A Discounted Threat: Environmental Impacts of the Livestock Industry

Abstract

This article provides an overview of the environmental effects of the livestock industry. Current industry practice, specifically the proliferation of concentrated animal feeding operations as the primary means of production, has left far-reaching ecological consequences in its wake. Animal agriculture is implicated in numerous environmental threats including rising greenhouse gas emissions (particularly through release of nitrous oxide and methane, in addition to carbon dioxide), overconsumption of water for both live animals and feed crops, and decreased water quality. Furthermore, localized pollution owing to copious animal waste has tainted many regions and compromised human health. Alterations of land use and the resulting loss of biodiversity are also of major concern. The problem has expanded as developing countries’ appetite for these products grows – however, the issue has tended not to be a focal point of environmental debate. The article details the environmental destruction wrought by current practices, while outlining recommendations for reducing the environmental toll, at both the individual and systemic level