Caitlin Chock | Monday 16th November 2009
Out with the bird and in with the Tofurkey?! Okay, you may think that this is an almost criminal suggestion or shudder at the thought of removing the staple that is turkey from your Thanksgiving day feast from the table. But before you grab your fork and head for that piece of thigh meat consider what I have to say. I'm sure it's not a huge shock that Thanksgiving constitutes one of the greatest days of turkey consumption each year, and in the United States alone that can be upwards of 45 million gobblers! Take that and then add this: the meat industry is a black hole for greenhouse gas emissions. In being a more ethical shopper, you may do well to sing the praises of soy meat, or a vegetarian entree.
How in the world could your turkey be contributing to global warming you may ask? Well this is due to a few different reasons. Firstly, the amount of grain that is fed to turkeys around the world is astronomical. In fact, it was documented in a study at Cornell University, that a whopping 40% of the world's grain supply does not go to any human source, but instead down the gullet of turkeys. And of course what goes in, must come out, and in going through their natural processes, these turkeys are responsible for soil erosion and other land altering effects. Further, these birds are drinking up a large amount of water, and this of course is in a supply that is not everlasting.
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