Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 2,638
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Quote:
Cows don’t just magically produce it: it results from pregnancy. Like humans, cows carry their young for nine months. Unlike humans, most cows will have their young taken away within 12-14 hours after birth due to their economic strain. Male calves will be sent to the slaughterhouse to produce "veal", because they don't produce milk and they are useless to farmers. In Australia, this is around 400,000 calves per year. This cruel separation is a traumatic experience, destined to be repeated over and over for a cow’s workable lifetime— every 13 months. These calves will never even taste their mother’s milk. The mother cow is always either pregnant, giving birth or being milked. When her milk production declines and she is no longer profitable, she is also sent to slaughter and replaced by her daughters.
For decades, we’ve been fed the idea that dairy is best—that we need it. But consider who would have encouraged this propaganda: that’s right, the for-profit dairy industry. Yes, dairy is the source of calcium and other vitamins, but to put it bluntly: it’s not meant for us. It’s meant for a rapidly growing baby calf.
Consuming dairy is actually not in our best interests, and that we’ve been force-fed many ideas that are not factual. For instance, milk doesn’t reduce fractures—it may actually increase the risk of them by 50%. By consuming five to seven portions of fruits and veggies per day (and no animal products), a person can reduce their risk of heart disease by 47%, strokes by 26%, and cancer by up to 18%. Furthermore, about 75% of the population is lactose intolerant. Know why?
Because. We’re. Not. Meant. To. Drink. Another. Animal’s. Milk.
Furthermore, with the increasing demand for dairy, there is growing pressure on natural resources, including freshwater and soil. Dairy cows and their manure produce greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change. Animal agriculture is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation. Livestock and their byproducts account for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, or 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Almost 3100 liters of water are needed for 1kg. of cheese. Animal Agriculture is responsible for 20%-33% of all fresh water consumption in the world today. We would have 15x more protein on any given area of land with plants, rather than animals.
The land required to feed 1 person for 1 year is: 1) Vegan: 1/6th acre; 2) Vegetarian: 3x as much as a vegan; 3) Meat Eater: 18x as much as a vegan
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Just saw this on my Facebook feed too actually, maybe worth posting here. This is really just the same information I shared in this thread, if anyone would like to read. It's crazy, right? Doesn't, however, mean that you're a terrible person because you've consumed it up 'til now. We're all doing the best we can with what we know, and many of us simply weren't aware. 
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Start looking for actual animal rights organizations, sis.
