Meat=Oil
Really great article linking meat to oil--has lot's of research too as it was posted in the New York Times
Here are a few choice quotes!
"Though some 800 million people on the planet now suffer from hunger or malnutrition, the majority of corn and soy grown in the world feeds cattle, pigs and chickens. This despite the inherent inefficiencies: about two to five times more grain is required to produce the same amount of calories through livestock as through direct grain consumption."
"Because the stomachs of cattle are meant to digest grass, not grain, cattle raised industrially thrive only in the sense that they gain weight quickly. This diet made it possible to remove cattle from their natural environment and encourage the efficiency of mass confinement and slaughter. But it causes enough health problems that administration of antibiotics is routine, so much so that it can result in antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threaten the usefulness of medicines that treat people."
"It’s likely that most of us would do just fine on around 30 grams of protein a day, virtually all of it from plant sources."
"Animal welfare may not yet be a major concern, but as the horrors of raising meat in confinement become known, more animal lovers may start to react. And would the world not be a better place were some of the grain we use to grow meat directed instead to feed our fellow human beings?"
"If price spikes don’t change eating habits, perhaps the combination of deforestation, pollution, climate change, starvation, heart disease and animal cruelty will gradually encourage the simple daily act of eating more plants and fewer animals."
Good article, Capture! Did you notice at the bottom where it says the author wrote a vegetarian cookbook but isn't vegetarian? I hope people read this and realize they don't have to give up meat completely to make a difference and that non-veg*ns can enjoy and benefit from eating veg*n food on a regular basis. I think this is the sort of dialog that needs to be going on--showing people that even just reducing (rather than completely eliminating) their consumption of animal products can make an impact on their health, the environment, and the number of animals killed for food each year. And maybe after people reduce their consumption and realize how healthy they feel, they will further reduce their intake of animal products.
I'm emailing this article to my parents. They are very respectful of my choices, but I think they don't quite *get* it. This article really addresses the reasons why I (and most of us, probably) became veg*n.
showing people that even just reducing (rather than completely eliminating) their consumption of animal products can make an impact on their health, the environment, and the number of animals killed for food each year.
I really like the way you put this. My daughter, who doesn't live with me, has shown interest in being vegetarian. Her biggest obstacle would be her mom's attitude and lack of cooperation. I have been stressing to her that she doesn't have to be vegan all the time to make a difference. She can just reduce her animal product consumption; it makes a difference. I tell her that when she has a choice, choose vegan/vegetarian but don't give up just because she doesn't always have a choice.
And maybe after people reduce their consumption and realize how healthy they feel, they will further reduce their intake of animal products.
I have this same hope.
Yes! Reducing is such a key point! I know there is a campaign to get people to go vegetarian just once a week--so like every tuesday you only eat veg*n! It really makes a difference--plus it makes you more concious of what you are eating the rest of the week as well as opening you up to new meal idea!
There should be a global initive for eveyone to eat veg*n once a week or even once a day! I was so appaled to know that 10 billion animals per year are slaughtered in the US alone! How devistating! That number needs to come way way way down (to like "0" ;)b )so if we can get people to consistently reduce that number will fall!