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So, Im having a display for Earth Day at my University, and found these facts while researching. Im not trying to force my beliefs on anyone, just interesting stuff.
Source -Diet for a New America by John Robbins
* Human population of United States: 270,000,000 (and counting)
* Number of human beings who could be fed by the grain and soybeans eaten by U.S. livestock: 1,300,000,000
* Sacred food of Native Americans: Corn
* Percentage of corn grown in United States eaten by human beings: 20
* Percentage of corn grown in United States eaten by livestock: 80
* Percentage of soy grown in United States eaten by livestock: 90
* Percentage of oats grown in United States eaten by livestock: 95
* Percentage of protein wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 90
* Percentage of carbohydrate wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 99
* Percentage of dietary fiber wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 100
* How frequently a child dies of starvation: Every 2.3 seconds
* Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on 1 acre of land: 20,000
* Pounds of beef that can be produced on 1 acre of land: 165
* Percentage of U.S. agricultural land used to produce beef: 56
* Pounds of grain and soybeans needed to produce 1 pound of feedlot beef: 16
* Pounds of protein fed to chickens to produce 1 pound of protein as chicken flesh: 5 pounds
* Pounds of protein fed to hogs to produce 1 pound of protein as hog flesh: 7.5 pounds
* Number of children who starve to death every day: 38,000
* Amount of total U.S. grain production consumed by livestock: 70%
* Amount of U.S. grain exports consumed by livestock: 66%
* Amount of world grain harvest consumed by livestock throughout the 1980s: half
* Number of pure vegetarians who can be fed on the amount of land needed to feed 1 person consuming meat-based diet: 20
* Number of people who will starve to death this year: 20,000,000
* Number of people who could be adequately fed if Americans reduced their intake of meat by 10%: 100,000,000
* Amount of increase in global cattle population during the last 40 years: 100%
* Amount of increase in global fowl population during the last 40 years: 200%
* Ratio of livestock to people on Earth: three to one
* Amount of Earth’s land mass grazed by livestock: half
* Amount of U.S. cropland producing livestock feed: 64%
* Amount of U.S. cropland producing fruits and vegetables: 2%
* Percentage of original U.S. topsoil lost to date: 75
* Amount of U.S. cropland lost each year to soil erosion: 4,000,000 acres, the size of Connecticut
* Percentage of U.S. topsoil loss directly associated with livestock raising: 85
* Amount of original U.S. cropland permanently removed from production due to excessive soil erosion: one-third
* Pounds of topsoil lost in the production of one pound of feedlot steak: 35
* Current annual topsoil loss on agricultural land in the U.S.: over 5 billion tons
* Current annual topsoil loss on agricultural worldwide: 26 billion tons
* Time required for nature to form one inch of topsoil: 200 to 1000 years
* Historic cause of demise of many great civilizations: Topsoil depletion
* Number of acres of U.S. forest which have been cleared to create cropland to produce a meat- centered diet: 260,000,000
* How often an acre of U.S. trees disappears: Every 8 seconds
* Amount of trees spared per year by each individual who switches to a pure vegetarian diet: 1 acre
* Estimated area of rainforest destroyed annually: 125,000 square miles
* The driving force behind the destruction of the tropical rainforests: American meat habit
* Amount of meat imported annually by U.S. from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and Panama: 200,000,000 pounds
* Amount of meat eaten by average person in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and Panama: Less than the average American housecat
* Current rate of species extinction, largely due to the destruction of tropical rainforests and related habitats: one every 60 minutes
* Length of time world’s petroleum reserves would last if all human beings ate meat centered diet: 13 years
* Length of time world’s petroleum reserves would last if all human beings ate vegetarian diet: 260 years
* Principal reason for U.S. military intervention in Persian Gulf: Dependence on foreign oil
* Barrels of oil imported daily by U.S.: 6,800,000
* Percentage of energy return (as food energy per fossil energy expended) of most energy efficient factory farming of meat: 34.5%
* Percentage of energy return (as food energy per fossil energy expended) of least energy efficient plant food: 328%
* Pounds of soybeans produced by the amount of fossil fuel needed to produce 1 pound of feedlot beef: 40
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