Question

Then identify the author’s purpose and point of view. Save the Planet: Eat Your Vegetables By Manuel Cortes, PhD, Director of the Institute for a Sustainable Lifestyle Our ecological footprint—the amount we affect the natural world—has grown larger over the years due to population growth and to personal and societal habits. One of the best ways to reduce our ecological footprint is through eating a vegetarian diet. Raising animals for food is environmentally demanding. One pound of beef requires between 2,000 and 8,000 gallons of water to produce because cattle feed on grass and grain, which require water to grow. Tofu, a soybean product, requires only about 300 gallons per pound to produce. Additionally, livestock, such as beef and dairy cattle, contribute about 14.5 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. In terms of land use, all forms of agriculture use about half of the land considered habitable. Crops grown for human consumption use only about 23 percent of total agricultural land, while livestock production accounts for a whopping 77 percent of agricultural land use. One-third of the world’s arable land—land suitable for growing crops—is used to grow livestock feed, while 26 percent of the planet’s ice-free surface is used for cattle grazing.

Answer 1

The author's purpose is to advocate for the adoption of a vegetarian diet as a means to reduce our ecological footprint. The author's point of view is that raising animals for food is environmentally unsustainable and that the production of meat contributes significantly to water usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and land use.

Answer 2

give evidence from the article to support the author’s point of view you identified.

Answer 3

The author provides evidence to support the point of view that raising animals for food is environmentally unsustainable. They mention that one pound of beef requires between 2,000 and 8,000 gallons of water to produce, while tofu, a soybean product, requires only about 300 gallons per pound to produce. This demonstrates that meat production is significantly more water-intensive compared to plant-based alternatives.

Furthermore, the author states that livestock, such as beef and dairy cattle, contribute about 14.5 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. This shows that animal agriculture has a significant impact on climate change.

The author also highlights the land use associated with livestock production. They mention that all forms of agriculture use about half of the land considered habitable, but livestock production accounts for 77 percent of agricultural land use. Additionally, one-third of the world's arable land is used to grow livestock feed and 26 percent of the planet's ice-free surface is used for cattle grazing. This demonstrates how much land is dedicated to supporting livestock, illustrating the significant impact on land resources.