Vegetarian plea

SCIENTISTS from the Stockholm International Water Institute recently announced humankind might be forced to adopt a vegetarian diet in the face of future water shortages.

They argue that, with the world population expected to increase by two billion by 2050, there will not be enough fresh water to support traditional farm husbandry, based on grazing animals, which consumes up to ten times as much water to produce the same amount of protein as agriculture alone can achieve.

It could, therefore, be argued that vegetarianism is the perfect response, particularly since it would further reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Farm animals already produce more greenhouse gas than all the internal combustion engines in the world.

Farm animals also fuel widespread deforestation around the globe as the meat industry seeks to satiate growing demand by literally finding pastures new.

Growing crops is a much more efficient use of limited land resources, requires less water and inputs of energy than livestock farming.

Plant-based diets also provide all the nutrients people need without recourse to meat.

In a world with a booming human population and dwindling resources, it seems important that more people embrace vegetarian diets, rather than feeding plants to animals which then have to be slaughtered for meat production.

Alan Smith

Alexandra Parade

Glasgow