Archive for Vegetarianism
I’m Back, People!
It’s been weeks since I last posted, and my stats are showing it, so it’s back to the Blue-Green Grindstone, baby!
This morning as I was fighting the necessity of actually getting out of my delicious bed, NPR had a segment on Food, INC. (trailer), a new documentary about where our food really comes from. Now I know I’m a tad prone to conspiracy theory, but seriously–this is not the first place I’ve heard that there are meat industry lobbyists trying (and succeeding in some states) to make it illegal to say/show anything negative about the meat industry (beef in particular). First Amendment, anyone?
How to save the world – or at least feed the hungry
My main reason for being vegetarian is that a loathe the concept of factory farms and the condition in which animals live.
But if you’re not as much of an animal softy as I am, here’s another reason to consider reducing or eliminating meat from your diet:
“[I]t takes 8 or 9 cattle a year to feed one average meat eater. Each cow needs 1 acre of green plants, corn, or soybeans a year. Thus, it takes about 9 acres of plants a year for the meat one person eats rather than the half acre needed if the plants themselves were eaten. The amount of grain needed to provide meat for one person is enough to feed about 20 people for a year. [...] A reduction of meat consumption by only 10 percent would result in about 12 million more tons of grain for human consumption. This additional grain could feed all of the humans who starve to death each year–about 60 million people! Furthermore, about 26,500 gallons of water are needed to produce 2 pounds of beef, whereas 2 pounds of wheat require only about 120 gallons.”
–Marc Beckoff, The Ten Trusts
Earth-friendly Errand
Walking to work was out of the question, but as part of the Twin Cities Bike Walk Week (May 10-16), I walked to the grocery store instead of driving. Cage free eggs and Morning Star Farms meat substitute for my [soon-to-be]famous hash recipe.
