Vanishing: The Extinction Crisis Is Worse Than You Think

Earthling Ed

"Fighting for change until change happens."

- Earthling Ed

"That Vegan Couple"
Natasha and Luca

"Going vegan is not the most we can, it's the least we can do."

- That Vegan Couple

"Bite Size Vegan"
Emily Moran Barwick

"I‘m here to educate you about veganism in a fun, spunky sarcastic way!"

- Bite Size Vegan

The Truth About World Hunger

The earth’s human population is booming at already over 7 billion people and expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. Food production will have to increase by 70% in the world and 100% in developing countries, to satisfy global food demands. Agricultural systems across the world are at risk, bringing into serious question our ability to feed our growing population. One in eight of the world's population (almost 805 million people) do not have enough food for the day and suffer from chronic undernourishment. There are 160 million children under the age of five who are affected by stunted growth. This is completely unacceptable in a world in which resources and opportunities have never been more abundant. The continuing increase in the consumption of animal products threatens the sustainability of human existence on the planet. A global shift towards consumption of plant based foods and away from consumption of meat & dairy products, would free up significant food resources that can be used to feed the millions dying of hunger and malnutrition every year.

World Hunger Statistics

We are currently growing enough food to feed 10 billion people (world population is currently 7.6 billion).
- Cornell Chronicle

Worldwide, at least 50% of grain is fed to livestock, enough grain to feed up to 3.5 billion people.
- UN Food and Agriculture Organization>

Globally 77% percent of all coarse grains (corn, oats, sorghum, barley) and over 90% of all soy grown in the world was fed to livestock.
- UN Food and Agriculture Organization

82% of starving children live in countries where food is fed to animals, and the animals are eaten by western countries.
- UN Food and Agriculture Organization

Species Extinction and Biodiversity

Earth has been nearly wiped out 5 times, by climate change, ice age, volcanoes, and an asteroid that obliterated the dinosaurs. These are known as the “Big Five” mass extinctions. We are now on the verge of a sixth. This time humans will be the ones to blame. The current extinction rate could be more than 100 times higher than normal. The Earth’s oceans and forests are home to an untold number of species, many of which will likely disappear before we even get to know they exist. One of the most serious aspect of the environmental crisis is the loss of biodiversity (the other living things with which we share Earth). Loss of biodiversity affects human well-being by interfering with delicate ecosystem services such as crop pollination, water purification and most importantly by destroying other living species. Animal agriculture contributes to species extinction in many ways. Habitat destruction is caused by clearing forests and converting land to grow feed crops for livestock and grazing. Predator species are often unnecessarily targeted and hunted due to a perceived threat to livestock. The widespread use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers in the production of feed crops interferes with the reproductive systems of animals and poison waterways. The over-exploitation of wild species through commercial fishing and trophy hunting all contribute to global depletion of species and resources.

Species Extinction Statistics

Up to 137 plant, animal and insect species are lost every day due to rainforest destruction.
- United Nations Economic Programme

As many as 30 to 50% of all species possibly heading toward extinction by 2050.
- Extinction risk from climate change

99% of currently threatened species are at risk due to human activities.
- Encyclopedia Britannica

Earth's population of wild vertebrates (all mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish) declined 58% from 1970 to 2012.
- World Wildlife Fund

Wildlife population continues to decline by 2% annually.
- World Wildlife Fund

Resource Depletion

Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption, pollution, greenhouse gases emissions, rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean “dead zones", and virtually every other environmental issue. Our planet’s groundwater is being pumped out much faster than it can be replenished. Animal agriculture is responsible for consumption of nearly 1/3 of the global freshwater supply. Usages include, watering the feed crops, providing drinking water, and cleaning away filth for the billions of animals on factory farms.

Resource Depletion Statistics

Agriculture is responsible for 80-90% of US water consumption.
- USDA: Economic Research Service

Growing feed crops for livestock consumes 56% of water in the US.
- Center for Science in the Public Interest

2,500 gallons of water are needed to produce 1 pound of beef.
- Environmental Working Group

477 gallons of water are required to produce 1lb. of eggs.
- Environmental Working Group

Nearly 900 gallons of water are needed for 1lb. of cheese.
- Environmental Working Group

1,000 gallons of water are required to produce 1 gallon of milk.
- Water for Food

Animal Agriculture is responsible for 20%-33% of all fresh water consumption in the world today.
- Water Resources and Industry

What Causes Obesity?

A century ago obesity was a rare condition. Obesity rates have more than tripled in the last 50 years. Much of the variation in how easily we gain weight is coded in genes and passed down through families. The global epidemic of obesity has grown too rapidly in recent years for variations in genetics to be the cause. The food industry has helped promote the message that inactivity, rather than high consumption of manufactured, calorie-rich, nutrient-poor foods, is the cause of obesity. Calorie over consumption is proven to be more important than physical activity in weight maintenance and loss. In fact, the level of physical activity over the last few decades has actually been increasing. The increase in calories per person has risen by about 350 calories per day in children and about 500 calories per day in adults in the last 50 years. To burn off just these additional calories, we’d have to walk two hours a day, seven days a week. Studies show that exercise, despite all its benefits, cannot compensate for poor eating habits when it comes to weight loss. The bulk of these extra calories are coming from meat, eggs, dairy products, and added fats. We consume 60 more pounds of meat per person each year and 30 more pounds of cheese per person per year than we did a century ago. We’re eating meat and dairy products in quantities that our grandparents would have never imagined. Meat and dairy are the primary cause of the obesity epidemic, and setting them aside will help solve it.

