(Either I need to stop reading, or I need to start screaming from some mountain tops.)
If you wish to eat meat, it is ecologically irresponsible to purchase meat from anyone other than a small scale farmer such as the one featured in my previous post.
Period.
If you purchase meat from ANY large or standard grocery store, shopping club, or restaurant, you are contributing to the interwoven devastation of our global environment. Yes you are. It is true.
Really, I'm not trying to offend you or convince you to believe just mere opinion (mine or another's). I'm sharing with you the information that I've learned from multiple sources and feel it is my duty to share it with anyone who will listen...because it affects us all. If you can refute these statistics, please do.
"According to the United Nation's seminal report, Livestock's Long Shadow, the livestock sector alone is responsible for eighteen percent of the world's total global warming effect - more than the emissions produced by EVERY plane, train, and steamer ship on the planet." Anne Lappé in Food, Inc.
"Choosing to eat less meat, or eliminating meat entirely, is one of the most important personal choices we can make to address climate change," said Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, the Indian economist serving his second term as chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. "In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing about reductions in a short period of time, it clearly is the most attractive opportunity. Give up meat for one day [a week] initially, and decrease it from there." Anne Lappé in Food, Inc.
Organic, grass-fed, and/or free-range meats, such as from health food supermarkets, are better than conventional, but if these meats are purchased through large-scale outlets, they are still part of a large, toxic system.
Seek small farmers online or through your CSAs or farmer's markets. There is no other way to responsibly eat meat.
Here's an excellent video of Michael Pollan being interview by Bill Maher on May 29, 2009. (Thanks VN!) The most astounding message is when Michael says that if the whole world wanted to eat like Americans (which many do) and each individual consumed on average 200 pounds of meat a year, we would need 2.3 more planets to be able to feed everybody this way.
It is simply unsustainable. Please stop. At least slow down. A lot.
Live Light, xo-C.
J&J#18: 1 pitcher matcha • oatmeal w/ apple • vegan "sushi" roll: asparagus, cucumber, onion, avocado, brown rice, seaweed paper; miso soup, seaweed salad • roasted veggies: potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots • raw chocolate pudding
J&J#19: 1 pitcher matcha • sauteed okra and garlic • raw chocolate pudding • dark chocolate squares • veggie platter @ Il Pasticcio • espresso (woo hoo! Friday night!!)
J&J#20: 1 pitcher matcha • fresh pineapple juice • 4 pieces Ezekiel toast - 2 with jam, 2 with vegan apple butter • organic blue tortilla chips • Earl Grey tea • 15-20 min. swim (no jumping - head cold) • green salad with tomato • dry Cascadian Farm wheat cereal
J&J#21: 1 pitcher matcha • 1 Guava Goddess kombucha • 4 Ezekiel toasts with apple butter (no butter, just apple spread) • 3 Ezekiel tortillas • roasted veggies + raw tomatoes • bit of cereal and vegan chocolate chips • 20 minute swim
