As the peasants move on, cattle-ranchers follow close behind. To date, two-thirds of Central America's rainforests have been destroyed, with one half of this land now used for grazing. The social costs of factory farms are high. Environmental destruction includes concentrated production of methane and other gases that contribute to global warming, pollution of rivers due to massive waste run off, and pollution of the air with vegetation-killing ammonia. The health hazards for consumers of animal products are now common knowledge.
Animals suffer as well as humans.
The systemic abuse inflicted in factory farms challenges our sense of ethics. First, we should support the efforts of the vegetarian movement, which seeks to shift consumer patterns toward a more plant-centered diet. This work includes educating the public on food issues, promoting the availability of vegetarian options in schools, restaurants, festivals, and other public arenas, and ending government meat subsidies. Vegetarian-related groups have been growing steadily in the last few years. With its growth, the vegetarian movement has had some modest but significant successes.