Eating meat can have disastrous consequences. Fortunately, vegetarian opportunities abound on campus.
It’s no secret that the American people love their meat and aren’t willing to give it up. We consume 50 billion burgers a year, and that’s beef, not soy. Regardless of what it does to our ever-expanding waistlines, there’s another very compelling reason to swap steak for salad: there’s too much cow manure in this country.
If you’re feeling vaguely disgusted, you should be. The 2015 cow inventory in the United States totaled nearly 90 million cattle and calves. That insurmountable number means an equally insurmountable pile of, well, excrement. Farm animals produce 500 million tons of it per year.
And huge amounts of waste can’t just be thrown away. What ultimately ends up happening is overflow into waterways. This produces dangerous amounts of E. coli bacteria, Salmonella and invasive algae blooms that destroy entire aquatic ecosystems.
Still not in the mood for Meatless Monday? Well, it gets worse. Vice News reports that in towns with a high concentration of feedlots, like the coast-bordering counties in North Carolina, the stink of 10 million pigs pervades the actual air people breathe.
Sure, we don’t have those issues here in Athens. But I personally can’t come to terms with the environment impact of factory farming, which also contributes to greenhouse gases, land degradation and loss of biodiversity.
For example, we all know that carbon dioxide is bad for the environment. But did you know that livestock accounts for 18 percent of emissions? Then there’s methane, which is 21 times more harmful than CO2, and is largely expelled in, well, cow flatulence.
This is the main reason I’m a vegetarian and have dabbled in veganism. It’s not a lifestyle choice for everybody, but we can all play our part by cutting out meat and animal products every once in a while.
Here on campus, it can be understandably difficult to find any palatable options, let alone meatless ones. And yet, Ohio University has been consistently ranked as a top vegan school in People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ yearly competitions.
Plus, if you’ve been to the new Boyd dining hall, you’d have noticed a greener look and feel with tons of vegan and vegetarian options. Beyond campus dining, in-town eateries like Casa Nueva have animal-friendly fare for anyone to enjoy.
Despite all this, most people I’ve encountered are extremely hesitant to alter their eating habits. To some extent, I empathize. Tofu can be terrifying, and the urge to just eat a burger is often overwhelming.
I’m not suggesting a complete dietary overhaul, but diversifying your palate is more than just environmentally conscious. It’s good for you, too. And the options are legitimately limitless. You can try meat substitutes if you’re feeling adventurous, or just keep things simple with pizza and pasta. I will honestly say I can avoid salads and veggies and stay a vegetarian. Plus, most of the snacks I have shoved under my bed are vegan, too. Oreos, anyone?
Kat Tenbarge is a freshman majoring in journalism and environmental studies. What environmental issues do you think demand attention? Tweet her @katsappho or email her at kt154714@ohio.edu.
