Environmentalism and Veg*nism
Recently at my school all the environmentalist have really annoyed/disappointed me. First, none of the leaders of our school's environmental movement are even vegetarian. In fact most of them are raging carnivores. What has really upset me is that they keep asking the school for money from various sources and instituting ridiculous policies to try to improve the environment in the smallest ways possible.
I have no problem with trying to improve the environmental conditions, but I do have a problem with the individuals who are the leading advocates of the environment on campus. How can someone go around and dictate their agenda on a large mass of people when they themselves as an individual are not doing all they can do to support the same agenda. Am I wrong in thinking that you should do everything in your power to create a change before you try to force your agenda on the masses? This goes beyond petition signing to actual policies the school has administered due to the lobbying of the environmental group that are applied to all students.
How can an individual force their agenda on someone else when they themselves are not living the lifestyle they claim to support? I don't mean someone deciding to change lightbulbs to save electricity, but someone actively going out and trying to force everyone to do something that is mandatory to save the environment.
To me it is all a little hypocritical. Obviously the best thing you can do to save the environment is to stop supporting the meat industry, but every time I talk to one of these environmentalist they continue to tell me they only buy grass fed or local foods. We all know that happy meat is raised in conditions that rarely differ from normal factory farmed animals. Therefore by their carnivorous lifestyle that is causing large amounts of environmental damage are they not doing all they can do as individuals to save the environment they claim to care so much about? Or am I taking this all too seriously and thinking into it too much...
I used to be a part of an environmental group where I was also the only veg*n. It's so weird--like, "Don't tell me what to eat! Now you've gone too far! Now your getting personal and preachy!" ??? Didn't you have an environmentalist speaker at your school who also said something along those lines?
I like to think that most people don't realize that factory farming contributes more greenhouse gases to the environment than everything else put together. It matters even more than buying local and organic, though those are also important. Not that ignorance is an excuse, but it's an explanation, at least. But certainly people who are so well-versed in our effects on the environment know this already! And if not, they certainly know it once you tell them!
I mean, the best you can really do is try to educate people about the truths of happy meat. That's really frustrating, though. Is there a vegetarian/AR group on your campus? Maybe they could do outreach about the effects of eating animals on the environment, since these people don't seem interested.
Grass fed and local foods are a huge step in the right direction, environmentally speaking. However, perhaps instead of encouraging them to go 100% vegetarian, start by encouraging a *reduction* in meat/dairy. Instead of meat twice a day, have it once. Instead of several times a week, have it two or three. You may get converts once they get used to the idea, or feel more familiar with it. Bring up information about air and water pollution, land & water rights problems and the impact of farms on local ecosystems rather than bringing problems related to grain into it. Diet for a Small Planet may also be helpful in this respect.
The best thing you can do rather than get upset at them is 1) lead by example, 2) happily answer questions / engage in discussion and bring facts into the mix whenever possible and 3) cook them delicious food. I say get together a "eat green" group and have bake sales / potluck lunches / group dinners, and go the environmental meetings & events with veggie snacks. Some people aren't going to go vegetarian just like some people won't stop driving no matter what, but not everyone needs to go vegetarian to make an impact.
You probably know and do a lot of this already so I don't mean to state the obvious or imply you don't know these things; I'm just saying that if it does upset you, it's a perfect reason to get involved. If you have time, of course. ;)
Foofie, I understand your anger. For some, it's all about the "feelgood factor"--they want to feel benevolent, like they are "doing something"--without actually sacrificing any comfort or pleasure. Some people, like my husband, are afraid of change, but once they take the steps they realise how positive it is. Others just want the name without the work. Particularly in college, where you have lots of people experimenting with lifestyles, and "going through phases" (how I hate that phrase, but it's so apt!)
I have a friend here who is about 28 and yet she's still playing around with her life, not just in terms of drifting from one temp job to another, but she'll be vegetarian for about a week, and then she'll say it made her light-headed and she'll go back to meat, and then it's all raw food for a week or so, and then...you get the idea. Whenever her flat mates complain about her not helping keep the place clean, etc. she'll say, "I didn't come to Spain to clean/wash dishes/iron/whatever." She has also said this about her job(s): "I didn't come to Spain to look after kids/teach basic English/wait tables..." I finally got impatient and asked, "Well, Emily, what DID you come here for?" Basically, to par-tay, from what I can see...It's disappointing, but in your case, it sounds like you are committed to change for good. More power to you.
we had this problem at our school, half of the environmental group were vegan because of environmental reasons and the other half were not vegan because they didnt see a correlation. they ended up splitting into two groups, one that worked with us (the animal rights group), integrating the environment and animal rights (we showed movies like fern gully!), , and one that worked solely on recycling stuff.
Yeah those people annoy me. But then again I call myself an environmentalist and do a lot of traveling by plane so I guess I'm not much better than they are.
Gandhi said: "Be the change you want to see in the world". I guess those people don't want the same change that you and I want! If the discussion turns to what actually has to be changed to save our planet, you might bring up, "What change are you being?" 8)
Ok, now I don't feel like I'm being irrational. Whenever someone questions or offers a suggestion about something the environmental group has instituted they receive an obscenity laced response about how they are "stupid idiots" who don't care about the earth blah blah blah.
Ok, now I don't feel like I'm being irrational. Whenever someone questions or offers a suggestion about something the environmental group has instituted they receive an obscenity laced response about how they are "stupid idiots" who don't care about the earth blah blah blah.
Foof, remember--some people can only be tall if they cut other people's heads off. Sounds to me like these people are just trying to shore up their own self esteem. If it were me, I'd find a new sand lot to play ball in.
Maybe you should schedule a viewing of Earthlings....I've heard that can do wonders. You might get a few people on your team and then maybe divide and conquer?
Yabbit, I never thought I'd hear you say "par-tay" :-D