The Environmental Effects of Overconsumption

Abstract

Human food consumption and agricultural practices have caused biodiversity to decline. Presently, agriculture is the biggest user of fresh water and is also a major contributor to pollution. Much of greenhouse emission is caused by the agricultural sector as well. The present overexploitation of resources is not sustainable so that policies have to be introduced to reverse present environmental deterioration; hence, a change in agricultural practices has become essential. Agricultural degradation of the land reduces agricultural productivity, so that as the yield declines it leads to further increase in land use for agriculture and therefore greater deforestation. A change in diets from meat towards vegetables would reduce obesity as well as land degradation.