Chickens would like a word

Re “A way to save the Colorado River: Eat fewer burgers,” Opinion, April 5

I appreciated that Aaron Mead’s op-ed article on eating less meat to save water didn’t focus only on beef.

Many articles I’ve read about reducing meat consumption suggest swapping chicken for beef. This advice makes sense from a water consumption perspective, but not from an animal welfare perspective.

We consume 9 billion chickens per year in the United States. Most of these birds are raised on factory farms, where they live in cramped, unsanitary conditions. And, while large chicken farms use less water, the runoff they produce is a significant cause of water pollution.

For a healthier and kinder planet, the trick is to reduce animal consumption across the board.

Kristen Kessler Ventura

Did you read the lecture on how to save the Colorado River? It was written by an engineer with the Metropolitan

Water District, the big Southern California water agency, although The Times identified him only as a writer in Los Angeles.

It said to eat fewer hamburgers. That’s after you rip out your lawn, take shorter showers and not wash your car.

I’ll take mine mediumrare with onions and ketchup, please.

John Fonti Thousand Oaks

Eat less meat to save Colorado River water — and eliminate animal suffering, as well as reduce the climate impact of raising cows to become our food.

And save your health. Trying to lower your cholesterol? Eat plants and ditch the statins.

And save your money. Broccoli and potatoes compared with steak? It’s a no-brainer.

Alison M. Grimes

Yorba Linda