Is eating meat un-American?

 

An article in yesterday’s New York Times warned that climate change is a threat to U.S. security. According to experts at the Pentagon and intelligence agencies, climate-induced crises could “topple governments, feed terrorist movements or destabilize entire regions.”

Reducing one’s carbon footprint has become a patriotic imperative. And given the negative impact of animal farming, can Americans justify eating meat and other animal foods?

In 1971, Frances Moore Lappé published her now classic Diet for a Small Planet. Dr Lappé got some things about nutrition wrong (she later corrected them), but the basic premise has stood the test of time. Her pioneering work showed that production of animal food is far too wasteful to be sustainable. She coined the phrase “protein factory in reverse” to describe the inefficiency with which animals convert grains and soy to meat, dairy and eggs. Simply put, there are more calories and protein in the grain and soy fed to animals than in the meat, dairy and eggs produced. That’s because much of what farm animals eat is excreted, used for energy, or utilized to grow body parts that are not consumed.

In order to produce the huge amounts of grain and soy for farm animals, vast tracts of forest throughout the world are being rapidly cleared. The effect on global warming is significant as these carbon dioxide-absorbing trees disappear. Meat production also takes far more than its share of fossil fuels, and global warming is also impacted by belches and manure from farm animals.

The National Intelligence Council recently concluded that the effects of a warming planet could create repeated relief emergencies that would tax the U.S. military resulting in a “strained readiness posture.” Retired Marine Gen. Anthony C. Zinni, who is a member of a military advisory board on energy and climate for the Navy warned: “We will pay to reduce greenhouse gas emissions today…or we will pay the price later in military terms.”

Every American should feel obligated to make all possible lifestyle changes to reduce global warming. It is clearly in our national interest to do so. Diet is among the most significant opportunities for having an impact. The best way to show your commitment to America’s future? Go vegan.