European Vegetarian Union

written/translated by: Monica Saha

EVU Quiz for World Vegetarian Day 2007

Test your knowledge about the detrimental impact of meat production on climate change.

Questions with radio buttons allow only one single answer,
Questions with checkboxes allow multiple answers

Sources of Information

1. What do many scientists and world leaders say is the most serious issue facing the whole human race?
a) Tourism
b) Climate Change
c) AIDS
d) Aliens landing
2. What is currently the biggest threat for climate change?
a) Cars
b) Meat production
c) Light bulbs
d) George Bush
3. Which gas and its source is the most damaging to the climate?
a) Carbon from fuel emissions
b) Methane from cows flatulence
c) Nitrous oxide from livestock manure
d) Helium from balloons
4. As well as greenhouse gas emissions, in which of the following does meat-eating also play a major part?
a) Desertification
b) Deforestation
c) Acid rain
d) Big bottoms
5. Given the livestock industry's devastating impacts on the environment, which of the following things contribute most to these impacts?
a) Production of meat
b) Production of dairy products
c) Production of eggs
d) Production of breast milk
6. Livestock production is responsible for destroying how much of the Amazon rainforest?
a) 10%
b) 20%
c) 50%
d) 70%
7. Raising what causes the most environmental damage?
a) Cattle
b) Pigs
c) Sheep
d) London Bridge
8. Approximately how many times as much soya protein is required to feed cattle to produce just 1kg of beef?
a) 5
b) 10
c) 15
d) 20
9. Approximately how many litres of water is needed to produce 1kg of beef?
a) 1,000
b) 3,000
c) 10,000
d) 13,000
10. An area of land that is 10 hectares (the size of 5 football pitches) will grow enough meat to feed only how many people?
a) 2
b) 4
c) 6
d) 8
11. The same area of land that is 10 hectares (the size of 5 football pitches) big will grow enough soya to feed how many people?
a) 20
b) 40
c) 60
d) 80
12. Which of the following has the greatest amount polluting the waters?
a) Waste and pollution from the meat industry
b) Household waste
c) Human sewage
d) Car tyres
13. The fishing industry is responsible for?
a) Destroying the fragile ecosystem of the sea-bed
b) Using dynamite and poison to catch fish in some parts of the world
c) Endangering wildlife
d) Singing bad versions of pop songs
14. It is predicted that all sea life could die out by the year?
a) 2050
b) 2500
c) 2750
d) 3000
15. If the entire world population ate meat, how many planets (including Earth) would be needed?
a) 1
b) 3
c) 5
d) 10
16. The amount of grain fed to the United States beef herd would feed the entire population of which two countries?
a) UK
b) Japan
c) China
d) India
17. A diet containing meat requires up to how many times as many resources as a vegetarian diet?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
18. Which group, in terms of diet, has the least impact on climate change?
a) Omnivores
b) Vegetarians
c) Vegans
d) Vulcans
19. What do vegetarians and vegans use far less of than omnivores?
a) Water
b) Land
c) Energy
d) Condoms
20. By going vegetarian you will help to?
a) Reduce pollution of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide)
b) Save vast amounts of water
c) Avoid further pollution of waterways
d) Reduce destruction of tropical rainforest and wildlife

INFORMATION SOURCES

Beckett, J.L. and Oltjen, J.W. (1993), Estimation of the water requirement for beef production in the United States. Journal of Animal Science, 71, 818-826.

Eating the Earth, The Vegan Society, UK.

Ecological Consequences of Meat Consumption (2006), European Vegetarian Union.

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (2005), The State of Food Insecurity in the World

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (2006), Livestock's Long Shadow – Environmental Issues and Options. Rome.

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (2 March 2007), FAO urges action to cope with increasing water scarcity. Rome.

Goodland, R. (1997), Environmental sustainability in agriculture: diet matters. Ecological Economics. 23, 189-200.

Marine Conservation Society (2006)

Penning de Vries, F.W.T., Van Keulen, H. and Rabbinge, R. (1995), Natural resources and limits of food production in 2040. Eco-Regional Approaches for Sustainable Land Use and Food Production. Kluwer Academic Publishing. Dordrecht, 65-87.

Reynolds, N. (1 Aug 2007), Ignoring the meat of the global warming issue, Globe and Mail.

Tickell, C. (27 August 1991), speaking at the British Association for the Advancement of Science, 26 August 1991, reported in The Independent, 27 August 1991.

Why it's Green to go Vegetarian, The Vegetarian Society, UK.

White, T. (2000), Diet and the distribution of environmental impact. Ecological Economics. 34, 145-153.

Worm, B., Barbier, E.B., Beaumont, N., Duffy, J.E., Folke, C., Halpern, B.S., Jackson, J.B.C., Lotze, H.K., Micheli, F., Palumbi, S.R., Sala, E., Selkoe, K., Stachowicz, J.J. and Watson R (2006), Impacts of biodiversity loss on ocean ecosystem services. Science, 314, 787-790.

 

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