Two objections for these calculations—first, they do not take into account the inherent inefficiency of meat production (farm animals only convert a few percent of the energy in their food to consumable products), its contribution to global carbon emission and pollution. Second, they do not take into account the animals displaced and harmed by the indirect effects of meat production. It requires larger areas for farmlands than vegetarian or seafood based diets would.
And where it gets really interesting is when you wonder if wild animals’ lives are worth living. It’s entirely possible that it’s good to eat meat because it prevents more suffering from crowding out wild animals than it causes to the animals being farmed.
Two objections for these calculations—first, they do not take into account the inherent inefficiency of meat production (farm animals only convert a few percent of the energy in their food to consumable products), its contribution to global carbon emission and pollution. Second, they do not take into account the animals displaced and harmed by the indirect effects of meat production. It requires larger areas for farmlands than vegetarian or seafood based diets would.
And where it gets really interesting is when you wonder if wild animals’ lives are worth living. It’s entirely possible that it’s good to eat meat because it prevents more suffering from crowding out wild animals than it causes to the animals being farmed.