Factory farming: a global crisis with terrifying consequences

Intensive farming is a burden the Planet can no longer bear. Greenpeace presents a bill against the sector to stop the meat factories and combat the pollution for which they are responsible.

Factory farming stands as a global issue, often underestimated, with terrifying consequences. From an animal welfare perspective, these operations are monstrous, with hundreds of thousands of pigs, cows, chickens raised in inhumane conditions.

The environmental toll

When considering the environmental impact, the burden of this form of farming is unsustainable for the Earth. Greenhouse gas emissions from intensive animal farming amount to 17%, equating to those from traffic.

It’s unsurprising, albeit unfortunate, that the most polluted areas in our country correspond to the concentrations of these farms, which, with the ammonia they produce, are the second leading cause of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) formation.

A call for change

This is what Greenpeace Italy hopes for. In cooperation with other environmental groups, the organization has proposed legislation to the Italian government to overhaul the dangerous “meat factories.”

Environmentalists are calling for a halt to the expansion of intensive farms, especially in Italy’s most polluted areas, urging the government not to allocate more public funds to them but rather to reduce the number of animals raised in these facilities.

Supporting sustainable practices

The proposed legislation aims to support small businesses and workers’ rights in the sector, steering the entire industry towards ecological transition. It’s a step our country must take, given the planet’s finite resources.

Currently, over 700 million animals are raised every year in Italy, consuming a massive amount of resources. Consider the energy, water, or feed for these animals. Nowadays, almost 70% of European agricultural lands are cultivated to feed livestock.

Halting intensive farms means taking action on many levels and safeguarding the health of consumers, the well-being of animals, the ecosystem, and biodiversity. You can support Greenpeace’s legislative proposal by signing the petition HERE.

Source: Greenpeace Italia