Tuesday April 24, 1990 How to win an argument with a meat eater. The Hunger Argument Number of people worldwide who will die of starvation this year: 60 million Number of people who could be adequately fed with the grain saved if Americans reduced their intake of meat by 10 %: 60 million Human beings in America: 243 million Number of people who could be fed with grain and soybeans now eaten by U.S. livestock: 1.3 billion Percentage of corn grown in the U.S. eaten by people: 20 % Percentage of corn grown in the U.S. eaten by livestock: 80 % Percentage of oats grown in the U.S. eaten by livestock: 95 % Percentage of protein wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 95 % How frequently a child starves to death: every 2 seconds Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on an acre: 20,000 Pounds of beef produced on an acre: 165 Percentage of U.S. farmland devoted to beef production: 56 % Pounds of grain and soybeans needed to produce a pound of feediot beef: 16 The Environmental Argument Cause of global warming: greenhouse effect Primary cause of greenhouse effectrarbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels Fossil fuels needed to produce a meat-centered diet vs. a meat-free diet:50 times more Percentage of U.S. topsoil lost to date: 75 % Percentage of U.S. topsoil loss directly related to livestock raising:85 % Number of acres of U.S. forest cleared forcrop-land to produce meat-centered diet: 260 million Amount of meat U.S. imports annually from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatamala, Honduras and Panama: 200,000,000 pounds Average per capita meat consumption in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatamala, Honduras and Panama: less than eaten by average U.S. housecat Area of tropical rainforest consumed in every quarter- pound hamburger:55 sq. ft. > SO NN Current rate of species extinction due to destruction of tropical rainforests for meat grazing and other uses: 1,000 per year The Cancer Argument Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat meat 4 times a week vs. less than once a week: 4 times For women who eat eggs daily vs. less than once a week: 3 times For women who eat butter and cheese 3 or more times a week vs. less than once: 3 times Increased risk of fatal ovarian cancer for women who eat eggs 3 or more times a week vs. less than once a week: 3 times Increased risk of fatal prostate cancer for men who consume meat, cheese, eggs and milk daily vs. sparingly or not at all: 3.6 times The Natural Resources Argument User of more than half of all water used for all purposes in the U.S,: livestock production Amount of water used in production of the average cow: sufficient to float a destroyer. Gallons to produce a pound of wheat: 25 Gallons to produce a pound of meat: 2,500 Cost of common hamburger if water used by meat industry was not subsidized by the U.S. taxpayer: $35 a pound Current cost of pound of protein from beefsteak, if water was no longer subsidized: $89 Years the world's known oil reserves would last if every human ate a meat-centered diet: 13 Years they would last if human beings no longer ate meat: 260 Barrels of oil imported into U.S. daily: 6.8 million Percentage of fossil fuel energy returned as food energy by most efficient factory farming of meat: 34.5 % Percentage returned from least efficient plant food: 328 % Percentage of raw materials consumed by U.S. to produce present meat-centered diet:33 % The Cholesterol Argument Number of U.S. medical schools: 125 Me es Number requiring a course in nutrition: 30% Nutrition training received by average U.S. physician during four years in medical school:2.5 hours Most common cause of death in U.S.: heart attack How frequently a heart attack kills in U.S.: every 45 seconds Average U.S. man's risk of death from heart attack: 50 % Risk for average U.S. man who avoids the meat- centered diet: 15 % Risk for average U.S. man who consumes no meat, dairy products or eggs at all: 4 % Amount you reduce risk of heart attack if you reduce consumption of meat, dairy products and eggs by 10 percent:9 % Amount you reduce risk if you reduce consumption by 50 percent: 45 % Amount you reduce risk if you eliminate these food stuffs from your diet entirely:90 % Meat, dairy and egg industries claim you should not be concerned about your blood cholesterol if it is: “normal” Your risk of dying of a disease caused by clogged arteries if your blood cholesterol is "normal": over 50% The Antibiotic Argument Percentage of U.S. antibiotics fed to livestock fed to livestock: 55 % Percentage of staphylocci infections resistant to penicillin in 1960:13 % Percentage resistant in 1988:91% Response of European Economic Community to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: ban Response of U.S. Meat and Pharmaceutical industries to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: full and complete support The Pesticide Argument Percentage of pesticide residues in the U.S. diet supplied by graine: 1% Percentage of pesticide residues in the U.S. diet supplied by fruits:4 % Percentage of pesticide residues in the U.S. diet supplied by vegetables:6 % Percentage of pesticide residues in the U.S. diet supplied by dairy products: 23 % Percentage of pesticide residues in the U.S. diet supplied by meat: 55 % Pesticide contamination of breast milk from meat eating mothers vs. non-meat eating: 35 times higher What USDA tells us: meat is inspected Percentage of slaughtered animals inspected for residues of toxic chemicals including dioxin and DDT: less than 0.00004 The Ethical Arguinent Number of animals killed for meat per hour in U.S.: 500,000 Occupation with highest turnover rate in U.S.: slaughterhouse worker Occupation with highest rate of on-the-job injury in U.S. slaughter house worker Cost to render animal unconscious with "captive bolt pistol" before slaughter: 1 cent Reason given by meat industry for not using "captive bolt pistol": too expensive The Survival Argument Athlete to win Ironman Triathlon more than twice: Dave Scott (6 time winner) Food choices of Dave Scott: Vegetarian Largest meat eater that ever lived: Tyrannosaurus Rex Last sighting of Tyrannosaurus Rex: 100,000,000 B.C. 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