Letters to the Editor: Rather than swapping animals, consider cutting back on meat altogether

To the editor: As a vegan, my heart hurts when meat-swapping is touted as a way to reduce one’s climate impact (“What if just 1 in 10 people changed how they eat, drive, heat or shop?,” Feb. 18).

No doubt, raising chickens requires less land and water than beef. But Americans already consume more than 9 billion chickens each year, a truly mind-boggling number. And free-range or not, chickens are not protected under federal animal welfare laws. The rate at which chickens must be slaughtered to keep up with demand is a nightmare for them, not to mention slaughterhouse workers, who sometimes can’t even take bathroom breaks.

How about an alternative solution? Reducing one’s meat consumption across the board helps animals and the planet. Just one or two non-animal meals a week makes a difference. With simple tweaks, we can help the planet and reduce the suffering of farm animals.

Kristen Kessler, Ventura