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David Edwards (Talkback, 16/3/07) wonders what would
happen to all the people employed in the meat and dairy
industries, and to the livestock we have, if we were to
follow Jenny Moxham’s suggestion to avoid meat and dairy
products in order to reduce global warming.
The same question was asked when, at the beginning of
the 20th century, the automobile was introduced. What would
become of the horses (until then the main means of transport),
and to the innumerable people employed in horse-related
jobs? Such fears were proved unfounded - as is the case
whenever economies shift. New employment opportunities offered
by the manufacturing and servicing of cars averted a much
dreaded unemployment explosion.
Similarly, increased farming and processing of plant food
for human consumption (nuts, grains, soy, tofu etc) would
replace animal farming as our diet shifts away from meat
and dairy.
And no, the world wasn’t overrun by horses when cars came
in, for the simple reason that the horses weren’t part of
natural populations, but were bred and raised by humans.
Exactly the same is true of the 50 billion plus animals
that today are bred and raised annually for food worldwide.
Vegetarian Action
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The Advertiser, 14 March 2007
Jenny Moxham is a Vegetarian Action supporter.
The Advertiser, 16 March 2007
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