Vegans harm the environment

Rebuttals:1) If everyone become vegan all of a sudden, then 10 billion chickens will freely roam over the planet and eat all the plants up...First off, it seems that Pro thinks I am arguing that we should all go vegan. To be clear, I am aruging that vegans do not create a substancial offset in the ecosystem that causes significant harm, not that we should stop eating meat. Meat is a vital part in many communities diets, such as eskimos. You can't expect them to stop eating whale meat, as it is incredibly difficult to farm in the Yukon.Secondly, Pro makes the argument that "ten billion chickens will freely roam over the planet" as a result of vegans. This is not the case. Chickens have natural predators that are not eating those chickens (as they are kept securely in slaughterhouses, these predators cannot hunt them), and, as stated above, the poultry industry would still exist. The chickens wouldn't be set free, as there would still be demand for meat from non-vegans.2) it will severely impact the farmer's economy as will as cause a food shortage, for there will be an increased strain on plant sources.Pro clings to the argument that we will run out of plants, but he has brought no evidence whatsoever that prove plants are as much of a non-sustanable resource as meat. Also, Pro ignores the fact that the meat industry depends upon plants to feed the animals that are used in the making of meat. As I've shown before with the tetriary pyramid, we loose 99% of the energy produced by plants when we eat primary consumers (cows, chickens, etc.), whereas when we eat the primary producers (corn, wheat, etc.) we save a tenth of that energy. Eating plants is more energy efficent, and we won't be running out of them anytime soon.3) (Paraphrased) The trophic pyramid is unreliable/doesn't show disparity between caloric density.The trophic pyramid is reliable and founded in science. It states that from each trophic level, energy is lost in incriments of ten.With E standing for "energy" and C standing for "calories," the formula is10E = 1C It takes ten times the amount of energy to create one calorie. The others are lost during the metabolic process (1).This explains the so-called disparity between caloric density. The reason for this is because a primary consumer must eat ten times the amount of primary producers to produce meat. The trophic pyramid stands. 4) (Paraphrased) Sources provided by Con are severly outdated. If anything, the statistics I mentioned would have grown over the course of the years. As demand for meat rises (as it has), the supply must nessesarily rise as well. Therefore, there would be even more of the harmful by-products that I mentioned. In addition, these "poultry standards" don't stop chickens from producing manure, urine, etc., and no technological advances can stop these functions from occuring. 5) We must realize that if the chickens and cattle are allowed to live on for long, they can do all that damage that con mentioned, yet if they are killed and eaten they would do lesser damage.We must realize that if the chickens and cattle are allowed to live on for long, they could eat the same amount of plant-based food that they would if they were in a slaughterhouse, and they would be killed and eaten by natural predators.Your argument is so easily reversed and disproven it should not be counted as evidence by any means. Speaking of evidence, where is it? I've provided sources, but you make bold, speculative statements without any proof whatsoever. Need I remind you who holds the burden of proof in this debate?6) Economic impactThis would be so true...If I were arguing we should all turn vegan overnight. See my response to Pro's first argument. Also, this argumenent is uncanily similar to those that supported slavery during the 1800's. The economy has no bearing on whether or not something harms the environment.7) Agriculture causes pollution as well.As well? Do you concede that the meat industry causes polution as well? Then the question is this:Which is worse? The meat industry? Or the agricultural industry?I've already shown how the meat industry causes insane amounts of pollution, so I'll defend the agricultural industry this round.Pro's source shows the supposed dangers of the agricultural industy. However, both the first and the second are similar in that the dangers are to unfiltered, untreated ground water that can be affected by plants. In addition, the third harm the article mentions only applies if we consider extremely inneficent farming practices that do not implement crop rotation, such as those that caused the Great Dust Bowl in 1935. What is strange, however, is that Pro makes no mention of the fourth potential harm in his article. The reason for this is because it shows the danger of the meat industry! "As of now, livestock is grown in cramped conditions where it is fed unnatural diets and sent to slaughterhouses on a regular basis. As a result, they add to the process of agricultural pollution by way of emissions (2)." Pro's only source acctualy affirms my case! The final harm mentioned in Pro's source is that pests and weeds can eat other plants around the farms that those plants are not used to. This is easily counteracted by pesticides and herbicides that both a) protect the plants, and b) kill invasive species of insects or weeds. This is not a harm by any means. In the end, Pro's only argument against the agricultural industry is an article on the subject. One, and only one article. In response, I'll link an article on the dangers of the meat industry (3). Pro has come no where close to proving his case against the agricultural industry's supposed polution.7) TasteThis is a subjective harm. Some enjoy meat, some don't. This has absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the environmental impact, or lack thereof, of vegans. In conclusion, Pro was1) not topical in his attempt to prove the environmental impact of vegans, and2) no where near close to meeting his burden of proof.Pro?Sources:(1) http://maggiesscienceconnection.weebly.com...;(scroll down until you reach the section labeled "Trophic Pyramid")(2) http://www.conserve-energy-future.com...(3) http://www.alternet.org...