Welcome to April! Here at Novel Hand, we’re celebrating Earth Month with a whole series of Impactfull articles on Earth Worth—an exploration of how we value, protect, and steward our land, and how we can do it better. This week, we’re thinking about how we use our land by focusing on an industry that arguably impacts our land the most: agriculture.
In the coming years, protection of undeveloped lands will be an essential component of our fight against climate change. With their potential for carbon sequestration, air and water purification, protection of biodiversity, and general ability to regulate the climate, protection of these lands is indispensable if we are to stand a chance at keeping the planet habitable.
It is estimated that in order to get the climate on the path to recovery, we will need to protect at least 30 percent of our lands globally. Today, only 15 percent of the Earth’s lands are protected, and most of these protected areas do not cover the lands that are most vital to our planet’s health. More than 80 percent of environmentally critical areas remain unprotected.
Land Use With a Growing Population
So, what are we using all this land for? Mostly to feed our growing population.
According to the most recent United Nations report, the global human population is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. In order to accommodate this, experts estimate that agricultural production must be increased by 60-70 percent globally. With the global population rising every year and the current climate crisis we are facing, it might be time to revisit our food habits.
Currently, more than half of Earth’s land is currently dedicated to agriculture. Most of this land is dedicated to sustaining livestock. In Brazil’s Serra Ricardo Franco State Park, 24 percent of the park has been deforested and 71 percent claimed by farmers due to poor enforcement of the park’s protection. Livestock farms currently occupy one-third of the planet. This makes them the main driver of deforestation.
Masses of land are being cleared not only to hold livestock, but also to grow and harvest crops to feed the livestock. Today, 40 percent of crop production is dedicated to feeding our farm animals. If those crops are instead dedicated to feeding people directly, we will have enough food to sustain us in 2050.
Cutting Back on Meat
Land usage is not the only way that the global livestock industry is having a negative impact on the environment. Livestock are commonly said to be responsible for around 18 percent of global greenhouse emissions, as cited by the FAO. However, it is possible that this estimate is an understatement, and that the number comes closer to around 51 percent. Even if the average person were to cut their meat consumption to only twice a week, their environmental footprint would be reduced by one-third.
Rethinking the Livestock Industry
While some people can make a positive change by eating less meat, getting rid of the livestock industry entirely may not be a viable goal. One billion people around the world depend on livestock for food security and livelihoods. Livestock are especially crucial in developing countries, where jobs and resources are needed the most.
Thankfully, there are ways in which to make the livestock industry more sustainable.
Regenerative agriculture is a term used to describe farming that aims to improve soil health and trap carbon from the atmosphere. When it comes to livestock, regenerative agriculture typically entails practices like rotational grazing. This gives fields more recovery time between grazing to grow and trap more carbon from the atmosphere. When grazing time and recovery time are properly balanced, livestock can actually be beneficial to the fields through trampling nutrients into the soil and fertilizing vegetation. This mimics what happens in nature.
Pasture farming is a livestock farming practice that does not rely on the farming of large plots of land to grow grain for the animals, or on fossil fuels for the transportation of feed. In pasture-farming systems, chemical fertilizer to grow feed for the animals can be exchanged by the natural waste they leave fertilizing the grasslands.
Typically, you can identify meat that has been farmed in this way by looking for products that are labeled grass-fed, pastured, and free range. However, these labels are poorly regulated by the US Department of Agriculture.
To ensure that you are buying grass-fed products, look for ones that are labeled Animal Welfare Approved, which only certifies family farmers and requires a myriad of animal welfare practices in addition to environmentally-friendly practices, or NOFA Certified Grassfed, which requires that animals are grass fed throughout their entire life using practices that do not degrade the soil. These are both independent, third-party organizations that have clear standards on what products earn their approval.
How You Can Be More Sustainable
There are multiple ways to make your consumption of animal products more environmentally-friendly. Although dietary change can seem daunting, there are options to fit most lifestyles.
- Choose chicken over beef. This simple switch can cut your carbon footprint nearly in half.
- Cutting back on meat might be the simplest way to reduce your environmental footprint. If this feels difficult, you can start by trying Meatless Mondays. The Monday Campaigns offers ways to save money, ideas for alternative ingredients, and recipes to help get you started.
- If you’re ready to take it a step further, try a flexitarian diet. This essentially entails largely cutting back on meat, but not entirely. Instead, you would get most of your protein from plant products while still eating meat occasionally.
- When you buy animal products, search for more environmentally-friendly choices. Specifically look for products that are labelled Animal Welfare Approved or NOFA Certified Grassfed. You can find information on other labels here.
- Support your local farmer’s market. Many smaller, sustainably-operated farms that cannot compete with the large operations found in most supermarkets opt to sell their products at farmer’s markets.
- If you have the means and you’re up for the challenge, try going vegan. While it may not be for everyone, switching to a vegan diet can be the biggest way to help the environment.
Systematic Changes Are Necessary
Changing your diet can be a powerful way to make an impact, but it doesn’t replace the need for bigger change. Governments must pass legislation to protect our undeveloped lands and pressure the livestock industry to adopt more sustainable practices, and the international community must cooperate to meet the global need for strong environmental policies. The world cannot use its land sustainably until bold global action is taken.
The Agriculture Resilience Act, which lays out the framework necessary for United States agriculture to meet net-zero emissions by 2040 and has gained widespread support from national organizations, is an example of necessary legislation. Changes like this bill and more must be enacted before we can enjoy a sustainable existence on our planet—one in which we’re able to feed the world by maintaining a healthy and efficient use of our lands.
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