Peter Singer

So that's one difference. Another important impact it has on the environment is that it's a huge waste of food to raise animals in confinement and then have to grow food to feed them. Because the animals just to live and move around, and at least in the case of the birds and mammals, keep their bodies warm, have to use a lot of the food value just to do that.

So that's one difference. Another important impact it has on the environment is that it's a huge waste of food to raise animals in confinement and then have to grow food to feed them. Because the animals just to live and move around, and at least in the case of the birds and mammals, keep their bodies warm, have to use a lot of the food value just to do that.

And of course, also to form bones and other things that we don't even eat. So we're wasting a lot of the good agricultural land. We don't really need as much agricultural cleared land as we have, except for the fact that we're feeding a lot of this grain and soybeans to animals. So we could leave a lot more land to grow trees and absorb more carbon again.

And of course, also to form bones and other things that we don't even eat. So we're wasting a lot of the good agricultural land. We don't really need as much agricultural cleared land as we have, except for the fact that we're feeding a lot of this grain and soybeans to animals. So we could leave a lot more land to grow trees and absorb more carbon again.

We would also have a lot less manure, of course, concentrated manure, which gets into rivers and pollutes rivers. And if any of your listeners happen to live near these places, they will know that it pollutes the air very badly. Factory farms simply stink.

We would also have a lot less manure, of course, concentrated manure, which gets into rivers and pollutes rivers. And if any of your listeners happen to live near these places, they will know that it pollutes the air very badly. Factory farms simply stink.

Well, it's greater than the emissions of all the cars that are being driven around the world. And of course, most of these cars are still fossil fuel driven. It's very substantial. It's something that is also easier for us to end because we can end it just by switching to a plant-based diet, which is an entirely healthy diet that people can live on.

Well, it's greater than the emissions of all the cars that are being driven around the world. And of course, most of these cars are still fossil fuel driven. It's very substantial. It's something that is also easier for us to end because we can end it just by switching to a plant-based diet, which is an entirely healthy diet that people can live on.

Or even if they just reduce significantly the amount of animal products they're eating, that's going to make a big help. Whereas some of the other things that we need to cut out require new technologies that we don't necessarily have to guarantee that we have a secure and constant supply of electricity. People are thinking about how best to do that, and I hope they get there.

Or even if they just reduce significantly the amount of animal products they're eating, that's going to make a big help. Whereas some of the other things that we need to cut out require new technologies that we don't necessarily have to guarantee that we have a secure and constant supply of electricity. People are thinking about how best to do that, and I hope they get there.

But this is something that we can do immediately and that will make a big difference to slowing climate change.

But this is something that we can do immediately and that will make a big difference to slowing climate change.

Well, it will vary with each of those species. Chicken is the most efficient converter. And we're talking about something still even there, like three pounds of grain for one pound of chicken. And in fact, if we're talking about protein, we can talk about protein because the grain is actually way dry and the chicken, of course, is not way dry.

Well, it will vary with each of those species. Chicken is the most efficient converter. And we're talking about something still even there, like three pounds of grain for one pound of chicken. And in fact, if we're talking about protein, we can talk about protein because the grain is actually way dry and the chicken, of course, is not way dry.

So even if you're talking about protein equivalents, it's still roughly a three to one ratio. When you get to pigs, it's more like six or seven to one. The waste of, you know, we only get one back for every six or seven pounds that we're putting in. And when we come to beef cattle in a feedlot, it's one in 10 or even less than one in 10 that we're getting back.

So even if you're talking about protein equivalents, it's still roughly a three to one ratio. When you get to pigs, it's more like six or seven to one. The waste of, you know, we only get one back for every six or seven pounds that we're putting in. And when we come to beef cattle in a feedlot, it's one in 10 or even less than one in 10 that we're getting back.

We're wasting at least 90% of the food value of the grains and soy that we feed to cattle in feedlots.

We're wasting at least 90% of the food value of the grains and soy that we feed to cattle in feedlots.

Pigs nowadays, they're indoors all of their life. They're living either on concrete floors or on metal slatted floors. Both of those are easier to keep the manure off, to hose the manure down. But they're really bad for the hooves of the pigs. They're used to walking on soft floors, or they've evolved to walk on soft floors, I should say, in forests.

Pigs nowadays, they're indoors all of their life. They're living either on concrete floors or on metal slatted floors. Both of those are easier to keep the manure off, to hose the manure down. But they're really bad for the hooves of the pigs. They're used to walking on soft floors, or they've evolved to walk on soft floors, I should say, in forests.