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- Should people become vegetarians and/or vegans for the sake of the environment?

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Americans eat an average of 58 pounds of beef, 96 pounds of chicken, and 52 pounds of pork, per person, per year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Vegetarians, about 5% of the US adult population, do not eat meat (including poultry and seafood). The percentage of Americans who identify as vegetarian has remained steady for two decades. 11% of those who identify as liberal follow a vegetarian diet, compared to 2% of conservatives.

Many proponents of vegetarianism say that eating meat harms health, wastes resources, and creates pollution. They often argue that killing animals for food is cruel and unethical since non-animal food sources are plentiful.

Many opponents of a vegetarian diet say that meat consumption is healthful and humane, and that producing vegetables causes many of the same environmental problems as producing meat. They also argue that humans have been eating and enjoying meat for 2.3 million years. Read more background...

Pro & Con Arguments

Pro 1

It is cruel and unethical to kill animals for food when vegetarian options are available, especially because raising animals in confinement for slaughter is cruel, and many animals in the United States are not slaughtered humanely.

Animals are sentient beings that have emotions and social connections. Scientific studies show that cattle, pigs, chickens, and all warm-blooded animals can experience stress, pain, and fear. In 2017, the United States slaughtered a total of 170.5 million animals for food, including 33.7 million cows, 9.2 million chickens, 124.5 million pigs, and 2.4 million sheep. These animals should not have to die painfully and fearfully to satisfy an unnecessary dietary preference.
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Pro 2

A vegetarian diet is more healthful than a carnivorous diet.

According to the USDA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, meat is not an essential part of a healthy diet. Studies have linked heme iron found in red meat with an increased risk of colorectal, stomach, and esophageal cancers. Vegetarian sources of iron like leafy greens and beans contain non-heme iron.

A vegetarian diet reduces overuse of antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics in CAFOs causes antibiotic resistant bacteria to develop, which may endanger human health.
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Pro 3

A vegetarian diet is better for the environment.
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Pro 4

Eating fish is not more ethical, environmentally sound, or healthful than eating other animal protein sources.
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Pro 5

A vegetarian diet lowers risk of diseases.

A vegetarian diet reduces the chances of developing kidney stones and gallstones. Diets high in animal protein cause the body to excrete calcium, oxalate, and uric acid-the main components of kidney stones and gallstones.
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Pro 7

Human anatomy has evolved to support a primarily vegetarian diet.

Carnivores have large mouths with pointed teeth, short intestines (three to six times body length), and their livers can detoxify the excess vitamin A absorbed from meat. Human teeth are short and flat, we have long intestines (10-11 times body length), and our livers cannot detoxify excess vitamin A.
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Con 1

Eating meat is natural, not cruel or unethical.
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Con 2

Vegetarian diets are not necessarily better for the environment.

Almost 100 million acres of farmland in the Corn Belt (about a third of the total farmland in the area) has lost all topsoil due to erosion, reducing corn and soybean yields by 6%, which is an almost $6 billion loss for farmers. The erosion also pollutes nearby waterways.

Vegetarian diets can cause the death of animals too. According to a 2003 study by Steven Davis at Oregon State University, about six animals per acre, or 52-77% of the animals (such as birds, mice, and rabbits) that live in agricultural crop fields, are killed during harvest.

Further, it is not necessary to become vegetarian to lower our environmental footprint. Some vegetarians eat an unhealthy diet, drive SUVs, and consume eggs and dairy products produced at factory farms (CAFOs). Some meat eaters use solar panels, ride bikes, grow their own vegetables, and eat free-range organic meat. All of a person's actions make a difference-not just a single act such as eating meat.
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Con 3

Eating meat is part of a healthful diet.

Meat is the most convenient protein source available. In one serving, meat provides all the essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein), as well as essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, and B vitamins. Most plant foods do not provide adequate levels of all the essential amino acids in a single serving.
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Con 4

A diet that includes meat does not raise risk of disease.

Lean red meat, eaten in moderation, can be a healthful part of a balanced diet. According to researchers at the British Nutrition Foundation, "there is no evidence" that moderate consumption of unprocessed lean red meat has any negative health effects.
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Con 5

A diet that includes fish provides the body with essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Fish are a powerful source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA which are important for brain function, lowering triglycerides, and reducing the risk of death from heart attacks and strokes.

Although the omega-3 fatty acid ALA can be found in plant oils, the ALA must first be converted by the body into the essential EPA and DHA. The process is inefficient and may not provide the same cardiovascular benefits as eating fish.
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Con 6

Vegetarians do not live longer.

This myth stems from the fact that vegetarians tend to be more health conscious overall, eating a more balanced diet, exercising more, and smoking less than the general population.

When a study from the German Cancer Research Center compared health conscious meat eaters with vegetarians, there was no difference in overall mortality rates.
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Con 7

Humans are omnivores and have evolved to consume even more meat.

Evidence shows our taste buds evolved to crave meat's savory flavor.
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Proponents of vegetarianism say it is cruel and unethical to kill animals for food. Opponents say humans are natural omnivores.

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- Are humans responsible for Climate Change?

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Is Human Activity Responsible for Climate Change? 13 Pros and Cons

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The pro side argues the rising levels of greenhouse gases is from burning fossil fuels, the con side argues the planet is capable of absorbing those increases.

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- Can fossil fuels truly be replaced by more sustainable & earth-friendly options?

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Whether alternative energies such as renewable energies biofuels, hydrogen, solar, and geothermal, or the non-renewable nuclear energy can meet energy demands better than finite fossil fuels such as oil and coal remains hotly debated.

Proponents of alternative energy argue that fossil fuels are inefficient, unsustainable, environmentally destructive, and the primary contributor to global climate change. They say renewable energies are a viable and immediately needed alternative to fossil fuel use that could boost the US economy and reduce reliance on foreign energy sources.

Opponents contend that many technological hurdles have to be overcome before alternative energy can replace even a small portion of the power provided by fossil fuels. They say that fossil fuels will last hundreds of years longer, be made increasingly efficient, remain the most economical choice, and that reliance on inefficient alternative energies will hurt the economy.

PROS & CONS BY CATEGORY

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Alternative and Renewable Energies - Pros & Cons - ProCon.org

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The pros and cons of the alternative and renewable energies debate include arguments for and against solar, wind, and nuclear powers.

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- a problem in the world that may be caused by lots of different factors that are hard to control
- a topic about which many people have strong, conflicting opinions
- an issue for which there are many different possible solutions