It is important to develop a ‘meat consciousness’ & shift to a more plant-based diet. This will help combat climate change, soil, air & water pollution, ocean dead zones & the many other problems caused by the industrial production of livestock. Humans currently consume the natural resources of 1.6 Earths to meet our demands. This is clearly not sustainable & environmental pressures are expected to increase substantially due to population growth. By eating fewer meals with meat or dairy each week, we can have a huge impact on our health & the health of the planet. You will also be helping to fight world hunger, as more than 1/2 of the world’s crops are used to feed farmed animals, not people. Food production & consumption has significant impacts on the environment & human health; these include the depletion & contamination of natural resources & serious diseases. Shockingly animal agriculture (the raising of cows, pigs & chickens) is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases, more than the combined exhaust from all transport worldwide. Millions of square kilometres of forests have been cut down to make way for grazing pastures for cattle, to meet the rising demand for meat & dairy produce, resulting in the destruction of ‘carbon sinks’ & the release of billions of tonnes of CO 2 into the atmosphere. Rainforest destruction also results in land degradation, loss of valuable habitat & a reduction in species diversity. Diets high in meat, particularly red & processed meat, increase the risk of obesity, cancer, heart disease, & premature death & are a huge strain on natural resources. Eat less Meat: Help your Planet Animal agriculture is responsible for up to 91% of Amazon destruction.