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Meathooked & The End of Water

by Jennie Richards · Published August 21, 2021 · Updated August 20, 2021

“The World Health Organization (WHO) classified processed meats classified in the same cancer-causing Group 1 Carcinogens—as tobacco, diesel exhaust, and asbestos.”

VICE examines the catastrophe facing us as the world becomes more addicted to meat. In developing countries, diets are increasingly following the American and Western diet, incorporating more beef, chicken, pork, and dairy. And meat is subsidized, so it is cheap. But the growth of eating meat is causing devastation around the world–water shortages are increasing, pollution from industrial meat operations is contaminating water supplies and natural water systems, carbon and greenhouse gas emissions from animals is the number one emitter in the world contributing to climate change, the Amazon Rainforest is being cut down to raise cattle for meat-eaters and already nearly 50% of the Amazon Rainforest has been destroyed, and nearly 1/3 of the entire land surface of the Earth is now raising animals for food.

Around the world, from the American West to China, South Asia and the Middle East, the water we need is quickly disappearing. VICE reports from California’s once-abundant farmland in California and the heart of São Paulo’s reservoir system to assess the depths of the crisis, and what can be done to reverse it.

Film Length: 29 Minutes

Watch the Film by VICE on HBO

Quotes from the Film

MEATHOOKED

“The World Health Organization (WHO) classified processed meats classified in the same cancer-causing Group 1 Carcinogens—as tobacco, diesel exhaust, and asbestos.”

“Some scientists agree that our addiction to meat imposes an even greater threat.”

“Meat production globally is an environmental disaster—now. It will be an unthinkable disaster by 2050.”

“Meat production in Brazil is so land intensive, that it is responsible for more than 2/3 of the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest.”

“Meat production is using up more than just our land, because to produce a single pound of meat uses up 1800 gallons of water. And that is only one part, that is threatening the single most important resource that we have.”

“Global meat production has quadrupled since the 1960s to 300 million tons, and by 2050 it will increase by half again to 465 million tons.”

“Brazil is the only country behind the U.S. and is the largest beef producer in the world.”

“On Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) – This feedlot can get 1,500 animals/cows per day, and kills 1,500 cows for slaughter per day. The ones arriving from farms will be on the feed lot for 100 days to fatten. The owner of a Brazilian cattle feed lot is planning on doubling his production just to keep up with the global demand.”

“One cow is slaughtered every 30 seconds at the slaughterhouse in Brazil.”

“We slaughter 80 million animals just for meat every year.”

“The U.S. is importing more and more beef and meat every year. Americans ate more than 100 pounds of red meat per person in 2014, and now Africa and Asia are moving toward this same diet.”

“The market for cheap industrial meat is blowing up around the world.”

“70 percent of land devoted to agriculture on the planet—is devoted to meat production. That’s almost 1/3 of the entire land surface of the Earth. That many acres producing chicken, pork, and red meat – is completely unsustainable. If the world’s population grows to 9 billion people in 2050, as anticipated, there isn’t enough land, there isn’t enough water, there isn’t the capacity in the Earth’s atmosphere to absorb all of the CO2 and GHG that will be produced—for meat.

“The problem is our focus is on making the meat as cheap as possible, causing environmental destruction and catastrophe. North Carolina has one of the worst toxic pollution problems on the planet – because of the way they farm pigs, producing massive toxic manure lagoons, waste pools—all going into the water system and natural rivers, and eventually the ocean. These North Carolina CAFOs are wreaking havoc on the environment and natural resources, and all the waterways are being poisoned.”

“Water, corn, and industrial meat – it takes 2500 gallons of water to produce a bushel of corn. If an animal consumes 50 bushels of corn in the feedlot – that is 125,000 gallons per animal in this industrial model of raising animals. The water is subsidizing the meat. But we are letting this precious resource run out for meat.”

“The reason these big companies can do what they do—is that they are externalizing these costs. Whether it’s the water, the environmental damage, the overuse of chemicals, the pollution—that’s how we get the ‘dollar burger’ at McDonald’s. We’re not thinking about the future, we are only thinking about the short term.”

THE END OF WATER

“The crops from Tulare County, California feed the entire world. The problem is, they are running out of water. Nearly half of the U.S. fruits and vegetables are grown in California, and it is experiencing the worst drought in the history of farming in the U.S. This is the first year, there are no crops.”

“On my farm, the water table is going down, it’s just not sustainable. For the last five years, we have been pumping ground water from the water table, but it will run out – and that’s the end.”

“Wells are going dry. But if they want to stay in business and continue to farm—they must drill a new well. But as more wells are drilled, California’s water is being depleted, nearly 4 trillion gallons per year, that’s more than 1 billion gallons per day.”

“California is actually running out of water. We would need to have 3 years of above-average rainfall to get back to normal. This is happening all over the world.”

“Drought-stricken Sao Paulo in Brazil is experiencing deep unrest, protests, riots – over not having enough water. The water is disappearing in Brazil. It’s become a desperate situation.”

“The water crisis in Brazil and South America is caused by the deforestation of the Amazon for raising cattle. The Amazon has lost 47% of the forest so far – which will literally destroy the Earth.”

“Without water there is no food, no energy, no life—we will be in the post apocalypse if we take no action.”