Forum: Daarstad: We all must eat less meat

Daarstad: We all must eat less meat Going vegan or vegetarian would save water, keep ecosystems cleaner, reduce overgrazing

By HALEY DAARSTAD Columnist

Everyone should be eating less meat. The amount of meat that Americans consume is not sustainable and is causing harm to the environment.

The production of meat has increased about five times in the past half-century, and the amount per person has doubled. By 2050 this number is supposed to increase by another 140%.

As of 2018, a person will eat an average of 222 pounds of meat per year. This means that if every person at Oregon State University ate meat, a total of 7,275,828 pounds of meat would be consumed in one year.

This increase in meat consumption is a huge problem. Meat has an enormous energy footprint, which is the measure of land required to absorb the carbon dioxide emissions. When compared to a piece of corn, it takes about 75 times more energy to produce meat than corn.

Animal agriculture is responsible for around 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions. This is larger than what is contributed by transportation.

However, by eating less meat or shifting to a vegan or vegetarian diet, that number could be significantly reduced. A vegan is someone who does not eat or use animal products, while a vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat.

By eating less meat, a person can save water, reduce water pollution, reduce the destruction of habitats and ecosystems and reduce green

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA LUCAS | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK ARCHIVES Fresh vegetables and baked goods are for sale at the Corvallis Farmers’ Market.

house gas emissions. Which all contribute to a more sustainable future. To produce one pound of beef it can up to 50,000 liters of water. Not only does it take a substantial amount of water to produce meat, but it can also cause great harm to waterways. Animal waste, antibiotics, and hormones that are involved in the animal agriculture process enter rivers and stream ecosystems, severely harming them. Around 30% of the land on Earth is used for agriculture, and 70% of that land is used for animal agriculture. Livestock farming can result in overgrazing, which has led to soil erosion and deforestation.

The amount of meat people consume today will not lead to a sustainable future. The fact is that people need to start eating less meat.

While it can be difficult at first to implement this lifestyle change, there

are different things that can help.

Pavneet Kaur, a dietetics major and president of the Vegan and Vegetarians club, shared the ways that helped her. From following different Instagram accounts that posted vegan facts and awareness, to finding support systems online, there are multiple things in place that can help people who want to make this lifestyle change.

“What was most helpful for me, was reminding myself every day of all the beneficial aspects of veganism,” Kaur said.

Joining the Vegan and Vegetarian club is another way to become more involved. The Vegan and Vegetarians club is a safe and comfortable place for students to engage with other vegan or vegetarian students, and to promote the different aspects behind plant-based diets, explained Kaur.

Molly Test, a biology major and secretary of Vegan and Vegetarians club, has been vegan for four years and shared how her vegan journey has impacted her.

Growing up in Portland and having a brother who was vegan she was able to learn a lot, and after she began doing her own research and finding out the realities of mass animal agriculture she decided to make the lifestyle change, Test said.

According to Test, throughout her journey as a vegan she has learned that the best way to get people to learn more about veganism is to lead by example and to approach people with passion.

“I hope they can realize that the diet is already aligned with their values and have every reason to give it a try,” Test said.

A person doesn’t have to become a vegan or vegetarian to make a small difference, just by doing Meatless Mondays a person can do a lot.

With the growing population, the world can not sustain the current diets of Americans. Eating less meat can save our planet.

Letter to the Editor: University

mental health emails insulting

I really, honestly do not want to see another email from the university talking about mental health until they increase the budget of CAPS and hire more counselors.

The email sent out on Friday, Feb. 20th that introduced Kognito, a mental health online training website, is yet another band-aid to a problem they haven’t solved. As students we do not schedule break downs or mental health needs. When my grandmother went into a coma during my freshman year, CAPS told me I would need to wait four weeks to see a counselor unless I felt like this was truly an emergency—four weeks out being finals week of spring term, and I decided not to book an appointment because it felt useless. My grades tanked and I struggled to get my footing after she passed a few days later. I’m very lucky to have family and friends who were willing to listen, cry with me, and offer encouraging words. Being able to see CAPS that week could have changed the rest of that term and the following summer for me. Many friends have had this same complaint after trying to make a single-session counseling appointment but being turned away by the next available appointment being three to five weeks out. We all feel as though OSU continues to put misguided effort towards a subject they claim to care so deeply about. I hope I’m wrong, but please, no more “it’s all on you” emails.

Sierra Hosea Earth sciences major Letters to the Editor will be reviewed for submission on a firstreceived basis. Letters must be submitted by the Thursday before the next print publication. Letters must be 200 words or fewer and must include the author’s signature, academic major, class standing or job title, department name and phone number. Authors of emailed letters will receive a reply for the purpose of verification. Letters are subject to editing for space, style, clarity and civility. Letters which are timely, relevant and accurate will receive priority for publication. Each reader will be allowed one published letter per month. Letters may be published either in print and/or online.

In This Essay I Will By LUKAS DUMESTRE

YAYS & NAYS

The Barometer lists OSU’s favorite and least favorite things this week.

YAYS

YAY to long walks in the warm sunshine YAY to good coffee YAY to self-care and destressing YAY for newly elected ASOSU members YAY for a successful DAMchic launch party

NAYS

• NAY to having midterm exams during week 8 • NAY to drama • NAY to Sunday homework • NAY to power outages • NAY to pages being deleted on InDesign and having to start over on the newspaper (due to a power outage)

Twitter: @DailyBaro and @omnsports

SUDOKU

LEVEL: 1 2 3 4

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Aries (March 21 – April 19) Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Today is a 7 -- All is not as it appears. Quietly wait for developments. Consider long-term consequences. Actions taken now can have long-lasting impacts. Study and plan your moves.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Today is an 8 – Your social status is rising. Expand your territory. Your recent work reflects you well. Invest into a shared dream. Collaborate for long-lasting community benefit.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) Today is a 9 – Set your professional goals high. More is possible. Take new ground. Expand with discipline and determination. Fortune amplifies your own commitment levels. Today is an 8 – Launch an educational adventure. Use what you’re learning to benefit family and friends. Make longdistance connections and reach a wider circle. Discuss future options.

