Do you Know the Effects of your Dining Habits?

Recall: 
"Your grandfather would wake up at dawn every morning, put on his overalls and make his way down the laneway to the barn. He was always happy to feed his cattle and work his farm. It wasn’t so much a job, as a lifestyle passed through the generations. He was proud of those cattle and I remember naming them"
-  These are words spoken by mom, as she recalls growing up on a farm in Orangeville, Ontario. 

There is something to be said about witnessing first hand how your food is produced. 

The way in which we now feed billions is taking its toll on our earth, land and sea. Greenhouse gas emission, and heavy water consumption are effects of resource intensive farming. Livestock consume vast amounts of fresh water and plant based protein. In return they produce relatively small amounts of protein for human consumption. Chicken and pork are more efficient than beef, but they still require vast quantities of plants for feed. 

Consider the amount of electricity used, fertilizers and chemicals seeping into our soils, antibiotic use, greenhouse emissions, air quality, the vast amount of land used to grow plants and raise cattle, and the water intakes.

A key feature of industrial livestock production is a high volume of large animals in one concentrated area. Not only are there obvious animal welfare issues, but there are environmental concerns as well.

Animals are crammed together in tight spaces without access to the outdoors. They undergo painful mutations such as castration, dehorning, gassing, suffocation. This constitutes animal cruelty and increases the risk of disease that can spread to the consumer.

The large volume of animals in confined areas amounts to an even larger volume of manure constricted to one area of land. Manure can be used as fertilizer. However, due to the high cost associated with transportation of excess manure, large scale farms often over apply it to fields. Here the manure releases hazardous gases into the air. These gases can alter the characteristics of soil eventually making that soil unsuitable for growing certain crops.

Additionally, run off from fields contaminates water sources with phosphorus and nitrogen. Water from large scale farms may also become contaminated with antibiotic residue. This affects water supplies and is linked to a number of subsequent health issues.

Extensive transportation of livestock is another effect of large scale farming. Travel requires the use of vehicles that emit gases. As well, food needs to be stocked with chemicals to ensure freshness. All of these toxins eventually end up in soils, waterways and the atmosphere.
In order to sustain protein requirements of future generations, we need to think before we buy and cook our foods. We must maintain the earth that supplies the fundamental space required to sustain our livelihood.

Smaller scale farms rotate crops and use environmentally friendly tilling options to protect the soil. They raise a number of livestock that is relative to the land size. This means they are capable of efficiently using the manure excreted for fertilization. Also, these farmers often sell their products locally at farmers markets. This reduces emissions associated with long distance transportation.

With rapid population growth, the demand for animal proteins will only increase therefore placing a greater stress on our earth. We have become so distanced from the process and understanding of how what we eat is grown and raised. So rather than the simple question of "whats for dinner", lets ask ourselves how our food is produced and what effects this may have on future generations.