Organic Eggs Far Worse for the Planet Than Caged, Study Finds
Consumers are often sold the idea that free-range and organic eggs mean better welfare, but swapping one type of egg for another does little to address the industry’s environmental and animal welfare problems.
Organic eggs are twice as bad for the planet than caged, new research has found, while standard free-range also had a higher environmental impact. And they’re both terrible for chickens.
If the UK adopted an organic free-range model with current demand for eggs, annual emissions would reach an estimated 2.3 million tonnes of CO₂ compared to 1.18million tonnes under a fully caged system. Organic free-range systems also caused the most water pollution, land use, and acidification, according to the study.
The Problem With Eggs
While some systems may have a lower environmental footprint than others, all egg production damages the environment and causes serious animal suffering. Whether confined in smaller cages or one giant one, hens are denied the opportunity to live naturally and are treated as units of production rather than individuals.
Organic free-range hens still spend much of their lives in filthy barns with up to 3,000 other hens. They are still selectively bred to produce an unnaturally high number of eggs, which can lead to calcium deficiency, osteoporosis, and broken bones.
While organic free-range systems may allow hens outside, this outside access is often a small door that many birds can’t access due to injuries and overcrowding.
If you want to stop contributing to cruelty and eat sustainably, the only option is to remove eggs from your diet altogether.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint and Don’t Contribute to Cruelty
Vegan diets don’t contribute to the exploitation and cruelty on animal farms. They have also consistently shown to lead to far fewer environmental impacts than those containing meat, dairy, and eggs. A University of Oxford study showed that going vegan was the “single biggest way” to reduce our impact on earth.
It’s time to drop eggs – and all animal bodies and secretions – from your diet, and you can order a free vegan starter kit to help you on your way.
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