Is Rising Appetite Raising Problems?

Article: “Asia’s Rising Appetite for Meat, Seafood Will ‘Strain Environment’ ”

This article shortly discusses the implications of the growing demand for meat and seafood in Asia. It points out that the rise in population and urbanization will lead to a higher consumption of animal product. This is also caused by an increase in income in progressing countries. A higher consumption of animal products is directly connected with negative impacts on the environment, for example higher greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in the use of antimicrobials in agriculture intended for food production. More about the dangers of antimicrobials can be read in my blog post on the 13^thof September. 

This article caught my attention because I was taken by surprise by the amount of meat and seafood that is included in the Singaporean diet. For some reason, I had expected that I would encounter much more vegetarian dishes in Southeast Asia. As a flexible vegetarian, I was first disappointed by the highly praised Hawker’s center that are so easy to find all across Singapore. The task to find a vegetarian dish is quite difficult, the task to find a vegan dish is almost impossible as eggs seem to be added to everything, including soups. Perhaps it is my lack of knowledge about the ingredients of the dishes that has given me the impression of having few options, perhaps it is the matter of course how animal products are used in the Singaporean cuisine. It appears that for some cooks at the Hakwer’s center, the consumption of meat is a must. Once I asked for a dish without meat and the kind lady at the counter looked very confused, asked “no meat?”, shook her head in disdain and proceeded to add meat to my dish. As I said, I am flexible… 

https://www.voacambodia.com/a/asias-rising-appetite-for-meat-seafood-wil…