BY GABRIELLA BAILEY

There has been a trend towards vegetarianism and veganism in recent years, with many people opting to take on this diet and lifestyle and others reacting to the idea by calling it ‘unhealthy,’ ‘dangerous’ and often ‘selfish.’

It is wrong to refer to these ethical choices as selfish when the positive impact that they have on the environment is immense.

According to recent studies, 30 per cent of the world’s total land mass is used for raising animals for food.

Each day, more and more land is destroyed in order to create space for farmed animals, with nearly 70 per cent of all farm animals being factory farmed.

Concerns about climate change are finally being taken seriously and meat and dairy industries are key contributing factors to the problem, producing 65 per cent of worldwide nitrous oxide emissions.

Meat is mass-produced to serve the carnivorous addictions of the masses.

If we continue to factory farm on the current scale then not only will more animals be kept in appalling conditions but also the health of our population will be put further at risk.

Animals are stuffed with antibiotics to prevent the spread of disease, but, the antibiotics end up in the human body, providing a vacuum for antibiotic resistant superbugs. Where humans are becoming immune to antibiotics, a crisis in world health is only a matter of time.

It is difficult to conceive of the up-sides of eating meat and dairy when one gives it a moment’s thought.

It is delicious? Well, it depends. Raw meat is hardly considered appealing and that is because nearly all the taste of meat is actually the aroma.

Vegetarian alternatives can be just as delicious and, what’s more, no animals have to die in the process.