. Currently the ocean supplies up to 50% of the oxygen we breath, and it’s all thanks to phytoplankton (NASA). Due to climate change we are seeing a loss in chlorophyll, and as a result phytoplankton who rely on this nutrients, by climate change warming surface waters where most phytoplankton are found (NASA). Not only is climate change affecting the levels of chlorophyll in ocean waters, it is affecting ocean acidification and killing coral reefs, a habitat for many organisms (Anthony 1799). Not only are coral reefs a habitat for many organisms, they are also a large part of coastal economies, supplying a revenue of $36 billion (Ullman). Climate change affects marine life tremendously, as well as overfishing. Not only are keystone species on land in danger, those in the ocean are as well. Imagine a world without fish, dolphins, or whales. Currently scientists found that “up to twice as many fisheries for small, low trophic-level species have collapsed compared with those for large predators” and “even temporary collapses of small, low trophic-level fishes can have ecosystem-wide impacts by reducing food supply to larger fish, seabirds, and marine mammals” (Pinsky 8317). Sense I have discussed keystone species, I am sure you understand the importance of even the small fish on the population of fish as a whole. Not only are small fisheries seeing a loss in yield, now “90% of large predatory fish stocks are gone” (Avise). Knowing that “overfishing is one of the most serious conservation concerns in marine ecosystems,” would you lower your consumption of fish (Pinskey 8317)? Along with the numerous environmental impacts, there are some human health aliments correlated with the consumption of animals. Though there is a lot of research on this subject, I will focus on the correlation of animal consumption with cancer, antibiotics, heart disease, and protein. Antibiotics have saved many lives, but are there any harmful effects sourced from the use of antibiotics? More antibiotics are used on farmed animals in America then people, and those random antibiotics are finding their way into streams, our water, and in our bodies (GPO). As a result of this overexposure to these antibiotics, the development of antibiotic resistant viruses, parasites, and bacteria are growing (GPO). Eventually, our common medicine will be stripped of its effective use with the addition of antibiotics finding their way into our environment. Cancer is a word that many people fear, and some have conquered. Though there are billions of dollars going into cancer research, cancer is something that still haunts the families of Americans today. Though cancer causes many of people devastation, some feed themselves and even their children carcinogens everyday unknowingly. American favorites such as bacon, sandwich meats, any processed meat, are classified as group one carcinogens just like cigarettes (WHO). On top of cancer, we have heart disease as the number one killer in America (CDC) and being plant based has a strong correlation with prevention of heart disease (Snowdon 490). A large concern for nutrients, such as protein, in the absence of meat can deter some from leaving meat off their plate. Thankfully you can let go of the group one carcinogens like bacon, because now there are numerous different alternatives (such as soy protein isolate, spirulina, tofu, sesame flour, lupins etc.), some of which have more protein than beef (USDA)! Animal rights are important to most individuals in America. We pamper our dogs, cats, hamsters, etc. and have even created laws to protect them... but not all. Farmed animals do not have protection from cruelty in America (NALC). So why do we allow cruelty upon some animals and not others. I am sure some people think, “one is food and one is a pet” but does this justify cruelty? Let's take a look at the Chinese dog festival, to the Chinese, dogs are seen as food and not pets, but does that justify the cruelty? It all boils down to culture, and whether or not you are able to choose a different path than society. Usually when an individual finds himself or herself practicing something outside of a social norm, it is because they have morals that justify their actions. An example of this is slavery. Slavery was legal for hundreds of years, but we now know that this does not make it moral. Though we have been eating meat for thousands of years, does that make it moral? My short answer to this is no. Americans, do not eat meat for survival. Most Americans have supermarkets in every state, filled with a plethora of fruits, vegetables, and legumes while some people in other countries don’t even have fresh drinking water. Maybe your answer for eating meat is because we are omnivores? Well humans and frugivores/herbivores both have prehensile hands, rudimentary canines, flattened molars, large salivary glands, alkaline saliva, have weak hydrochloric acid, intestines 9 times body length, have long colons, and digest food from 12 to 18 hours, unlike omnivores (Roberts 139). Most Americans choose to consume meat because of culture, taste, and convenience. Do you feel that these are worth the devastation that animal agriculture causes human and non-human animals? After obtaining all of this information I realized animal rights can effects more than cows, dogs, chickens, or rats, it could effects humans too! The result of our exponential consumption of animal products may cause us more harm than we know, morally and/or physically. Some of these effects are the result of animal agricultures correlation to deforestation, land degradation, climate change, hunger, health ailments, species extinction, and resource depletion. So, with everything said, are animal rights really human rights?
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BackgroundWhat we eat has a bigger impact than just our health, or paycheck. What we eat has an impact on the world and every purchase counts. Who knew your plate could shape the world?
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