Population Growth, Consumerism And Environment

Population growth, consumerism and environment

Introduction

Population growth, economic increase and urbanization are factors that cause a greater demand for products and services, which is why the livestock sector is growing at an unprecedented rate with the help of technological innovations. In addition, according to the United Nations Agriculture and Food Organization, people increase their consumption of meat and dairy products every year, so it is expected that by 2050 the production of these increases to double.

Although this sector covers important economic and social needs, we also have to take into account the environmental impact that it is generating.

Today this sector is the largest world consumer in agricultural land, because grasslands and forage crop lands, that is, dedicated crops for livestock feeding, represent almost 45% of the entire free earth’s free surface.

On the other hand, it is the main source of water pollution due to nitrates, phosphates and pesticides. The meat, dairy industry, eggs and other products derived from animals use a third of the planet’s water.

Livestock is also responsible for 51% of greenhouse gas pollution such as nitrous oxide and methane. And it should be stressed that it is the cause of the destruction of approximately 600 billion meters of jungle and 91% of the destruction of the Amazon jungle, causing the loss of biodiversity on the planet, extinguishing approximately 110 species of animals of animalsand day by day insects.

The livestock industry has progressed in terms of efficiency so more people can be fed in less time, but the impact that the planet entails is enormous. If animal production continues to increase, our environmental footprint will be increasing. We are at the beginning of a mass extinction, so results are needed that benefit the planet in the shortest possible time, the reduction of meat consumption and other animal products will bring with them the decrease or detention of the realization of these products, sothat resource management will improve, species extinction and deforestation will decrease.

Argumentation

According to an article published by Rome in the country, modern agriculture is responsible for the large amounts of agrochemicals, organic matter and salts present in water. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that approximately 2,000 and 5,000 liters of water are used to produce a person’s food daily. Taking into account that only 0.003% of the water of this planet can be consumed and that 70% of it is used for agricultural and livestock activities, we would have to have 10 extra planets to supply the needs of the entire population.

On the other hand, every minute 3 are generated.18 million kilograms of animal excrement. In addition, as the use of land has increased, we have seen ourselves in the need to use pesticides and fertilizers for the control and elimination of pests in agricultural production. The agricultural lands receive approximately 115 million tons of nitrogen fertilizers and about 35% of these are dragged in the cultivation fields to various rivers and seas, affecting food chains of different species, causing not only the death of thousands of thousands of thousands offish, but also irreversible damage to the health of its consumers.

conclusion

We are at a stage in which the damage we are causing to the planet is irreversible, and it is important to change habits that harm ecosystems and species. Although agriculture and livestock are socially and economically important industries, it is necessary to reduce its production. The most effective way to reduce this overexploitation to aquatic and rural ecosystems is to adopt more sustainable diets, reducing the consumption of meat and other animals derived, in order to limit the increase in the demand for food with a great environmental footprint, and favorto a more ecological future.

References

• Becerril-Hernández, h. (August, 2016). Ecological certification;An agricultural duality: improve the prosperity of the farmer and the environment. AgroProductivity, 9, 45-50.
• Mora Marín, M. A., Rivers Fisherman, L., Ríos Ramos, L., and Almario Charry, J. L. (2017). Impact of livestock activity on the ground in Colombia. Engineering and Region, 17, 1-12. https: // doi.org/10.25054/22161325.1212
• Soriano Robles, R. (2018). Climate change and livestock: the role of agroforestry. AgroProductivity, 11 (2), 70-74.
• Gibbens, s. (2019). A report argues that eating meat has "disastrous" consequences for the planet. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https: // www.Nationalgeographic.es/half-environment/2019/01/report-comer-carne-consequences-negotas-planeta
• Ongley, e. D. (1997). Fight against agricultural pollution of water resources. (Fao Irrigation and Drainage-55 study). Gems/Water Collaboating Center Canada Center for Inland Waters, 21-37.
• The country. (2017, January 20). And the water we eat? Retrieved October 7, 2019, from https: // elpais.com/elpais/2017/01/20/planet_futuro/1484911384_391843.HTML