Petition to Prevent Environmental Crisis in Bhutan: Change the Mega Intensive Animal Farm to Plant-based Farm

Bhutan is known for her pristine nature, spirituality, and GNH. Our benevolent Monarchs have always ensured we maintained this beauty and happiness even in the wake of modern development.

However, with the Mega Intensive Animal Farm in Samrang, we are geared towards losing out on the principles of GNH and bringing upon us an environmental crisis. As per the findings given in the researches and papers mentioned at the bottom of this page, intensive animal farming has huge negative impact on the environment and human life.

Intensive mega fish farms as being built in Samrang negatively impacts the environment and human life through:-

1. Release of toxins from algal blooms that will be formed from uneaten food and bodily waste released into the concentrated setting of fish ponds. Algal blooms toxins can sicken or kill people and animals, create dead zones in the water, raise treatment costs for drinking water, hurt industries that depend on clean water.

2. An increased risk of spreading diseases to natural populations and pollution from medications used in combating diseases in fish farms. Bacterial resistance to antibiotics used on fish farms has been reported which constitutes a risk to human health should resistance be acquired in bacteria that cause disease in humans. Already, scientists have warned of ‘post antibiotic era’ where resistance would spread around the world and create untreatable infections (BBC, November 19th).

3. Pesticides and disinfectants are known to be used on fish farms which are harmful to the surrounding environment when waters are discharged.

4. Pumping of groundwater to supply freshwater to fish farms has resulted in depletion causing water shortages for the communities nearby.

5. Birds may congregate in the farm area, seeing the stock as a possible food source. Local crop production may not be able to withstand the increase in bird density.

As per the many studies carried out in the US, Europe, Australia, Intensive Animal Farm, as the ones being built in Samrang have been found to affect the environment and humans through:-

1. Global warming: Animal agriculture is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation, which is only 13%.Cows produce 150 billion gallons of methane per day. Methane has a global warming potential 86 times that of CO2 on a 20 year time frame.

2. Water consumption in Mega intensive animal farm ranges from 34-76 trillion gallons annually. Animal Agriculture is responsible for 20%-33% of all fresh water consumption in the world today.

3. Livestock covers 45% of the earth’s total land. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution, and habitat destruction. Already 860 acres of land has been deforested in Samrang to establish the mega intensive animal farm and meat processing unit. Do we want our small country to head for the same disasters?

4. A farm with 2,500 dairy cows produces the same amount of waste as a city of 411,000 people. Samrang is projected to house thousands of cows, goats, pigs, poultry. Our total population stands at 753,947 (2013). Are we ready for this kind of waste pollution?

5. Worldwide, at least 50% of grain is fed to livestock. 82% of starving children live in countries where food is fed to animals, and the animals are eaten by western countries. Do we want our country to be one of those starving countries too?

6. 1.5 acres can produce 37,000 pounds of plant-based food. 1.5 acres can produce 375 pounds of meat. Which is more beneficial, a plant based agriculture or a mega intensive animal farm?

On October 26th, this year, WHO announced that processed red meat contributes to colorectal cancer. Are we preparing ourselves for more cancer patients with a Mega Meat Processing Unit in Samrang?

Do we want an environmental and health disaster afflict our peaceful country only because we want to curtail on our rupee crisis? Rupee spending will be always there with the import of rice, oil, vegetables and other basic items. If the government truly wants prosperity and peace to prevail in our country, they can do so by establishing plant-based agriculture.

Help prevent an environmental and health crisis in our country by signing this petition.

a) “Freshwater Abuse and Loss: Where Is It All Going?” Forks Over Knives.

b) FAO. "Livestock a major threat to environment"

c) WORLD BANK WORKING PAPER NO. 22

d) Challenging the Aquaculture Industry on Sustainability Technical overview, encyclopedia Britannica Advocacy for Animals,

e) FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS, ROME 2003

f) Environmental Protection Agency. “Global Emissions.”

g) U.N. Press Release, Climate Summit 2014.