Gonzalez 1
Jennifer Gonzalez
Instructor Henery
English 1A
April 6, 2016
Guilty Pleasure
The four by four cheeseburger from In n’ Out is probably the biggest and meatiest burger
they offer. It comes with four beef patties, three slices of cheese, their special sauce accompanied
by lettuce, onions and tomatoes. Many other fast food chains have tried to replicate In n’ Outs
successful recipe with not luck, they have a one-of-a-kind taste. Fortunately, for all those other
fast food chains they do not need their recipe, all they need is beef patties. If there is some type
of meat on their menu, there is a good chance it will sell. Americans are obsessed with their
meat, especially red meat. According to the article, How Much Meat Do Americans Eat? “In
2012, the average American consumed 71.2 pounds of red meat (beef, veal, pork, and lamb) and
54.1 pounds of poultry (chicken and turkey), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture”
(Molla). It may be difficult for some to deny a rack barbeque ribs or a perfectly cook steak but
the damage during production, the treatment of animals, and the health risk that come with eating
red meat should be enough to eliminate the consumption of it.
Many meat eaters do not know the environmental damage that is being caused by the slab
of meat on their plate. The demand for red meat increases every year, farmers must keep up with
demand and use tactics that are harmful to the environment. To meet the demand of red meat,
farmers have to find slaughter their lives stock around the clock. Because their factories are
running around the clock, carbon emissions are being released into the air, which contribute to
Gonzalez 2
the global warming crisis. “Livestock production accounts for 18 percent of global greenhouse
gas emissions, including 9 percent of carbon dioxide and 37 percent of methane gas emissions
worldwide, according to the Livestock, Environment and Development (LEAD) Initiative, an
international consortium of government and private agencies based at FAO headquarters in
Rome.”, writes Cassandra Brooks in Consequences of Increased Global Meat Consumption on
the Global Environment. Even if some farmers become ecofriendly the transportation of their
product will counter act will their efforts and continue to contribute to global warming. Not only
are gas emission productions high, but animal farmers require tons of water to maintain their
farms. For the past few years, it is no secret that there has been a drastic need for water. The
North America is experiencing one of the worst drought in history. Farmers are using that much
needed water to crop food, clean out filthy crates that their animals are forced to live in and drink
