Originally printed in the Penn State Daily Collegian on September 3, 2010.
I enjoyed reading about Penn State’s creative methods for sustainable living in Thursday’s article “Penn State researches canola as energy source.” However, there is a much cheaper way to make dining halls more sustainable: add more vegan food.
According to an extensive United Nations study, raising animals for food contributes more to climate change than all cars, boats and trains combined.
The amount of resources wasted on producing animal-derived products is staggering. We currently feed more than 70 percent of the grains grown in the U.S. to animals raised for food. Similarly, nearly half of the water and 80 percent of agricultural land consumed in this country are used for livestock, rather than direct consumption by humans. Passing these resources through animals — who use up 90 percent of the energy they consume simply by living their lives — requires exponentially more land, water and other resources than simply eating plants directly.
Drew Winter
College Campaigns Assistant, peta2
Letters to the editor are one of the best ways to alert your campus of animal issues and events. Just thirty minutes of thoughtful writing can reach tens of thousands of students: more than you could reach leafleting for an entire day!
When writing letters, be sure to include the 2-3 pieces of information most important for readers. Never waste time responding to critics; instead use the opportunity to turn the conversation towards the topics you want to discuss.
