Meat and the Planet

[Syd]

December 27, 2006
03:46:49 pm, Categories: Archaeology, 157 words

Livestock use 30 percent of the land surface of the planet, generate more greenhouse gasses than transport

According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, entitled "Livestock's Long Shadow":

    The livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent -- 18 percent -- than transport.
    ...
    Livestock now use 30 percent of the earth's entire land surface, mostly permanent pasture but also including 33 percent of the global arable land, [which is] used to produce feed for livestock
    ...
    The livestock business is among the most damaging sectors to the earth's increasingly scarce water resources, contributing among other things to water pollution, euthropication and the degeneration of coral reefs.
    ...
    Meat and dairy animals now account for about 20 percent of all terrestrial animal biomass.

I suppose we can add to the list of "simple things you can do to save the Earth" this bon mot:

Eat Less Meat

Not to mention the fact that it also has the potential to extend your life.

>> via Meat and the Planet | New York Times

Posted by Christopher Mims

[fuzz]

It's pretty funny how the saying "it needs to get worth before it starts getting better" can apply to humans.



I started experimenting with vegetarianism around 12. Don't ask how i even knew that such freaky diets existed at such an early age, and living in a house full of meat eaters, and in a country where vegetarianism was NOT cool as it is now (i grew up in France), but for some reason at age 12 i stopped eating meat during a summer camp. My reason a the time was: piss of my parents.

Years after, i went through periods of being a total vegetarian, living in the usa having completely discusted me from eating industrially produced meats, to semi vegi when staying in other countries. Now back in europe, i eat meat, organic if i can, but try to not eat it too much. Fish and birds are cool; red meat and pig being a bit much, a bit like eating my neighboor, which at certain times does have its place of course;) Nothing like a nice piece of liver after a period!

My parents saw me going through my various stages, and through all of them, just thought it was some :"hippie fad", "she'll get out of it", "you're a freak kid" when i tried to tell them that they eat too much meat.
Years laters, my reasons for the way i eat are even stronger. What started as a childish rebellion has now turned into a life style choice.
Years laters, both my parents are sick. My dad had to get his leggs veins rewired, from a mix of too much fats, alcohol and not enough exercice, having the typical diet of a cliché jet lagged business man. Mam has something totally different, but i am sure that a similar diet did not help.

Now i come to the funny part:
The doc told both my parents that they should "change their diet, and eat less meats and more veggies". Exactly what i had been telling them for years, but they needed to die of their diet in order to start listening to me. What they thought was a stupid kid was actually a quite consciouss and thoughfull kid.

So goes life. Best advice, the earlier you start thinking about what you eat and why, the better it is. Unless it's already too late for you, in which case you might as well say fuck it, light up a big cigar and enjoy your glass of good whiskey.

And don't be afraid to live the way you feel is right, eventually, it pays!

   

[Syd]

poor piggies, too bad they taste so good.

My story is somewhat similar, kinda, not really. Too long and doesn't flow with this topic so I wont bore ya! But, yea, so goes life...

[TroutMask]

I thought this was a thread about a planet made of meat. Darn.

-TM

[laughingwillow]

I've gone back and forth on this one over the years.

Interestingly, there are folks like Owlsey who claim to stay healthier and more vital into their old age by eating primarily meat.

lw

[fuzz]

"They do, but what do you think is on the radio? Meat sounds. You know how when you slap or flap meat it makes a noise? They talk by flapping their meat at each other. They can even sing by squirting air through their meat."

"Omigod. Singing meat. This is altogether too much. So what do you advise?"

[Syd]

"They do, but what do you think is on the radio? Meat sounds. You know how when you slap or flap meat it makes a noise? They talk by flapping their meat at each other. They can even sing by squirting air through their meat."

"Omigod. Singing meat. This is altogether too much. So what do you advise?"

no comment! j/k