But what most Americans do not realize is that what they put into their mouths is by far the most important choice they can make to protect the environment. My concern about the environment is one of my main reasons for becoming vegetarian. The facts are staggering. The health aspects of eating meat, along with the ethical arguments, should be enough to convince anyone to choose a vegetarian diet. When you consider such issues as soil erosion, desertification, wasted petroleum, diminished grain harvests, pollution of our natural waterways and drinking water, and the destruction of the tropical rainforests an even stronger case is made against eating meat.
Sustainable agriculture is a central issue in environmentally sound living.
Topsoil depletion is not to be taken lightly. Overgrazing and trampling destroy the plants and roots that anchor the soil. Rain and wind then wash it away. Over- cultivation of croplands to feed the tremendous number of animals bred by design for human consumption results in additional loss of topsoil. The World Watch Institute has estimated that it costs 35 pounds of topsoil for every pound of beef produced today.