Check out this Washington Post article entitled Gut Check: The Meat of the Problem by Ezra Klein.
It discusses a 2006 United Nations report which finds that the production of meat is one of the worst sources of greenhouse gases, trumping even the global transport sector. It also says "a study out of Carnegie Mellon University found that the average American would do less for the planet by switching to a totally local diet than by going vegetarian one day a week."
While I am a biased vegetarian, I think the article (and the Carnegie Mellon study, which is readable by a layperson such as myself, although there are some econometrics that are above my head) is a fairly mild rebuke of meat eaters and meat production with the modest recommendation for people to cut back, not eliminate, their consumption of meat and dairy products.
So what do you carnivours think?
3 comments:
I'm a devout carnivore, but I'm actually highly receptive to eating a lot less meat. This is mainly for health reasons, but lowering my carbon footprint is a nice bonus.
After spending the past 5 months in central Louisiana where fast food is king, I have a newfound disdain for unnatural eating habits. Is there any food more unnatural than a fast food diet? I prefer to eat naturally, meaning: no fast food, eat as local possible, eat as in-season as possible, eat less meat, eat organic as possible.
That's just my goal. I'm not there yet, but being back home where the food options are more diverse makes it a lot easier.
Good to hear. Enjoy your big city access to a plethora of good, natural, and healthy food.
matt and marija challenge michael and mariana to eat vegetarian for one day a week. (we are eating vegan for two days a week so we are making the world a better place too.) rice and beans should not be that hard for you two... and beer is vegetarian!
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