ASLO/ASM Celebrates Meatless Day on Wednesday, 7 June 2023
By midweek of ASLO ASM in Palma, we will have a “meatless day” where the food and drinks served will be completely animal-free, as we want to recognize that animal agriculture is an important contributor to global warming and the degradation of aquatic systems. It is responsible for a minimum of 16.5 % of human-sourced greenhouse gas (GHG) production (4% of CO2, 35% of CH4, and 66% of N2O of anthropogenic emissions), which is more than the contribution from the transportation sector (cars, busses, trucks, rail, aircraft, and ships), that accounts for 14% of total global anthropogenic GHG emissions (USEPA 2022). Compared with plant agriculture, animal agriculture requires more water (to produce animal feed), and more energy and contributes more to water pollution (Cuker 2021, Cuker et al. 2023). Furthermore, diets that are plant-based may promote lower rates of morbidities, as well as higher longevity (Herpich, Müller-Werdan, & Norman 2022). The “meatless day” of ASLO ASM should help us all to reflect on our dietary habits for personal health and that of our environment.
Cuker, B. (2021). Aquatic Scientists Should Lead by Example and Quit Eating Animals. Limnology And Oceanography Bulletin. doi: 10.1002/lob.10437
Cuker, B., Takahashi-Kelso, D., Rieser, A., Watling, L.E. and Richmond, R. (2023) “Marine and Freshwater Conservationists Should Curtail their Consumption of Animals”, submitted to Aquatic Conservation.
Herpich, C., Müller-Werdan, U. and Norman, K. (2022) “Role of plant-based diets in promoting health and longevity,” Maturitas, 165, pp. 47–51. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.07.003.
USEPA (2022) Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data, EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data (Accessed: December 26, 2022).