top of page

The Meat Atlas?

Gradient Ocean

Al Rezoski

Jun 17, 2022

Belgium and Germany

Categories:

Food, Agriculture, Climate Change, Environment, Health

The Meat Atlas is a comprehensive statistical document and atlas that summarizes issues and trends related to meat consumption. It is jointly published by Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Berlin, Germany, Friends of the Earth Europe, Brussels, Belgium and Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz, Berlin, Germany. The latest edition is 2021.


Have you ever wondered which country has the highest per capita consumption of meat and which one has the lowest per capita consumption of meat? You might think that the country with the highest per capita meat consumption is the great beef producer Argentina which has a culture of daily beef consumption. It isn't. The United States has by far the highest per capita consumption of meat. There is a strong correlation between high income per capita and large per capita meat consumption. By comparison, India has the lowest per capita meat consumption at the other end of the scale.


The Meat Atlas 2021 is a comprehensive site on meat consumption worldwide. Did you know that one billion people earn their living by keeping livestock? This employment ranges from nature-friendly animal husbandry to industrialized agriculture. (Did you know that almost two-thirds of the world's 600 million small livestock farmers are female? Industrialized agriculture disproportionately affects their ability to continue their livelihood.)


Livestock production damages the environment, ranging from wide-scale forest land clearance to excessive water consumption. Producers of fodder crops (crops used to feed livestock) are among the most significant users of pesticides globally.


University of Colorado studies have determined that "Animal agriculture produces 65% of the world's nitrous oxide emissions which has a global warming impact 296 times greater than carbon dioxide. Raising livestock for human consumption generates nearly 15% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, which is greater than all the transportation emissions combined."


The Meat Atlas outlines what will be needed in the future to offset the environmental and climate change impacts created by meat production. Shifting our consumption patterns to plant-based foods can make a tremendous, positive impact.


Most people in the world eat one to three meals daily, and changing how we eat is the most significant day-to-day change we can make. And it is much easier than you think. In your local community, consider working with your local community center to set up vegetarian cooking classes, food demonstrations, and cooking competitions. Plant-based cooking can open your eyes to a new world of colors, tastes, and smells. Bring your ethnic communities together and learn from each other. Publish a community cookbook. Explore options with your local restaurants to expand their menu choices to include more plant-based options.


Consider too, eating more organic foods, if possible, to lower the demand for pesticides. Community gardening is another venture that works well with with plant-based cooking events. There are several articles in im4u.world's Global Forum and blog that can help you get started.


Finally, have some fun with it all. It's a great way to bring your community together, learn from each other, and travel the globe with your tastebuds without leaving home.

Source:

Source:

Where_in_the_world_is_Syria_.png

Catalog #:

0522.103.01.061722

bottom of page