Thanksgiving: Day of Gratitude?
With Thanksgiving coming right around the corner, I think we should all know the effects that this holiday has on the environment. So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive into this feast of information!
Turkey Causalities
Have you ever wondered how many turkeys are slaughtered for this holiday where we celebrate our gratitude? The answer is 46 million turkeys which is more than the entire human population of California killed to celebrate one meal for one day.
The Suffering (Part I)
Even turkeys who have not yet reached adulthood, are also suffering. These domesticated turkeys have been artificially bred for specific traits that cause them from living the life they could live. Some adolescent turkeys are so heavy that their legs can’t even support their own body weight leading them to be more susceptible to disease which can then easily lead to death especially in the environment factory farms provide.
The Suffering (Part II)
Turkeys who managed to make it to the slaughter weight are then sent off to the slaughterhouse. There, many turkeys are stunned (which fails all too often), shackled, then are sent to their death to the knife. The fact that most of the turkeys are fully conscious during this entire process means that they not only suffer from the moment they are born, but also during death.
The Workers
The fact that the turkeys are living in such poor conditions not only comes at the price of the turkey’s health, but also at the price of the worker’s health. Workers are constantly exposed to such working conditions that can cause diseases and respiratory issues. Not only that but experts have long believed that the next global pandemic would come from a poultry farm as current bird viruses already have a 60% mortality rate.
Viruses and Vaccines
Continuing on with the bird virus topic, these turkeys are oftentimes vaccinated to protect them against such bacteria. However, this will cause the viruses to mutate and will eventually become antibiotic resistant which can not only mean antibiotics becoming ineffective, but also the virus itself becoming more deadly for both birds and humans.
Climate Change
A 2018 report from the Center for Biological Diversity notes that between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, Americans throw out 25% more trash than any other time of the year. Not only that but we also release nearly half a million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from just Thanksgiving day! This without doubt heavily contributes to our global issue of climate change.
Did this change your perspective on this national holiday? If you do have this in mind, what do you plan to change this Thanksgiving? Thanks for staying with us for this long and we will see you next time!
Citations:
[1] “10 Reasons Why You Should Not Eat Turkey for Thanksgiving.” GenV, 19 Oct. 2021, https://genv.org/why-you-should-not-eat-turkey/.
[2] Puckett, Susan. “How to Have a Low-Waste, Climate Friendly Thanksgiving Feast.” CNN, Cable News Network, 19 Nov. 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/19/health/low-waste-thanksgiving-food-recipes-wellness/index.html#:~:text=Each%20Thanksgiving%2C%20according%20to%20the,tons%20of%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions.