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Factory Farming Disadvantages Essay

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Morgan Seger
Cavallo
English 11R
3 May 2012
To Meat, Or Not To Meat – That Is The Question Eating, raising and domesticating livestock for survival has been taking place since the very beginning of human existence. Since history began, nomadic settlers began grazing sheep, goats and other native species in order to live off of their resources. Currently in the twenty first century, the idea of using animals for the benefit of living has been taken to another level; this is called factory farming. Factory farming began in the 1920s soon after vitamins A and D were discovered; when these vitamins are added to feed, animals no longer required exercise and sunlight for growth. This allowed large numbers of animals to be raised indoors …show more content…

Manure carries with it other substances that are used on industrial farms. These include antibiotics and artificial growth hormones, which contaminate waterways and affect the plants and animals that live in them (National Risk Management Research Library 2). Salt, a common component of manure from industrial dairies can damage soil quality and contributes to erosion (Schneider 2). Factory farms also emit harmful gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide, which contributes to global warming. This air pollution is a result from the overuse of machinery, the mismanagement of manure, and the irresponsible feeding practices that characterize industrial farming. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides have turned agriculture into a leading source of water pollution in the United States as well. Runoff from factory farms kills fish, degrades aquatic habitats and threatens drinking water supplies. Factory farms are such a high contributor to the damages of Earth and ultimately harm our planet in great heights. A recent United Nations report concluded that a global shift toward a vegan diet has become necessary to battle with the effects of climate change. In addition, researchers at the University of Chicago concluded that switching from a standard American diet to a vegan diet is more effective in the fight against climate change than switching from a standard American car

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