12.23.2009

A Few Good Reasons to Go Veg!



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

4 comments:

  1. I, too, have been vegan for 2 years and 2 months & you're right; it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. I've never felt better & I love eating well. Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you! knew what was happening, but I've never seen the numbers. I love this lifestyle, I can fill my body with loving foods only!

    ReplyDelete
  3. They want to burn the Koran
    Why
    Do you know what is the Koran
    know the Koran first and then do what you want

    ReplyDelete