Carbon Footprint of an Egg (Poultry)
Where to Begin: the Chicken or the Egg? White, round, smooth are picturesque descriptions of an egg. An egg has a simple exterior that is easy to describe. However, this simple egg has a complex ecological footprint that contributes to the destruction of our planet, people, and prosperity. Eggs are essential to every dimension of the earth. An egg is a nutritious source protein and vitamins, triggering the performance of health maintenance in humans. Not only are eggs an exceptional source of nutrients, they are also linked with “preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss” (“Egg Nutrition & Heart Disease”). Eggs possess intrinsic value that is considered to benefit the planet; eggs are part of the natural ecosystem services that powers all life on the earth. Without egg production, a snowball effect will prompt species extinction, hampering income, and other destructive outcomes. Thus, the importance of eggs in today’s world is revealed through a sense of balance among the ecosystem cycles of the planet. In actuality, the production process of a chicken, to an egg, to a mouth yields unsustainable impacts that contribute to the destruction of the triple bottom line.
The process of moving a laying hen’s egg from the coop to a frying pan influences destructive practices ranging from the profit-oriented American who practices industrialized farming techniques to the pollution of our planet’s non-abundant water supply. Every input of egg production affects the final nutritious, commercial good. But, is this process nutritious for the earth? Animal welfare, societal values, the environment, economics, human health, as well as food safety and quality are many of the elements incorporated in a sustainable production system (Mench, Summer, and Rosen-Molina 1). Egg production has a large-sized ecological footprint compared to the small size of an egg. This ecological impact begins at production and peels back layers of
The process of moving a laying hen’s egg from the coop to a frying pan influences destructive practices ranging from the profit-oriented American who practices industrialized farming techniques to the pollution of our planet’s non-abundant water supply. Every input of egg production affects the final nutritious, commercial good. But, is this process nutritious for the earth? Animal welfare, societal values, the environment, economics, human health, as well as food safety and quality are many of the elements incorporated in a sustainable production system (Mench, Summer, and Rosen-Molina 1). Egg production has a large-sized ecological footprint compared to the small size of an egg. This ecological impact begins at production and peels back layers of
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