I’m not going to debate the ethics of eating animal products. I believe that’s a personal decision. The impact on the planet, however, is truly something to think about.
Even here in Ecuador, the destruction of the rain forest can feel like it’s too far away to worry about. The climate is wonderful, the air is clean. The loss of biodiversity really hasn’t affected us. Yet.
However, I’m hoping that the majority of us do care about other humans, so let’s take a few minutes to look at how livestock farming affects the planet and the global food supply.
In order to keep this relatively simple (and to really emphasize the point), I’m going to focus on beef. It’s really the worst in terms of wasting resources and creating pollution.
Resources
Most cattle are raised on grass until they’re almost ready for market. At that point, the cattle are fed grain to make them fatter. This mixed diet leads to: 1) destruction of the rain forest, and 2) poor use of resources.
As I mentioned above, it’s hard for most people to realize the effects of deforestation. Instead, let’s take a few moments to look at how we’re using our resources. I think this approach really helps us to understand the problem.
Raising grain for a single cow takes about a hectare (2.5 acres) of land and two years. Unfortunately, most of what the cow eats goes to keeping the cow alive, not to producing edible meat. It turns out that one cow will provide only about 2100 100-gram servings. Each 100-gram serving provides about 30 grams of protein.
If you used those same resources to grow food for humans, the picture changes dramatically. Let’s use soybeans for comparison. To get the same 30 grams of protein, you’d need about 170 grams of cooked soybeans. A hectare of land and two years of time will therefore produce from 21,000 to 37,000 servings. That’s a wide range, I know. It’s dependent on the variety of soybean and the growing environment, but it’s at least ten times the number of servings!
Beef: 1 hectare over 2 years = 2100 servings of 30 grams of protein.
Soybeans: 1 hectare over 2 years = 21,000 to 37,000 servings of 30 grams of protein.
These numbers are approximate because a lot depends on the cut of meat or the variety of soybean, but even so the difference is astonishing. According to one estimate, if the world cut back just one half of our beef consumption, we could feed FOUR BILLION MORE PEOPLE. That’s half the planet’s population! No one would ever need to go hungry.
Pollution
In addition to wasting resources, livestock farming causes a lot of pollution. Ruminants like cattle, sheep, and goats release methane both during and after digestion. The chart below lists resource use and pollution production for a variety of protein-rich foods.
Environmental impact per 100 g protein (approximate global averages)
| Food | Greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO₂-eq) | Land use (m²·year) | Water use (liters) | Overall impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef (beef cattle) | 50–70 | 150–200 | ~15,000 | 🔴 Extremely high |
| Lamb / mutton | 40–60 | 120–150 | ~10,000 | 🔴 Extremely high |
| Cheese | 20–25 | 40–50 | ~5,000 | 🔴 Very high |
| Pork | 7–12 | 15–20 | ~4,000 | 🟠 Moderate |
| Chicken | 5–6 | 8–10 | ~3,000 | 🟢 Lower |
| Eggs | 4–5 | 6–8 | ~3,000 | 🟢 Lower |
| Farmed fish (salmon, trout) | 4–6 | 4–6 | ~2,000–3,000 | 🟢 Lower |
| Beans, lentils, peas | 1–2 | 3–4 | ~500 | 🟢 Very low |
| Tofu / soy protein | 2–3 | 2–3 | ~400 | 🟢 Very low |
As you can see, beef and lamb use extraordinary amounts of resources and produce high amounts of greenhouse gases. Goat wasn’t listed on this chart but would fall somewhere near lamb. At the other end of the spectrum, plant-based proteins use relatively small amounts of resources and produce very little pollution.
It’s also worth mentioning that plant-based proteins can be dried and stored safely for years, while animal-based proteins usually need to be kept refrigerated or frozen, using even more resources. (Yes, there’s dried meat but the salt and chemicals make this a less-healthful choice.)
Conclusion and Recommendations
So that’s it. That’s my lecture. If you enjoy meat, I’m not gonna judge. Although I eat mostly plant-based foods, I do eat animal products sometimes. But please at least consider replacing some of the meat in your diet with plant-based proteins. It’s not only better for your own health, it’s also better for the planet as a whole, and for your fellow human beings.