Would you become a Veggie to save the planet

I have already done my part to save the planet.  Someone else can have my veggies.

Philip

It might be convenient if we adopted Valentine Michael Smith's rather more inclusive diet.

Can Soylent Green be too far in our future?

And...no, I don't think I would choose to change my diet, though I would be willing to continue cutting down my meat consumption if that would result in less mega farms.

Undercover/Vincent Vega!

I would come close.  We usually eat some kind of meat (mostly chicken, fish, occasional pork or beef) only at dinner, and only 3 or 4 nights a week, and in smaller proportions to the rest of the meal. 

But I would much rather see us work seriously on controlling population.  It would solve all of our problems.  FF, as per the young workforce, no need, because fewer workers would mean premium wages, and a host of benefits as a result.

I just finished this http://www.foodincmovie.com/   movie.  I can't say I'm shocked...but it definitely reinforces the way I feel about this topic. I did learn some new, interesting facts.  And when I say interesting, I mean disgusting & repulsive.

awsnap

Eyeslice:

Quite a debate has been going on in the media this week regarding carbon emissions and it has been suggested that we should either become vegetarians or at the very least drastically reduce our meat consumption.

Let’s face it

1. Meat production produces far more carbon than obtaining the same amount of protein from plants.True, it takes less effort hence less CO2.
2. Meat production uses far more water.It uses more of everything including water.
3. Animals such as cows and sheep produce large amounts of methane (in the case of cows not from their backsides as you might expect but from rumination), which is an even more dangerous greenhouse gas than CO2. How much compared to the Megafauna of 11,000 years ago? So long as Mankind does not add too much on his own a moderate amount from animals could be re-absorbed into the environment.
   
4. Factory farming produces huge amount of faecal pollutants that find their way into our water supplies, water table, etc.Turn it into fertilizer.
5. Production of meat on the scale we consume it today is unbelievably cruel to the animals involved.(don't believe me check it out for yourself).
6. Eating meat is not good for your health. Yes, I know people will argue we are carnivores but the truth is at best our ancestors were more like carrion animals, perhaps finding the odd animal killed by something else. There is no way that our early ancestors hunted down and killed mammoths as depicted in popular illustrations, they would have been far too big. Even as late as the 16th Century, North American Indians weren’t that good at hunting buffalo.                                                                                                                                                 Without the horse they did as best as they could, better than you or me. Also, I don't think there were too many fruit trees or vegetables where the buffalo roamed. As far as our evolutionary ancestors where concerned it was primitive species like the Austrolopithecines that fit your description of scavengers. By the time we transform ourselves into Homo Erectus the fossils, tools and even perfectly preserved 1/2 million year old wooden spears, testify to a substantial percentage of meat in their diet. Based on radioisotope evidence Neanderthals where pure carnivores. As far as you stating that there wa no way that our ancetors could hunt a Mammoth  there has been a discovery in North America of a Mammoth ribcage with a spear point embedded within it. About 25 men armed with Atlatls, which allow you to hurl a short rock tipped spear, or long dart, at a safe distance, could turn a Mammoth into a bleeding pin cushion.

So would you become veggie to save the planet?

This is more difficult to answer. According to the book Eat Right for Your Type Humans evolved different blood types as they getting civilized to dealwith certain diets such as grain which was the only thing available for the majority of the people. Most people are Omnivores, some are allergic to wheat while others could eat bread without any problems. Yet others thrive on pure meat and vegetables. I'm one of the pure carnivores who needmeat, one pound daily.

While others try to reform this civilization piecemeal by splitting up problems one by one and offering a solution to each individual problem, I take a holisticapproach and consider this civilization an irredeemable mess. It does not have problems it is THE problem. Only by designing a newcivilization/culture from the ground up can we accomplish something. Nothing will be accomplished by symbolic actions whether it be Kyoto orVegetarianism any amount of good that we accomplish in the shadows of this civilization will be overwhelmed by something else.

So those of us with vision should await and survive the collapse of this civilization and start again.

villabolo

Sorry about the bizarre appearnce of my last post. I have no clue as to what went wrong or how to fix it.

villabolo

If, by appearance, you mean the small print...go to the "pencil" at the top right to edit your post. Highlight the small printed parts, and then you can select to make it bigger (you'll see)...

I have already done my part to save the planet.

There are so many ways we can cut back and reevaluate our impact. Food is just one thing

F*** No!

"So would you become veggie to save the planet?"

No.

My ideal is to eat mostly vegetarian purely for personal health reasons.  It is impossible for any ideology, no matter how well meaning it may be, to "save the planet."

Dave

Of course I would.  And everyone saying they wouldn't, in actuality probably would; if they really believed it would save the planet.

But most of us don't believe that.   Personally, I don't think it's necessary for all humans to become vegetarians - but at the same time, we can't go on like this indefinitely.   I'd rather see 3 billion people cut their meat consumption in half, than see 300 million people eliminate meat entirely.   I'd also like to see standards for cruelty free farming put in place that all countries had to adhere to (which would drastically reduce meat consumption- there wouldn't be nearly as much to consume).

I agree with 6of9. I definitely think we should treat our animals with more dignity. 

BTS

I'd also like to see standards for cruelty free farming put in place that all countries had to adhere to

That's what I'd like to see. If it means I eat less meat then so be it. As it is I try to have 3 meatless days each week.

To save the planet I think a far more drastic change would be needed. I don't think the technology and standard of living we're accustomed to is sustainable over the long term. Maybe we should all just go back to plowing our own dirt, butchering our own hogs and dying at 55.

W