In a recent discussion with a friend, the point was brought up that the death of animals (through killing them for food) is for man’s benefit.  However there is  much evidence to the contrary.  Most of the following scientific facts come from the Pulitzer Prize nominated book, Diet for a New America, by John Robbins.

• Each year in the United States alone, over one hundred million cows, pigs and sheep are killed in slaughterhouses. An additional four billion birds (chickens and turkeys) are slaughtered annually. THE ABOVE STATISTICS REPRESENT A LINE OF DEAD ANIMALS STRETCHING OVER 750,000 MILES — A LINE FAR LONGER THAN THE DISTANCE TO THE MOON AND BACK!
• It is more efficient to eat low on the food chain; when we cycle grain through animals we waste most of the protein and other food values. The population of the United States is: 243,000,000. The number of human beings who could be fed by the grain and soybeans eaten by U.S. livestock is: 1,300,000,000.
• The number of people in the world who will STARVE TO DEATH THIS YEAR: 60 MILLION. The number of people who could be adequately fed by the grain saved if Americans reduced their meat intake by 10% is: 60 MILLION.
• Only 20% of the corn grown in the United States is eaten by humans. 80% of the corn grown in the United States is eaten by livestock.
• Only 5% of the oats grown in the United States is eaten by humans. 95% of the oats grown in the United States is eaten by livestock.
• THE PERCENTAGE OF PROTEIN WASTED BY CYCLING GRAIN THROUGH LIVESTOCK IS: 90%
• THE PERCENTAGE OF CARBOHYDRATE WASTED BY CYCLING GRAIN THROUGH LIVESTOCK IS: 99%
• The percentage of dietary fiber WASTED by cycling grain through livestock is: 100%
• HOW FREQUENTLY A CHILD DIES OF STARVATION: EVERY TWO SECONDS.
• Number of children who starve to death EVERY DAY: 40,000
• The length of time the world’s petroleum reserves would last if all human beings ate a meat-centered diet: 13 YEARS. The length of time the world’s petroleum reserves would last if all human beings ate a vegetarian diet: 260 YEARS.
• 40 pounds of soybeans are produced by the same amount of fossil fuel needed to produce 1 pound of feedlot beef.
• The percentage of energy return (as food energy per fossil energy expended to produce it) of the most energy efficient factory farming of meat is: 34.5%. The percentage of energy return (as food energy per fossil energy expended to produce it) of the least energy efficient Plant food is: 328%
• Principal reason for U.S. military intervention in Persian Gulf: Dependence on foreign oil.
• The percentage of raw materials consumed in the U.S. for all purposes presently consumed to produce the current meat centered diet is: 33%. The percentage of raw materials consumed in the U.S. for all purposes needed to produce a fully vegetarian diet would be only 2%.
• The number acres of U.S. forest which have been cleared to create cropland to produce a meat-centered diet: 260 MILLION ACRES. Amount of trees spared per year by each individual who switches to a pure vegetarian diet: 1 ACRE.
• Historic cause of the demise of many great civilizations: Topsoil depletion. The percentage of U.S. topsoil already lost: 75%. The percentage of U.S. cropland lost each year to soil erosion: 4 million acres, the size of Connecticut! THE PERCENTAGE OF U.S. TOPSOIL LOSS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH LIVESTOCK RAISING: 85%
• OVER 50% OF ALL WATER USED FOR ALL PURPOSES IN THE UNITED STATES IS USED FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION.
• The water needed to produce 1 pound of wheat is: 25 gallons. The water needed to produce 1 pound of meat is: 2,500 gallons.
• The cost of common hamburger meat if the water used by the meat industry was not subsidized by U.S. taxpayers: $35 per pound.
• The cost per pound of protein from beefsteak if U.S. taxpayers ceased subsidizing the meat industry’s use of water: $89
• The current cost per pound of protein from wheat: $1.50. The current cost per pound of protein from beefsteak: $15.40
• IT TAKES A HUNDRED TIMES MORE WATER TO PRODUCE MEAT PROTEIN THAN VEGETARIAN PROTEIN. One chicken slaughterhouse can use 100 million gallons of water — enough to serve a community of 25,000 persons — in a single day.
• The number of medical schools in the U.S. is: 125. The number of medical schools with a required course in nutrition is: 30. The training in nutrition received during 4 years of medical school by the average U.S. physician is: 2.5 hours!
• The most common cause of death in the U.S. is: Heart attack. The risk of death from heart attack by average American man: 50%. The risk of death from heart attack by average American vegetarian man: 15%. The risk of death from heart attack by average “pure vegetarian” man (“vegan” – no dairy, meat or eggs) is: 4%.
• Increased risk of breast cancer for women with heavy meat diet compared to vegetarian women: 400%
• Men with heavy meat diet are 360% more likely to die of prostate cancer than vegetarian men.
• The average measurable bone loss of female meat-eaters at age 65: 35%. The average measurable bone loss of female vegetarians at age 65: 18%.
• THE DISEASES WHICH ARE COMMONLY PREVENTED, CONSISTENTLY IMPROVED, AND SOMETIMES CURED BY A LOW-FAT VEGETARIAN DIET INCLUDE: Strokes, Kidney stones, Prostate cancer, Cervical cancer, Diabetes, Peptic ulcers, Hiatal hernias, Gallstones, Irritable colon syndrome, Heart disease, Breast cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Stomach cancer, Hypoglycemia. Constipation, Osteoporosis, Diverticulosis, Hypertension, Salmonellosis, Colon cancer, Ovarian cancer, Endometrial cancer, Kidney disease, Hemorrhoids, Obesity, Asthma and Trichinosis.
• The breast milk of meat-eating mothers has 3,500% more pesticide contamination than the breast milk of vegetarian mothers.
• Less than 1 out of every quarter million slaughtered animals is tested for toxic chemical residues.
• Percentage of male college students sterile in l950: 0.5%. Percentage of male college students sterile in 1978: 25% Sperm count of average American male compared to 30 years ago: Down 30%. THE PRINCIPLE REASON FOR SPERM COUNT REDUCTION AND STERILITY IN U.S. MALES IS DIETARY INTAKE OF CHLORINATED HYDROCARBON PESTICIDES. 94% of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide residues in the American diet comes from meat and other animal products.

• It has been estimated that, due to the high level of uric acid in meat, the kidneys of a meat-eater must do ten times the work than the kidneys of a vegetarian

It’s been said that hurt comes to the hurtful… perhaps we should start being less hurtful to the animals of this planet.  The quality of life for everyone on the planet would improve as well.

Think about it…