The Chesapeake Bay and the living systems it supports remain in dismally poor condition, with fisheries in decline and drinking water in danger. The poultry industry in the Chesapeake Bay region produces over one billion birds–chickens and turkeys–per year. Together, they produce more than five billion pounds of animal manure per year. This makes the industry the single biggest source of pollution in the Bay, which can’t continue to absorb pollutants at this pace. By eating chicken less often, you can reduce the toxic levels of nutrients in the Bay, improving water quality and reducing your carbon footprint.
Author: Dr. Howard Ernst
Professor of Political Science at the United States Naval Academy, Director of the Environmental Leadership Program at Gettysburg College’s Eisenhower Institute, and Senior Scholar at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.