Two of the main topics regarding the U.S. right now are the energy crisis and health care.

Although these subjects may seem completely unrelated, our dependence on fossil fuels and swelling health care costs share a common bond: animal products.

I know what you’re thinking, “Oh great, another lesson on why people should be vegetarians.” If you have no care for animal cruelty, then the major dent meat consumption puts on our wallets should serve as an incentive to practice moderation.

According to sustainabletable.org, the food industry consumes about ten percent of all U.S.

energy resources. Products produced from animals require more energy to produce than fruits, potatoes, grains and vegetables. Animal feed, transportation, land, machinery and chemicals are all part of this production process.

“The energy return ratio (as food energy per fossil energy expended) of the most energy efficient factory farming of meat is 34.5 percent, while that of the least energy efficient plant food is 328 percent,” said Fiorella Gardella during a seminar for Global Sustainability at the University of California.

In essence, we use more energy to create less energy for ourselves. This only wastes money and resources.

More energy is wasted through health care required for many people who over induldge in meat consumption.

“I am worried about the quality of meat, where it is coming from and who handles it. I think, as Americans, we really do not care whether or not our meat is of quality as long as it tastes good,” said Jon Hansen, a junior history major.

Some may not even care that different steroids and antibiotics are pumped into livestock to increase growth and growth speed so the factory farming industry can profit from a timely product output. But once the livestock is used, those steroids and antibiotics do not simply disappear. The National Center for Health Statistics shows that the top two causes of death in the U.S. are heart disease and cancer: both can result from the fatty and chemically enhanced animal products that we eat.

This does not mean that eating beef, chicken and pork has to be completely stopped. For you meat lovers, there is still hope.

According to Dr. Henry of the American Dietetic Association, a registered dietician, “…we should not wait until the problem has occurred. However, it is not just the food. We must take into consideration our stress, exercise, food and other factors. But if you are asking if America as a country consumes too much meat for our own good, the answer is absolutely yes.”

“There are both pros and cons to eating meat. Meat is a great source of digestible iron, protein, vitamin B12 and other nutrition. However, the portion size of meat tends to be too big and the meat is too high in fat. Unfortunately, it is human nature to use in excess,” said Paula Koziol, a registered nurse.

If we can decrease the excessive amount of factory-farmed meat we consume, companies will be forced to slow down production. Animals will be given the space and time to grow naturally. The smaller the demand of meat, the better coverage at the doctor’s office and the less money spent at the gas pump. America needs a diet for both its physical and economic health.