One of the easiest things an individual consumer can do to reduce their environmental footprint is consume less meat and dairy. A plant based diet is generally healthier; it reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. There’s also the morality of factory farming and the inhumane treatment of animals.
Despite this being a forum that is solidly left leaning and seemingly concerned with climate change and the ethical treatment of beings, I seem to be one of the few plant based posters. I’m curious as to why? I’m aware that we are all hypocrites in many ways ( I could refuse to ever drive my car again to reduce emissions,) but transitioning to a plant based diet is incredibly easy and healthy. In a place with people searching for ways to make a difference at protests, unionizing, consuming, etc. why is there so little talk of diet?
“Biggest analysis to date reveals huge footprint of livestock - it provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of farmland
Avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet, according to the scientists behind the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet.
The new research shows that without meat and dairy consumption, global farmland use could be reduced by more than 75% – an area equivalent to the US, China, European Union and Australia combined – and still feed the world. Loss of wild areas to agriculture is the leading cause of the current mass extinction of wildlife.
The new analysis shows that while meat and dairy provide just 18% of calories and 37% of protein, it uses the vast majority – 83% – of farmland and produces 60% of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. Other recent research shows 86% of all land mammals are now livestock or humans. The scientists also found that even the very lowest impact meat and dairy products still cause much more environmental harm than the least sustainable vegetable and cereal growing”
I was a vegetarian for 10 years. Now I am weak and selfish and I look at it more like minimizing my impact on the environment and on the suffering of animals.
I don’t purchase beef, lamb or pork - at least almost never. I’ll eat what’s served to me though - or anything that would go to waste otherwise.
eta: I go through phases where I do eat more beef for sure. Though, we rarely have any meat at home and both my daughters are vegetarian - mostly it’s fast food where I eat chicken or tuna. Also, I try to get an alternative to milk, but price deters me a lot. I’ve recently found I like oat milk better than soy or almond.
I eat a fair bit less meat and dairy these days but I’m never forgoing it, it’s delicious and I live in a meat and cheese world part of the country. I’m mostly a water drinker.
Vegetables are cheap but it’s hard to get enough calories/protein out of them. I assume that is what you mean?
I am going to admit I tried veganism and really struggled with it 3-4 years ago. All I have been able to get to is eating way less meat and trending toward chicken/fish. If jwax or anyone else has any suggestions on how to do better I would be happy to listen. We eat a ton of vegetables and virtually all of our meals at home.
I now eat meat once every two weeks or so, but I still eat dairy - egg whites most mornings, and a serving of fat free shredded cheddar probably an average of once a day. Since I switched to this, most of the time when I eat meat, I’m eating a steak. So I guess that’s not great, but it’s the meat I enjoy the most so part of the deal with myself is that if I’m going to only eat it rarely, I’m going to eat something I really enjoy when I do.
I used to eat meat probably 2+ meals a day. I thought I’d miss it a ton, frankly I rarely do. Most of what I ate (roasted turkey breast at breakfast in a high protein wrap, tons of chicken) wasn’t that flavorful or special. I enjoy my vegetarian Thai curry and vegetarian sweet potato burrito bowls I’ve been making way more than any normal meal I ate at home before the change.
I’m coming up on my two weeks, but may not even have it until it’s been 3 or 4 weeks. Not craving it at all.
Yea there’s a whole plot line in Food Inc. about that. A family of 4 can order off the dollar menu at Mickey D’s for less than cooking a healthy meal. Not to mention the time.
I’m mainly talking about people in this forum. If you can afford to reverse sear a bone in ribeye, you can get some pretty sweet organic produce.
I don’t know what reverse searing is, but that sounds tasty. It’s possible some folks are eating meat once every now and then, but going in hard when they do.
Also, I wish I could have more organic produce. I take what I can get via Instacart these days. My timing to going vegetarian was somewhat lucky being right before the pandemic, and somewhat unlucky as I haven’t gotten to really enjoy fresh organic produce that I’m buying every 2-3 days, like I would be. Oh well, maybe next year.
@jwax13 what is the best vegan spot here in OKC? I have been to lots of places (like Picasso in Paseo)that have a relatively extensive vegan menu that I would consider good but don’t actually know of any purely vegan outposts here that are quality. Maybe going to one would help expand my knowledge of what is possible?
That…doesn’t sound right. In fact, I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say that in my life. “I would be vegetarian, except it’s too expensive.” I think some people in India might have something to say about that.
Picasso and Loaded Bowl are the best by far. Red Cup is ok (haven’t been in years). All the Thai restaurants (Panang and Sala specifically).
I had a bad experience the first time I tried tofu in college. Turned me off for nearly a decade. Now I cook it weekly. Learning to cook it to my liking made a big difference.
ETA. Frida Southwest has vegan tamales I’ve been dying to try.
I haven’t consumed meat in 6 days. I’m not saying the V word until I hit at least one month. No promises to myself that I can do it but so far so good. I don’t miss anything yet.
I’m sick and tired of my carbon footprint and contributing to animal misery.
By nature of my job, this week I’m going to cook (approx) 20lbs of meat. The irony is not lost on me.
I will donate it all via wholesome and complete meals to an underserved community in my city.
A friend and I did a November Vegetarian challenge a few years ago. I kept doing it every year since. Once you figure out what you like, it gets really easy. After November this last year, I was really hesitant to eat meat thinking “this is f-ing gross, why would I do this.” Now I’m flexitarian, which I love to troll people about because it gets ranked higher than vegan or vegetarian on the healthy scales.
