The Environmental Concerns of the Livestock Industry
             The United States leads the way in a global trend toward increased meat consumption. The average
             American consumes almost twice his or her own body weight in meat every year. World meat production has
             surged nearly fivefold in the last fifty years, from 44 millions tons in 1950, to 211 million tons in 1997. This
             growing manufacturing of meat for food is creating new pressures on land and water resources, contributing to
             water pollution, and intensifying global warming (Worldwatch Institute).
             The media places emphasis on the environmental damage caused by oil spills, pollutants emitted from
             motor vehicles, ozone depletion, and acid rain. The environmental concerns associated with the manufacturing of
             nuclear power and paper products are widely-known. Commonly overlooked are the hazardous effects of raising
             animals for food. The livestock industry has many negative effects on the environment, including pollution of the
             air, land, and water resources. The improvement of management practices in the livestock industry can lead to the
             reduction of harmful effects on the environment, and at the same time, increase profits. The Ruminant Livestock
             Efficiency Program and the Global Livestock Group are programs concerned with cleaning up the air. The
             Environmental Quality Incentive Program targets the cleanup of livestock waste, and the reduction of meat
             consumption is a method of preserving land and water resources. The implementation of more efficient
             management strategies in livestock production can lead to maximized environmental and economic benefits.
             According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the world's livestock herds account for approximately
             25 percent of human-induced emissions of methane (CH4), a colorless and odorless, but potent, greenhouse gas that
             contributes to climate change (Worldwatch Institute)....