Summary of cowspiracy

Saod Alkhaldi

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret is a movie produced in 2014 documenting the effects on the environment of animal agriculture. It also does an investigation on policies formed by environmental organizations on the issue of animal agriculture. This film explores issues including global warming, use of water, deforestation and dead zones of the ocean. Finally, the major conclusion that the film settles on is that animal rearing and agriculture is the sole reason for environmental deforestation.

According to the movie, animal agriculture is the main cause of global warming. Animals emit a good percentage of greenhouse gases. About 65% of nitrous IV oxide is one of the greenhouse gases produced, which has a very high potential of causing global warming compared to carbon IV oxide gas. Due to the high rate at which people are consuming animal products, level of emission of these gases is likely to shoot, making it worse than before. Therefore, with growing number of animals being kept by people and amount of animal products being produced, more of global warming is likely to be witnessed, which will pose a lot of danger for human and other animal survival.

Also, as the movie claims, animal agriculture is a great reason for water shortages. Animals consume a large volume of water. This volume cannot be compared with that consumed by human beings. A large amount of water is used to grow animal foods. The desire for meat and milk is the main reason why people decide to do animal farming. For better and quality products, these animals need food and water. Thus, if only water was to be conserved, and shortages not to occur, then it would be better that people reduce the amount of meat and animals that they consume.

Water pollution, as the movie explains, is majorly caused by animal agriculture. Animals produce lots of gallons of feces each and every second. This amount of waste is by far too much than that produced by all people in the country. With this amount, nobody is sure how carefully it is disposed of. If it finds its way, then this waste can make so much undesirable to consume water in the land. Thus, it is clear that among the effects on the environment of animal agriculture, water pollution is one.

Deforestation is an environmental effect that cannot be forgotten. Animal agriculture has caused depletion of rainforests in the country. Forests are the main sources of air people breath, but because of animals kept, the destruction rate is high. Deforestation is a contributing factor to global warming and should be taken care of. Destruction of forests is a danger to plant species, other animals and insects. Therefore, animal agriculture has a deforestation effect, which in turn leads to plant and other animal extinction.

Amount of space occupied by animals on earth cannot be compared with the ocean. Animals have caused ocean zones to die and destructed other species’ habitat which has led to the extinction of many other wild animal species. It is the responsibility of organizations in charge to ensure animal agriculture does not impact the environment this too much. However, if they do not, then the whole human race is likely to be extinct.

Although many people say many environmental problems arise from overpopulation, the fact is, as presented and explained by Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, animals, are the reason. Many millions of people consume animal products. This is a people-eating animal problem and not overpopulation. As the population continues to grow, demand for animal products increase. This only worsens environmental conditions.

The movie concludes that eating much of plant products will help sustain the environment. Plants grow on a small piece of land while animals occupy a large portion. Use of land for plant production will yield more than for animal rearing. Consumption of much of vegetable will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced both by people and human beings.