Global Hunger and Vegetarianism

The New York Times, Tuesday, June 20, 1989

Number of people worldwide who will die of starvation this year: 60 million. Number of people who could be adequately fed with the grain saved if Americans reduced their intake of meat by 10 perc.: 60 million.

Human beings in America: 243 million. Number of people who could be fed with grain and soybeans now eaten by U.S. livestock: 1.3 billion. How frequently a child starves to death: every 2 seconds.

Percentage of corn grown in the U.S. eaten by people: 20. Percentage of corn grown in the U.S. eaten by livestock: 80. Percentage of oats grown in the U.S. eaten by livestock: 95. Percentage of protein waste by cycling grain through livestock: 99.

Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on an acre: 20.OOO. Pounds of beef produced on an acre: 165. Percentage of U.S. farmland devoted to beef production: 56. Pounds of grain and soybeans needed to produce a pound of beef: 16.

Cause of global warming: greenhouse effect Primary cause of greenhouse effect: carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels needed to produce a meat-centered diet vs. a meat-free diet: 50 times more.

Percentage of U.S. topsoil lost to date: 75. Percentage of U.S. topsoil loss directly related to livestock raising: 85. Number of acres of U.S. forest cleared for cropland to produce meat-centered diet: 260 million.

Amount of meat U.S. imports annually from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama: 200 million pounds. Average per capita meat consumption in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama: less than eaten by average U.S. housecat.

Area of tropical rainforest consumed in every 1/4 pound hamburger: 55 sq.ft. Current rate of species extinction due to destruction of tropical rainforests for meat grazing and other uses: 1.000 per year.

Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat meat 4 times a week vs. less than once a week: 4 times. For women who eat eggs daily vs. less than once a week: 3 times.

Increased risk of fatal ovarian cancer for women who eat eggs 3 or more times a week vs. less than once a week: 3 times.

Increased risk of fatal prostate cancer for men who eat meat daily vs. sparingly or not at all: 3.6 times.

Use of more than half of all water used for all purposes in the U.S.: livestock portion. Amount of water used in production of the average steer: sufficient to float a destroyer.

Gallons of water needed to produce a pound of wheat: 25. Gallons of water needed to produce a pound of meat: 2.500.

Cost of common hamburger if water used by meat industry was not subsidized by the U.S. taxpayer: 35 dollars a pound. Current cost of pound of protein from beefsteak, if water was no longer subsidized: 89 dollars.

Years the world's known oil reserves would last if every human ate a meat-centered diet: 13. Years they would last if human beings no longer ate meat: 260.

Barrels of oil imported into U.S. daily: 6.8 million. Percentage of fossil fuel returned as food energy by most efficient factory farming of meat: 34.5. Percentage returned from least efficient plant food: 32.8. Percentage of raw materials consumed by U.S. to produce present meat-centered diet: 33.

Number of U.S. medical schools: 125. Number requiring a course in nutrition: 30. Nutrition training received by average U.S. physician during four years in medical school: 25 hours. 20, 1989)

Most common cause of death in U.S.: heart attack. How frequently a heart attack kills in U.S.: every 45 seconds. Average U.S. man's risk of death from heart attack: 50 perc. Risk for average U.S. man who avoids the meat-centered diet: 15 perc.

Meat industry claims you should not be concerned about your blood cholesterol if it is: normal. Your risk of dying of a disease caused by clogged arteries if your blood cholesterol is 'normal': over 50 perc.

Percentage of U.S. antibiotics fed to livestock: 55. Percentage of staphylococci infections resistant to penicillin in 1960: 13. Percentage resistant in 1988: 91.

Response of European Economic Community to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: ban. Response of U.S. meat and pharmaceutical industries to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: full and complete support.

Percentage of pesticide residues in the U.S. diet supplied by grains: 1. Percentage of pesticide residues in the U.S. diet supplied by fruits: 4. Percentage of pesticide residues in the U.S. diet suppl. by dairy products: 23. Percentage of pesticide residues in the U.S. diet supplied by meat: 55. Pesticide contamination of breast milk from meat-eating mothers vs. non meat-eating: 35 times higher.

What USDA tells us: meat is inspected. Percentage of slaughtered animals inspected for residues of toxin chemicals including dioxin and DDT: less than 0.00004.

Number of animals killed for meat per hour in U.S.: 500.000. Occupation with highest turnover rate in U.S.: slaughterhouse worker. Occupation with highest rate of on-the-job injury in U.S: slaughterhouse worker. Cost to render animal unconscious with captive bolt pistol before slaughter.: 1 cent. Reason given by meat industry for not using that pistol: too expensive.

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