Leo (July 23 – Aug 22)

Today is a 9 – Everything seems possible. Friends help you make an important connection. You can get the funding to empower a shared venture. File papers, contracts and applications.

Virgo (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

Today is an 8 – Listen to your partner’s perspective for a wider view. You’re learning quickly. Support each other with the tasks at hand. You’re a powerful team. Libra (Sept 23 – Oct 22) Today is a 9 – Your physical performance seems energized. Practice your moves. Give it your all. Build upon strong foundations. Imagine perfection and then go for it. Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) Today is an 8 – Relax and have fun with people you love. Make plans and schedule future connections. Imagine delightful encounters and set them up. Light candles. Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21) Today is a 7 – Focus on home and family matters. The neighborhood provides what you need. Renovate and repair with help from your local community. Draw upon hidden resources. Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19) Today is a 9 – Get your message out. Make and share powerful connections. Greater impact is possible. Take advantage of a beneficial development. Your story has legs. Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) Today is an 8 – A lucrative venture benefits from your attention. Provide excellence. Plug a financial leak. Look at what you have from another perspective. Keep customers satisfied. Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) Today is a 9 – A personal dream beckons. You can see the road to take. Adapt as you go. Overcome old fears. A respected mentor inspires action.

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CROSSWORD

Across 1 On a peg, as a golf ball 5 Panda Express kitchen items 9 Aerospace giant __ & Whitney 14 Pre-deal payment 15 Rapper/actor with a cool name? 16 Talk show host in the National Women’s Hall of Fame 17 Keyboard chamber work 19 Pending state 20 Go off-script 21 Indian royal 23 Very long time 24 Shih Tzu or Chihuahua 28 Wet just a bit 31 Airer of old films 32 Kindle download 33 Norse royal name 36 Was shown on TV 40 Authorize someone to represent you at the shareholder meeting 44 Tea biscuit 45 Sank, with “down” 46 Fellows 47 Pontiac muscle car 49 Financed like many fleet cars 52 Personal unrest 57 __ Paulo 58 Bruins star Phil, to fans 59 Eye surgery acronym 63 Singer Ronstadt 65 Command to bypass a recap of prior episodes ... and what the puzzle circles do 68 Make sure not to see 69 “Electric” fish 70 Product preview 71 Like a bad breakup 72 Deuce topper 73 Smoochy love letter letters Down 1 Cantina snack 2 Oklahoma city 3 And others: Abbr. 4 Jeans 5 Quipster 6 Text digitization meth. 7 Knightley of “Love, Actually” 8 Brown ermine 9 Frigid zone ice formation 10 N.Y. tech school 11 Carrying a weapon 12 It’s forbidden 13 Skimpy swimsuit 18 Column that aptly includes the letters BIO 22 Stick (out) 25 Sign gas 26 Relative via marriage 27 Mideast bigwig 28 Magazines with Alfred E. Neuman 29 Intl. oil group 30 __ facto 34 Had lunch 35 Snake’s poison 37 Capital of Italia 38 They aren’t together anymore 39 Unit of force 41 “Picnic” dramatist 42 Prepare (for) 43 __ extra cost 48 Tense NBA periods 50 Taylor of “Mystic Pizza” 51 Largest living antelopes 52 Muslim religion 53 Hardly worldly 54 They’re forbidden 55 Unexpected win 56 “Today” weather anchor 60 Crock-Pot dinner 61 Hogwarts librarian __ Pince 62 Screwball 64 Prefix with card or count 66 Land in l’eau 67 Future therapist’s maj.

JACOB LE | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK TOP: Feser, left, and Haverkamp confront each other in Rogers Hallway after class was dismissed. Haverkamp questioned Feser on why he wouldn’t sign the petition. BOTTOM LEFT: Undergraduate Forestry student Tali Ilkovitch joins protest to support graduate employees and researchers. BOTTOM RIGHT: OSU Provost and Vice President Edward Feser, right, requests to respond to the petition after he has had time to read it.

by supporting the event. Event-goers could receive a misconduct letter for violating OSU’s time, place and manner rules by protesting within a classroom.

“Will there be moral repercussions? No, I can sleep well knowing I have done my best to build a just, peaceful and equitable world. Will there be university backlash? Almost guarantee if you try to speak about these issues, they will ignore you through their official channels. If you talk through unofficial channels, they will absolutely punish you and not speak to you,” Haverkamp said.

According to Clark, the university uses policies regarding free speech to avoid classrooms and labs from getting disturbed. “The first effort would not be to punish someone but to inform them of how they can engage in appropriate free speech,” Clark said. OSU and members of CGE will continue to have bargaining meetings for the coming months.

“The Coalition if Graduate Employees and the university have agreed to a bargaining process, and are meeting twice monthly, to arrive at an updated collective bargaining agreement. The university and CGE have had a collective bargaining agreement since 2001. I respect the roles of the university and CGE bargaining team, and look forward to the results of this important bargaining process,” Feser said via email.

While ongoing meetings continue, employees’ conditions will continue on as they have in previous years.

“It is not enough to raise wages, we must chop from the top and lower the wages of those who are greedily consuming the financial resources of this institution,” Haverkamp said. “Oregon State University is flushed with cash and financial rich, but morally, spiritually and ethically they are bankrupt.”

Graduate employees will continue to work with CGE until the demands of the petition are addressed by the OSU administration.