Assignment #3 The Case Against Eating Meat

 

Lesson 3- The Case Against Meat

 DUE DATE: March 16, 2012

OBJECTIVES

  1. •Research the ethical, environmental and health effects of eating meat American-style.

  2. •Evaluate the costs and benefits of eating meat.

  3. •Develop and defend an opinion about meat consumption.

 

The Issue

The U.S. consumes over 3.25 pounds of boneless meat per person per week, 1.5 times that of the average Briton or Italian and over 2.5 times as much as the average Japanese.

"So what?," you may cynically respond.

"Evidence shows that our meat-based diet is bad for the environment, aggravates global hunger, brutalizes animals and compromises our health. So why aren’t more environmentalists switching to vegetarianism?," asks an article in E Magazine.

You will consider this question in your assignment this week!

This Week's Assignment

Find out

  1. •How meat consumption affects the environment, world-hunger, and personal health.

  2. •Why some say current practices in raising animals for meat consumption are unethical.

  3. •Why more people who consider themselves environmentalists aren't vegetarians.

Evaluate

  1. •The costs and benefits of eating meat

  2. •The relevance of vegetarianism to your life

  3. •How your choices as a consumer affect the meat industry

 

Follow these guidelines when writing your essay:

  1. •Organize by using an introduction, body and conclusion.

  2. •Be sure to define key terms for the reader.

  3. •Support your opinion using research examples.

  4. •Always use your own words and cite sources (all resources used to get information and ideas) in a Works Cited page at the end of your essay.

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Assignment

DUE DATE: March 16, 2012
TO: Environmental Law Students
FROM: Helen Haberman, Instructor
SUBJECT: The Case Against Meat

Assignment (40 points)

Evidence shows that our meat-based diet is bad for the environment, aggravates global hunger, brutalizes animals and compromises our health. So why aren’t more environmentalists switching to vegetarianism?

Your task this week is to write a 1-2 page paper about the environmental and health effects of meat consumption.

You will use the guiding questions provided to organize your paper. You will use the websites provided to read the main article and to research information.

Skills: You will need to read, research, evaluate and compose an essay about sprawl and its effects.

Format: Papers must be word-processed using a 12-point font and double-spaced.

 

Websites/Resources

1.  Read the purple box in your textbook on p. 295 (Miller, Living in the                      Environment) entitled: Some Environmental Consequences of Meat Production.

  1. 2. Is it possible to be an environmentalist and eat meat? Check out this week’s on-line article “The Case Against Meat”

  2. 3.  Also, check out this article:  The Best Meat to Eat, by Sarah Mosko



Guiding Questions (answer these in your response essay)

  1. •Why do some environmentalists believe Americans (and others) should be vegetarians?

  2. •What are the major issues involved with meat eating and world hunger?

  3. •What are the major issues involved with meat eating and environmental costs?

  4. •What are the major issues involved with meat eating and human health?

  5. •What are the major issues involved with meat eating and animal rights?

  6. •Respond to the following statement: "Americans should drastically reduce their meat consumption or become vegetarians." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why/not? Would you consider vegetarianism? Explain your response in detail (use proof/evidence from your research to aid your assertions).


Tips

Organize your essay by using the questions. Be sure your work answers all the questions but in essay format.

Proofread your essay. Have another person proofread it too.

Correct all grammar, punctuation and spelling errors.

Complete a Works Cited page where you cite sources and / or websites used.

Deliver a printed copy of your finished essay to your in-folder. Do this even if you send an additional copy of it via e-mail.


Evaluation

Your essay will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  1. •Complete answers to the guiding questions (60%)

  2. •Well-organized (intro-body-conclusion) (25%)

  3. •Absence of any punctuation, grammar, or spelling errors; double-spaced(10%)

  4. •Works Cited page (5%)

Help

If you have questions about this assignment, send them to haberman@4j.lane.edu.