Ripple Effect
It takes billions of years for a planet to develop an environment suitable for life. Such an environment relies on the coexistence and cooperation of diverse organisms to build a balanced ecology. In this environment, all plants, animals, mountains, rivers and oceans have their own meaning of existence. Therefore, the relationship between humankind and nature is inseparable. Human activities deeply affect environmental ecology, and the environmental ecology is also crucial to the survival of human beings.
Human activity cannot be cut off from the nature as an independent event. Each action of each person is like a small stone. When this small stone is thrown into the water, the ripple formed will gradually spread and become bigger and bigger with the small stone as the center. The more people take the same action, the greater the ripple effect. One of the most impactful aspects of human activity on nature is the choice of diet. The impact of billions of people eating meat has already become so great that it is now the critical juncture of destruction of humankind.
Forests, lakes and seas are the native habitats of various species in nature. Each specie has its own reason and mission for being on Earth. The air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat must be recycled, purified, and provided by rich and diverse species in nature’s ecosystem. There are currently more than 7 billion people on Earth. According to the forecast of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in 2017, the global population will reach 9.8 billion by 2050. Eating and drinking is an indispensable activity for people every day. And so many people choose to eat meat, setting up the following vicious cycle of dominoes: to eat meat, animals must bred; to raise them, land and space must be acquired; to acquire land and space, forests, lakes and seas must be destroyed.
Environmental Dominoes
The environmental cost of choosing a meat-eating diet is not an independent event, but a domino effect. When the environmental load reaches a critical point, the environmental system will collapse uncontrollably like the domino effect detonated. However, as long as we change our dietary choice, the environment will be also rejuvenating and recovering like dominoes as well.
If the dietary choice is purely plant based, the agricultural area will be greatly decreased. The land and space occupied can be returned to nature, allowing a diversity of species to inhabit. There will be enough food for the whole global population if the planted fruits, vegetables and grains are not used to feed livestock. Then occurrences of famines, disasters, and epidemics would be significantly reduced. Every country will be able to save large amounts of money in the budget and spend it on where it is needed more.
Researches by many institutions still estimate that there are decades left to curb climate warming. But climate change is not the only crisis at hand. Millions of people have died due to COVID19. Now we can only try to save people who are still alive and prevent the disaster from spreading to the unmanageable level. And time is running out because of the huge scale of livestock industry.
Written in 2020
