In November I reached my 2 1/2 year anniversary of eating only plant based foods! I have never felt better and have lost many pant sizes to boot! It is no longer a diet, nor does it have a label, it is simply a way of life. Going vegan is kinder to animals, the earth, and your body. Below are facts and figures that reinforce how important it is to consider a plant based diet
# Human population of United States: 270,000,000 (and counting)
# Number of human beings who could be fed by the grain and soybeans eaten by U.S. livestock: 1,300,000,000
# Sacred food of Native Americans: Corn
# Percentage of corn grown in United States eaten by human beings: 20
# Percentage of corn grown in United States eaten by livestock: 80
# Percentage of soy grown in United States eaten by livestock: 90
# Percentage of oats grown in United States eaten by livestock: 95
# Percentage of protein wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 90
# Percentage of carbohydrate wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 99
# Percentage of dietary fiber wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 100
# How frequently a child dies of starvation: Every 2.3 seconds
# Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on 1 acre of land: 20,000
# Pounds of beef that can be produced on 1 acre of land: 165
# Percentage of U.S. agricultural land used to produce beef: 56
# Pounds of grain and soybeans needed to produce 1 pound of feedlot beef: 16
# Pounds of protein fed to chickens to produce 1 pound of protein as chicken flesh: 5 pounds
# Pounds of protein fed to hogs to produce 1 pound of protein as hog flesh: 7.5 pounds
# Number of children who starve to death every day: 38,000
# Amount of total U.S. grain production consumed by livestock: 70%
# Amount of U.S. grain exports consumed by livestock: 66%
# Amount of world grain harvest consumed by livestock throughout the 1980s: half
# Number of pure vegetarians who can be fed on the amount of land needed to feed 1 person consuming meat-based diet: 20
# Number of people who will starve to death this year: 20,000,000
# Number of people who could be adequately fed if Americans reduced their intake of meat by 10%: 100,000,000
# Amount of increase in global cattle population during the last 40 years: 100%
# Amount of increase in global fowl population during the last 40 years: 200%
# Ratio of livestock to people on Earth: three to one
# Amount of Earth's land mass grazed by livestock: half
# Amount of U.S. cropland producing livestock feed: 64%
# Amount of U.S. cropland producing fruits and vegetables: 2%
# Percentage of original U.S. topsoil lost to date: 75
# Amount of U.S. cropland lost each year to soil erosion: 4,000,000 acres, the size of Connecticut
# Percentage of U.S. topsoil loss directly associated with livestock raising: 85
# Amount of original U.S. cropland permanently removed from production due to excessive soil erosion: one-third
# Pounds of topsoil lost in the production of one pound of feedlot steak: 35
# Current annual topsoil loss on agricultural land in the U.S.: over 5 billion tons
# Current annual topsoil loss on agricultural worldwide: 26 billion tons
# Time required for nature to form one inch of topsoil: 200 to 1000 years
# Historic cause of demise of many great civilizations: Topsoil depletion
Sources:
Facts and Figures : Vegan Facts on Our Impact
Pictures:
cow : Farm Sanctuary - Gluttonize
veggies : Dallas News
