planet on a plate
Heavy Metal
Pollution
Heavy metals are fed to livestock at low
concentrations to counter health problems or
to act as growth promoters. They include
copper, zinc, selenium, cobalt, arsenic, iron
and manganese. Animals can absorb only 5 to
15 per cent of the metals they ingest and the
remainder is excreted into the environment.
Methane from the digestive
processes of goats, sheep and
particularly cattle: 86 million
affect reproduction and result in birth
Pesticide Pollution
tonnes a year. defects. Agent Orange, used in Vietnam,
was an organochlorine defoliant.
A recent study based in Germany found that
It is the enormous demand for fodder which areas near to farms using pesticides show up
spurs most pesticide, fungicide and herbicide to six times less biodiversity than habitats
use. This process of dousing the land with surrounding organic farmland.
chemicals is destroying its fertility and
contributing to land degeneration, effectively What amounts to almost unbridled chemical
reducing the amount of land available. It is a warfare has led to 4.5 billion litres of pesticides
self-defeating policy that appears to concern being sprayed onto UK land every year.
few in government or agriculture.
While usage has decreased slightly in the EU,
several hundred different pesticides are Conclusion
currently used in agriculture around the world. As the world’s resources sink and the environmental
The two most important groups are problems soar leading scientists, ecologists and experts
organochlorine and organophosphorous are repeatedly calling for decisive action before it is
compounds. They can contaminate soil, water too late. There is one thing within your power that
and air, affect non-target creatures and will have a huge and immediate impact in protecting
damage the proper functioning of ecosystems. our planet, and that is to change your diet. Stop
eating meat and fish today – and give up dairy
Biomagnification describes how pesticide products. Any step you take is important, and you can
residues concentrate the further up the food immediately begin to remove yourself from the cycle
chain you go, resulting in huge of exploitation and destruction. Even better, raise your
concentrations in top predators and humans. voice in protest, join with others such as Viva! and
This can cause cancers, tumours and lesions, actively fight against the ruthless corporations who
disrupt the immune and endocrine systems, will allow greed to destroy the globe.
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