How does becoming vegetarian help the planet?

To start, I'd like to say that cutting meat out of your diet might sound like something you can't possibly do. America today feels dependent on meat, soda, candy bars, fast food, sugar, packaged and processed food and dairy. However, as you're reading this, you probably have some major health concern - overweight, tired, high blood pressure, always getting the flu, diabetes, pain. So let me ask you, why not just try living without those things? Why not take that chance, that letting go of meat, milk, the convenience of fast food, the overload of sugar and pop, that maybe letting go of those things could make you feel better? It's worth a try, right? And if it doesn't work, go back to the way things were.

My mother didn't seem happy at first to let go of these foods that she loved, didn't seem enthusiastic about having to cook more, but once she let go, it was only a matter of weeks before she felt great. And that's saying something for someone who had cancer twice (first uterine, then non-Hogdkin's lymphoma). But she stopped eating meat, started drinking tea and making healthier choices, and now feels great. Her immune system is stronger, her white blood cell count is no longer insanely dangerous, and she can do more without feeling as exhausted as she used to. And it's only been a few months.

So making healthier choices, especially letting go of meat, helps both you and the planet. Have you ever heard of a carbon footprint? It is the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, person or product. Specifically, it is the amount of carbon dioxide and methane gas let out into the environment. It can be caused by transportation, clearing land, the production and consumption of food, and building pretty much anything. 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions are due to livestock, based on a 2006 report from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Association. The majority of this comes from the fertilizer, transportation and pesticides used on the grain to feed livestock. With grass-fed beef this is a smaller impact.

The amount of cattle being raised to become food outnumbers the amount of people in America. Just a small portion of the grain being used to feed these cows could be redirected to countries with little food supply and there would no longer be a crisis of starvation in third world countries. The size of the amount of rainforests cut down to make room for cattle equals the state of California.

And another thing to consider is how the animals are treated before becoming dinner. Were they allowed to roam freely? Probably not. Were they injected with antibiotics because of filthy conditions? Probably. Were they injected with hormones to keep them pregnant and lactating constantly. Yeah, that too. And just so you know, if a cow panics before being slaughtered, those fear hormones are released into the meat you eat later, messing with your own hormones.