Each
year, more than 150 billion of animals are enslaved, victimized, tortured and killed
in slaughterhouses around the world. According to International Aid for Korean
Animals (IAKA), a non-profit organization, each day, in South Korea alone, over
5 thousands dogs are brutally beaten to death for their meat.
Are
you aware of the fact that at the moment you’re enjoying chicken wings,
thousands of animals are cruelly slaughtered for the taste of their flesh? Maybe
we should all become vegetarians instead. Let’s face it. That’s not going to
happen. But there is a solution. The solution is called “In-Vitro Meat”.
In
this blog, I am going to introduce “In-Vitro Meat” and its advantages that
outcome conventional meat. I hope that through this blog, you may change your
mind to consume from conventional meat to accepting the new
invention on “In-Vitro Meat”.
The
introduction of “In-Vitro Meat” would have a positive impact on the world, both
in terms of society and the environment. A future without the need to slaughter
thousands of animals for food.
“In-Vitro
Meat” is a new idea of manufacturing meat products whereby animal suffering and
environmental pollution can be reduced.
What is “In-Vitro Meat”?
“In-Vitro Meat” is
the idea of manufacturing meat products through tissue engineering technology.
Let’s take a look at this picture.
Traditionally,
we kill animal to collect its meat but not anymore. Instead, we take some stem
cells from the animal and grow them in laboratories for meat. We culture the
stem cells in a Petri dish with amino acids, lipids and other nutrients to
start the growth process. The cells are then attached to scaffold of collagen
gel that allows cells to organize themselves into muscle fibers and eventually
into muscle tissues. Electrical impulses are supplied to the tissues to
stimulate it into meat. In theory, a single cell from one animal could
be used to feed the entire global population without stressing the environment.
That
completes my explanation on “In-Vitro Meat”. I hope you get the idea of what in
vitro meat is. Now, I will begin with the first advantages of “In-Vitro Meat” which
is “In-Vitro Meat” benefit public health. The first supporting to first main idea
is “In-Vitro Meat” will significantly improve the health of humans because
scientists have full control over the fat content and nutritional content.
According to Professor Mark Post of the University of Maastricht, the scientist
behind the first in-vitro burger mentioned that the meat will be 100 per cent
muscle and will eliminate the clogging of artery caused by saturated fats. This
new food will use omega-3 or salmon oil that is healthy.
This
picture explains saturated fats causes artery clogging and omega3 allows bloods
to flow freely. The upper figure shows healthy fats like omega 3 and the bottom
figure shows dangerous artery clogging saturated fats. In other words,
scientists can make a hamburger that is actually good for you.
The second
supporting for the first main idea is farm raised meat production puts the
human population at major risk for a worldwide epidemic. Crowding animals close
together creates epidemic viruses because animal viruses can easily move from
one animal to another, rapidly evolving and mutating. Eventually, it mutates
into a virus that can infect humans. One example is the swine flu outbreak in
April 2009.
*This picture
shows that after only one month, there were 21,940 cases recorded worldwide and
125 deaths.
On
the other hand, “In-Vitro Meat” offers a true solution. “In-Vitro Meat” is
produced in sterile conditions, completely void of bacteria and viruses. No
crowding animals’ means no viruses can evolve to infect humans. Thus, no longer
will the public have to be concerned with the meat production.
Next
I want to explain the second advantage of “In-Vitro Meat” which is about animal
welfare. The production of “In-Vitro Meat” will get rid of the subliminal
guilt, which sensitive individuals feel when eating a carnivorous meal.
This
graph based on
the National Agriculture Statistics Survey (NASS), shows
the animal slaughter statistics in the United States. The x axis represents
types of animals and the y axis represents the number of animal killed annually
in billion. Notice that, one million chickens are killed hourly in the United
States.
Besides
that, my second supporting idea for the second main idea is the International
team of scientists, led by Dr. Mike Boland of the Riddet Institute in New Zealand
mentioned that earth population is estimated to be 9 billion by 2050. This
means that the demand of meat will be doubled and there is need to slaughter
more animals for meat. Thus, in vitro meat is a crucial step in the elimination
of suffering in all sentimental creatures.
Moreover,
“In-Vitro Meat” brings advantages to the environment. In vitro meat will result
in a healthier planet.
This graph is
based on a study by researchers at Oxford University and the University of
Amsterdam. In this graph, x axis shows different types of meat and y axis shows
the percentage of impact to the environment. It is found that production of “In-Vitro
Meat” uses 45% less energy than the average production of conventional meat. It
also produces 96% fewer greenhouse gas emissions and requires 99% less land. Relatively
less energy, land and water is needed for the production of cultured meat.
The
second supporting point to this main point is According to the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization, raising livestock produces 20% of
human-related greenhouse gas emissions.
This means that
the production of conventional meat is in fact responsible for more greenhouse
gas emissions than the transportation sector. For example, the production of 8
ounce steak and I don’t mean the entire cow is the equivalent of 4 and half
kilograms of carbon dioxide that is released into the air. That’s the amount of
greenhouse gases that is releases from burning about 2 liter of gasoline which
is enough to take me from here all the way to airport 25km away.
I
strongly believe that “In-Vitro Meat” provide people with the benefits of
health, without the attendant suffering to animals as well as reduced
greenhouse gas emissions. By consuming “In-Vitro Meat”, we can save money on medical bills because “In-Vitro meat” brings benefits to our health since scientist replaces unhealthy fats with healthy fats. We no longer have to be afraid of getting fat and being unhealthy. Besides, we can avoid killing of billions of animals because “In-Vitro Meat” is produced through a tiny stem cells from the animals and we can produced lots of meat through that tiny amount of stem cells. Last but not least, by consuming In-Vitro meat, we can help to keep the environment clean and we no longer have to worry about living in a world that is full of diseases and pollution.
I strongly recommend that you will try to accept the new changes in your dietary by consuming “In-Vitro Meat”. I
believe that from the health perspective, “In-Vitro Meat” has the potential to
enhance public health in several aspects, such as bacterial resistance,
production of healthy fats meat and an improve in general hygiene in meat
production. I would like to focus on one aspect that is the hygiene in meat
production. This aspect has an important affect and influence on human worldwide.
It is a known that Influenza viruses causes many deaths but how does this
happens? It happens when the environment isn’t hygienic due to crowding of
animals. Crowding of animals will result in creating viruses that can cause
pandemic like the swine flu. Thus, I believe that “In-Vitro Meat” will prevent
this problem because it will be produce in a more hygienic environment.
My
opinion on the animal rights is we can prevent slaughtering of billions of
animals cruelly. Besides, it is expected that the number of animal slaughtering
will increase due to the increase of population. “In-Vitro Meat” will become a
solution for all of these problem, since it will not be necessary to grow live
animal. In-Vitro Meat will be produced out of animal cells where animals no
longer need to suffer the pain. We will have meat with the exact taste even
without hurting animals at all.
From
the environment perspective, the conventional meat has many negative impacts on
our environment. These include air pollution, water pollution, global warming, water
waste and energy waste. However, with “In-Vitro Meat”, it will be environment
friendly. This is because less energy, less greenhouse gas emissions, less land,
and less water use are needed for the production of “In-Vitro Meat”. Therefore, I would suggest that you to try to take a minute to consider your moral obligation to put in vitro meat to your meal list.
In
conclusion,” In-Vitro Meat” brings you 3C which includes care for health, care
for animal and care for environment. “In-Vitro Meat” is more ethical in terms
of animal welfare and it reduces the amount of green-houses gases
substantially.
Out with the old, and in with the new. “In-Vitro
Meat” is the choice for food.
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