The Vegan Solution – this one is going to push a few buttons – so – here we go. A diet heavy in animal protein is expensive to produce in terms of money, land, and water. Likely it has very expensive karma as well. Forget for the moment any ethical component and look only at a simple distribution exercise. The amount of grain currently produced on the planet will feed the human population easily, but much is destroyed or allowed to rot for the sake of economics. A rethink is needed – badly.
Table of Contents
There are parts of the planet experiencing famine, while other parts are overproducing food. The tables are turning!
Famine
I am aware that the famine is an effect of the cause of clearing large tracts of land and so changing the water retention of the soil. In many ways, we bring it on ourselves – but – we all live on one small planet with a shared water supply and atmosphere.
It is necessary that we broaden our outlook to see that all is connected and that instability in one part of the planet will soon affect all of us. Greed is a planetary problem and the existing system of corporate governance will need to change if we are to survive.
Many countries are already eating well beyond their ability to produce. There are large areas of ghost acres. Much of Africa is currently being used to grow food to supply the European market. The same system exists in South America for the US and Canada and in Australia for China.
This of course reduces the production of food for the locals of those countries causing much hardship.
A step on the path
No particular solution covers all of the bases. As a useful step in the right direction, a reduction in the amount of animal protein eaten would free up considerable resources and make it easier to balance the planetary budget. This would grant us the time necessary to explore other options.
We currently have a large and rapidly growing population, with a small part (some 25%) exploiting the remainder. This is not likely to be a popular solution as greed is the main cause of the imbalance.
Think on this
Think about this though – animals have very similar metabolism and biochemistry to humans – we are also animals. When an animal is killed, all of the toxins in its body, all of the death hormones, and other things are eaten by humans.
No wonder the health of the first-world citizens is failing rapidly. The western diet is downright unhealthy.
Plants on the other hand have very different biochemistry. Their waste products are actually nutritious to animals (including humans). The wastes of animals including human biological wastes provide food for plants. Naturally, we live in a form of symbiosis. The vegan solution would work.
If we are to survive with any sense of decorum, we need to consider forming an Earth Community instead of a set of groups exploiting each other. The sooner the better, before some idiot with a finger on the button decides to do it for us. There are many forms of buttons.
My Planet
The planet can support an even larger human population – if – and only if we change the way we are currently behaving. We must assist our fellow man and even more importantly return a balance to nature.
Nature is the catalyst. It can be a great friend or a terrible enemy – and we have placed it in a flimsy cage and are poking it with sticks.
In the interim – leave a comment or two – who knows, it may create a chain of thought that assists a lot of people, including me!