Negative Impacts Caused by Consumption of Food and the Agricultural Activities on the Environment

Negative Impacts Caused by Consumption of Food and the Agricultural Activities on the Environment
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Negative Impacts Caused by Consumption of Food and the Agricultural Activities on the Environment
Introduction
Consumption of meat has a great impact on all aspects of humanity’s long term survival chances and human life in general (Raphaely & Marinova, 2015). This is an ignored fact by the society, despite the knowledge that they have, regarding this subject. Meat consumption is one of the leading causes of increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emission worldwide, water and land depletion, resistance of antimicrobials and undesirable effects on human health. There is a need to reduce the consumption of meat to boost environmental sustainability. This, in essence, will help in the mitigation drive of environmental and human health damage. It is a wakeup call for the concerned stakeholders such as the government and researchers to encourage people in cutting down on their meat intake and offer advice to the right players in the meat industry regarding the ethics, production and consumption of the product and how it impacts the environment. Farm inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, fuels, pharmaceuticals, growth substrates, buildings and machinery, are known causes of environmental degradation (Raphaely & Marinova, 2015). It is worth noting that climate change is of significance in matters of health. The problems that come with a burst in population should be addressed carefully so that dietary choices and food supply systems are able to meet the growing demand (Green et al, n.d). Studies indicate that the greenhouse emissions from food systems and dietary choice amount to a huge percentage of greenhouse gases (GHG) emission at the rate of 31% (Green et al, n.d). This paper seeks to explore the negative impacts caused by the types of foods consumed, the agricultural activities, and the way they impact the environment.
The growth in the consumption of beef in developed countries according to a recent survey stands at 1% annually (Petrovic et al, 2015). The greenhouse gas is leading in environmental degradation concerning livestock farming because of the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is produced. Secondly, the methane, which is produced by animals through their waste and the after effect of digestion by the animals, is also another known cause of increased GHGs. The consumption of beef and fish have serious ramifications to the existence of the environment. The national dietary patterns affect both cultural, economic and ecological trends. Ruminating animals such as sheep and cattle produce methane, which has an impact on the climate change, and as such, it is causing a stir on the global scale. Studies carried out in the US indicated that 14% of methane was emitted in 2007 (Petrovic et al, 2015). The report indicated that beef had the highest GHG emissions that comprised 22.6kg CO2-eq/kg (Petrovic et al, 2015).
Global trends in the consumption of beef indicate that, the developed countries have the highest rate of consumption. There are indications that the trend is not about to change any sooner. Hand in hand with this, the seafood production has had a share of blame in terms of environmental degradation. There have been reports of farm nutrients being discharged in the water bodies, curtailing the otherwise good quality of usable water. Studies indicate that there are numerous deposits of nitrogen in the water bodies as a result of anthropogenic sources. They are dangerous in the sense that they are likely to enrich the algal blooms or otherwise cause eutrophication (Price et al, 2015).
Most of the feed given to fish had enough nitrogen deposits, which found their way into the oceans. There are other cases of phosphorous being released in the water bodies from fish farms in the form of, undigested food, uneaten food and the dissolved phosphate that appears in metabolic waste. The percentage of the deposits of phosphate depends on the type of feed, species of the fish, which is being cultured, feeding efficiency and the feeding conversion ratio (Price et al, 2015). Research has indicated that 27% of consumed phosphorous by trout and salmon,gets lost as dissolved waste and the 40% is lost in the form of particulate matter, thereby leaving only 33% which is retained (Price et al, 2015). According to a recent report regarding integrated coastal management, the main pollutants in the marine habitats are biogas/biodiesel, dietic products commonly referred to as Chitosan, the natural pigment that arise after extraction, Chitosan or food packaging applications, collagen or cosmetics, enzyme isolation, soil fertilizers, and hydrolysates.
Being a locavore is the description given to someone who strictly consumes only those products that are locally produced. In most caseі, the production is always within a radius of 100 miles away. The movement of locavore adherents is aimed at inculcating a self-reliant culture in terms of consumption in the sense that the production of food, its processing, consumption and distribution are integrated to boost economic, social and environmental health of a given place. Using the food miles concept, the movement was able to gauge the food sustainability. In the food system, factors such as production, distribution, processing and storage are given the first priority. This movement believes that if people consumed locally, there will be a lesser risk of consuming food that is environmentally damaging. The impact of globalization has been the leading cause of GHGs. This vice has increased by 5% (Gregory, n.d). The remedy to this therefore is regional specialization, which could simply mean that lesser fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides will be used.
Depending on a plant-based diet is one of the most effective way of remaining healthy. Most of the experts in nutrition advice that, eating a fruit a day is healthy and adds quality to one’s well being. This notwithstanding, it has ramifications, especially to those plants that are produced in greenhouses. Green houses have nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and methane, which are produced when the machines burn the fossil fuels. In the end, this gas is let free into the atmosphere from where it lends itself to environmental degradation and climate change. The firm produce has to be transported to the market. This way, they emit poisonous gases from the vehicles into the atmosphere. This activity is known to contribute substantially to GHGs in the developed countries, at the rate of 15% to 30% (Seaman, 2013).
Pesticide residue poses a serious danger to the life both on land in water. The main function of pesticides is to mitigate, repel or kill a pest. They are commonly found on farms where plants and animals are raised. In the market today, there are over 400 chemicals in use on the conventional farms. On an apple farm, for example, the fruits can be prayed 16 times using varied pesticides. Within the five months that the fruits take to mature fully, the chemicals get absorbed in the soil, air, food and water. Through erosion, these deposits end up landing in undesired territories, wreaking havoc health wise. They can cause complications such as irritation of the nose, eyes and skin. They could also cause blurred vision, weakened muscles, tremors, excessive sweating, dizziness and fever whenever individuals are exposed to the chemicals. The chemicals in these pesticides could also result in diseases such as brain cancer, Parkinson’s disease, miscarriage, Leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Asthma, infertility and sterility. This situation affects those people working on the farm and those who are in proximity to those farms. It is important to note that, it is hard to wash off pesticides from the fruit, which are consumed hence the exposure to such unhealthy conditions. Pesticides are known to cause interference with the metabolism since it affects the endocrine system (Gauker, 2010).
Commercial farming in its own right, has limitations, especially where health concerns and environmental degradation are concerned. Initially, farming was based on the principle of sustainability. Sustainable agriculture was meant to bring a new meaning by enhancement of environmental quality and proper use of natural resources. It was supposed to gain a proper insight into the application of renewable resource in a manner that would enhance the quality of life in the entire society. After the Second World War, there has been a tremendous shift from sustainable to industrial agriculture. Industrial agriculture has succeeded because of the emergence of antibiotics and other chemicals (Gauker, 2010). The use of preservatives, hormones and chemicals are put into application to increase the productivity in any given farm. Farmers have embraced industrial agriculture because of the financial gains that come with its application, at the expense of health concerns and the environment. Industrial agriculture, according to studies has seen a reduction in the cost of production, which in essence has led to improved profitability on the part of the farmers who are engaged in agribusiness (Gauker, 2010).
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