Maria Quer i Martina Hormigo
Every day, millions of teenagers eat hamburgers mindlessly. Fast food is cheap, quick, and everywhere. A burger can look harmless, but what if the real price is much greater than what we pay? In our opinion, the hamburger industry is one of the hidden causes of climate change and environmental destruction.
First, many people think that environmental problems are about forests and animals and ice that is melting. However, the environment is also connected to money, specifically, to the products we buy every day. The video “The Hidden Costs of Hamburgers” explains that the meat industry creates huge amounts of methane, which is even worse than CO2. The meat industry also uses a lot of water and land. For example, around 1,800 gallons of water are needed to make one hamburger. That is staggering when millions of hamburgers are eaten every day. Hamburgers are a problem.
Furthermore, hamburgers may seem cheap but, they have many hidden costs. We do not pay the price for the undeniable effects hamburgers cause to the Earth when we buy them at a restaurant. Instead, the whole world pays for the pollution and the extreme weather and the trees that are cut down and the people who get sick. In our view, companies make a lot of money while the Earth suffers.
Scientists have already told us that we must do something about climate change. Many governments and companies are not doing anything.
If we do not start listening to the scientists, the next generations will face more severe challenges, such as not having enough water or enough food and very high temperatures. The hamburger industry is a part of the problem.
Another important issue is that some countries are very rich and some are very poor. Rich countries eat a lot of meat and use a lot more resources than poor countries. Poor countries are usually the ones most severely impacted by climate change. This is not fair. We strongly believe that we should make sure everyone has a life, not just those who have money. Poor countries deserve to have lives, and in the meantime, rich countries must curb their overconsumption and stop polluting. If we do not do that, the Earth will not be able to keep up with the way we live. The hamburger industry is a big part of the problem.
On the other hand, some people say that hamburgers are just a part of the way we live now and that it is too hard to change. It is true that fast food is easy to get and cheap for families. It is unjustifiable to prioritize convenience over the future of the Earth. If we make changes, it can still make a big difference. Teenagers can eat less meat, buy food from local farms, recycle more and choose companies that care about the Earth. If we protect the forests and do not farm much, it can also help slow down climate change. The hamburger industry can change too.
In conclusion, the real problem is not just hamburgers. It is the way we ignore the things that happen when we buy things we want. We are living in a world where it seems normal to buy things even when it hurts the Earth. In our opinion, if young people start changing the way they live now, there is still hope for the future. The Earth is telling us that something is wrong, and we cannot maintain the illusion that a cheap hamburger does not hurt anyone. The truth is simple, if we do not change the way we live, the Earth will make the choice for us. That will be bad for the hamburger industry and for everyone.
