A Dream for a Better World

Global demand for meat has multiplied in recent years, encouraged by growing affluence and the proliferation of huge, confined animal feeding operations.  These large meat factories consume enormous amounts of energy, pollute the water supply, generate significant greenhouse gases, and require ever-increasing amounts of corn, soy and other grains, a dependency that has led to the destruction of vast swaths of the world’s tropical rainforests.  The world’s total meat supply was 71 million tons in 1961. In 2007, it was estimated to be 284 million tons. Per capita consumption has more than doubled over that period.  Livestock production generates nearly a fifth of the world’s greenhouse gases — more than transportation. Though some 800 million people on the planet now suffer from hunger or malnutrition, the majority of corn and soy grown in the world feeds cattle, pigs and chickens.