Obesity and a Standard American Diet

Research shows that animal protein consumption is directly contributing to the global obesity epidemic. Carbohydrates, in the forms of starch, sugar and fiber, are your body's preferred energy source and are digested first. Animal protein puts pressure on the body’s digestive system and are digested much slower. The lack of dietary fiber in dairy products and meats disrupt the digestive tract and lead to constipation. Water is pulled from the colon to aid the kidneys in diluting the ammonia byproduct in the body caused by the breaking down of animal proteins. Most people on a standard diet will get enough energy from carbohydrates and fats to meet their daily energy requirements. This makes the energy we receive from the animal protein surplus, which is then converted and stored as fat. On average, we consume anywhere from 3 to 5 times more protein than they need for optimal health. Consuming 40-50% more protein than we need or can utilize causes the body unnatural stress. Eating a diet high in animal protein and low in carbohydrates, forces the body look for another source of energy (glucose). Muscle mass is broken down to liberate the glucose storage. Loss of muscle limits the body’s ability to burn calories (primarily from fat) while you are sleeping, working etc.

The Truth About Pollution

Large industrial farms produce far more waste than can be recycled as fertilizer or absorbed on nearby land. The enormous amount of pollution generated from these large industrial farms can threaten the quality of the soil, water, air, biodiversity and ultimately public health. Massive quantities of animal waste are most often stored in waste “lagoons” or cesspools. These cesspools often stretch the length of several football fields. Factory farms skirt water pollution limits by spraying liquid manure from these cesspools into the air over fields, creating a mist that gets carried away by the wind. Runoff from factory farms and livestock grazing is one of the leading causes of pollution in our rivers and lakes. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, these factory farms are largely exempt from standard air and water pollution regulations.

Pollution Statistics

7 million pounds of excrement per minute are produced by animals raised for food in the US.
- USDA: Natural Resources Conservation Service

A farm with 2,500 dairy cows produces the same amount of waste as a city of 411,000 people.
- Environmental Protection Agency

130 times more animal waste is produced in the U.S. by livestock than human waste.
- United States General Accounting Office

116,000 lbs of animal waste per second is produced in the U.S. by livestock.
USDA: Natural Resources Conservation Service

Factory farming facilities pollute the air and release over 400 separate gases, mostly due to the large amounts of manure they produce.
- Farm Safety Association

What Causes Heart Disease?

Heart disease and strokes occur when a plaque buildup, known as atherosclerosis, accumulates inside arteries and blood vessels. This plaque is made up of pockets of cholesterol-rich fatty material that builds up beneath the inner linings of the blood vessels. This process begins with damage to the endothelium (the thin layer of cells that line the inner walls of our arteries). Endothelial cell injury can be caused by bacterial or viral infection, oxidative stress, turbulent blood flow, stress or dietary intake. Endothelial cells produce nitric oxide which is essential to protecting our blood vessels. It keeps our blood flowing smoothly. It is the strongest dilator (widener) of our blood vessels. It inhibits the formation of blockages (plaques) and it inhibits inflammation. Fewer functioning endothelial cells results in less production of the protective nitric oxide. Without enough nitric oxide the plaque blockages build up and grow creating eventually heart disease and strokes.

Heart Disease and a Standard American Diet

A Standard American diet heavy in saturated animal and dairy fats injures these endothelial cells and elevates LDL cholesterol that collects in the walls of your blood vessels. Most heart disease is diet-related and caused by diets high in animal products. Our bodies make plenty of cholesterol, we have no need for dietary cholesterol. Cholesterol is found in all foods that come from animals (red meat, poultry, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products). Animal products, including meat, eggs and dairy products, are high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Saturated fat causes the liver to produce more cholesterol.

Heart Disease and a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet

A whole food plant-based diet consisting of grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits is the best way to avoid cholesterol completely and keep saturated fat intake low. No foods from plants contain cholesterol. Heart disease can be prevented and even reversed using an aggressive plant-based diet and lifestyle approach. Soluble fiber from oats, barley, beans, and some fruits and vegetables slow the absorption of cholesterol and reduce the amount of cholesterol the liver produces. Unsaturated fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and soybeans do not cause the liver to produce more cholesterol.

Heart Disease Key Facts

Heart Disease is the number 1 cause of death globally.
- World Health Organization

An estimated 17.7 million people died from heart disease in 2016.
- World Health Organization

Most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing behavioral risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and obesity, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol using population-wide strategies.
- World Health Organization

Often, there are no symptoms of the underlying disease of the blood vessels. A heart attack or stroke may be the first warning of underlying disease.
- World Health Organization

Globally, there were an estimated 422.7 million prevalent cases of cardiovascular disease in 2015.
- World Health Organization

About 85.7 million (34% of the U.S. population) adults have high blood pressure.
- American Heart Association

Nearly half of people with high blood pressure (45.6%) do not have it under control.
- American Heart Association

It’s estimated that Cardiovascular disease costs the U.S. around $555 billion dollars in 2016.
- American Heart Association

100% of children eating a standard American diet have visible aortic fatty streaks by age 10 , which is the first stage of heart disease.
- Journal of Atherosclerosis Research