Let me start by saying I like meat. No, I love Meat. And if it's the baby version? Even better. Veal, lamb, duckling, you name it, I'll eat it. But even so, C and I have started to actively reduce our meat intake and move to a more vegetarian diet.
To me, there are broadly 4 types of vegetarians/vegans.
1. Oh my gosh, you can't eat those tiny little baby animals, it's soooo mean, they're so cute how could you want to eat them?!?
2. Don't you know everyone is going vego now?
These two types of people will not be dignified by a discussion.
The other two types of people have, I feel, quite valid reasons for going vego:
3. Ethical grounds - these people usually have no moral problems with the act of eating meat, but DO have a problem with how the animals are treated.
4. Environmental grounds - again, no moral problem with eating meat but are concerned about the impact that intensive farming has on the environment.
Obviously, people are not so easily pigeonholed; most vegetarians I've met (and the reasons that C and I are going more vego) are a mix of types 3 and 4.
But are these valid? Do people need to completely cut out their meat intake to make a difference?
Ethical Considerations
Let's talk about chickens for a second. A quick google search for 'battery hens' provides a plethora* of heartfelt cries to save the chickens and the evils of battery eggs and battery farming. And it doesn't just stop with chickens - pigs and cows get similar treatment. Let's face it, the images are pretty damn awful, and the reports of the health and treatment of these animals are devastating. However it is quite hard to seperate what is true and what is purposefully tear-jerking. The hiding of good, informative, non-emotive and non-judgemental papers behind subscription-only journals makes it all the more difficult for the general public to make an informed opinion. However, google scholar provides; feather-pecking, cannibalism, broken bones, foot disorders, oteoporosis, parasites, lung problems and high stress levels** are just some of the problems faced by caged egg-laying birds. I don't even want to look at what reports are out there about pigs and cows, and I haven't even touched upon the use of steriods and genetic selection for fattening up these animals for eating.
But what about free-range chicken, pork or beef? Is it okay to eat this kind of meat and eggs? And does it really make a difference if one in 20 people does? And what do they actually mean by free-range anyway? And how can I know if what I am buying in the supermarket labelled 'free-range' is actually free range?As late as November 2009, Australian Pork Limited were submitting to have proper labelling of pork products*** for consumers, a move which should be applauded. And I have just found this interesting report from the Senate in Australia. So at least things are starting to move in the right direction.
And do we have the space for everyone to switch to 'free-range' anyway? And what about those people who can't afford free-range to begin with?
I guess that's why people just choose to go veg. The line of whats, whys and ifs stretches far too long, and it's easier to Just. Say. No.
Environmental considerations
An excerpt from the first paper on google scholar I looked at:^
"...this means that to produce one kilogram of boneless beef, we use about 6.5 kg of grain, 36 kg of roughages, and 155 l of water (only for drinking and servicing). Producing the volume of feed requires about 15340 l of water on average..." (emphasis mine). Considering the average shower uses about 9 L/min, removing just 1 kilogram of beef from your diet is the equivalent of about 340 five minute showers. That's almost a years worth of showers, people.
Well, maybe I should eat some fish? They don't use water. On second thoughts, let's not talk about overfishing. Or land use. Or methane pollution.
I guess my problem is not with going vego. It's pretty clear that any reduction in meat intake is going to be better for the environment, and perhaps will save some animals from unnecessary suffering. But how do I reconcile a love and enjoyment of meat, with such knowledge? How do I make good choices? And how much responsibility should I take for reducing my impact on this planet? And what does the average person feel about it?
Neverending questions.
(Not the most widely researched piece, I know. But you get the drift.)
* http://www.freebetty.com/cage_eggs.php just to name one. Actually, this site isn't too bad, but still uses too emotive language for my liking.
* http://whyveg.com/save_the_planet/ Likewise.
** http://testing.hsus.ga4.org/web-files/PDF/farm/hsus-a-comparison-of-the-welfare-of-hens-in-battery-cages-and-alternative-systems.pdf
*** http://www.apl.au.com/pages/images/APL_submission%20to%20Review%20of%20Food%20Labelling%20Law%20and%20Policy_Final_201109%20%283%29.pdf
^ http://www.springerlink.com/content/t6264j8730051762/fulltext.pdf
Other links:
http://www.aph.gov.au/SEnate/committee/rrat_ctte/meat_marketing/report/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_effects_of_meat_production (I know this is wikipedia - but go straight to the references - I'm lazy!)
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Oh Liz! Good to see u have entered the blogging world... And your first proper post on vegetarianism... I like! You might make me have to consider going full-vegetarian again! Hehe :)
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult! Tofu just doesn't cut it sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI'm down to one or two meat meals a week now - that includes lunches as well. Bit I'll never say no to spaghetti bolognese - NEVER!
*But I'll never...
ReplyDeleteDo you think that people who become vegetarian for the purported health benefits justify another category?
ReplyDelete(I'm posting this on behalf on NFS)
ReplyDeleteHi, you forgot a 5th type of person - those who just dont like the tase of meat.
also - with regards to environmental issues - yes its true farming animals take up alot of space and resources - but so does clearing land and natrual vegitation/animal habitats for the farming of crops - and the farming of crops also irreversibly changes the makeup of the natural enviorment (eg changing soil chemistry, irrigation and the pesticides used etc). also - as much as i agree with the idea of eating less meat based on ethical grounds (and i do) - unfortunately i find it hard to belive that if few individuals (relative to the world meat eating population) reduce meat eating, it would have any meaninful effect on the major corporations or the meat industry reducing their farming and slaughtering numbers- eg eating 1kg less meat might have a lovely theoretical calculation and impication on how it would benefit the enviroment, but these calculations and the well intended efforts of vegos are meaningless/futile unless the meat industry actually reduces their farming. it would be most interesting to see if the increasing vegeterian/vegan numbers have had any actual effect on the meat industry and the numbers of animals farmed..... this is what counts i think. so yeah i think its one of those things where its up to the big ugly corporations and industries to change their habits to make real ethical differences regarding treatment of animals and environmental impact. on a positive note i think the ethical debate with the movement towards organic/free-range etc products has fortuntately improved animal ethics awarenes and how some companies treat their animals, but i dont think it has reduced the number of animals farmed and being killed. (i hope this all makes some sense)
(ps on a side note - steroids and animal feed is still a major concern often overlooked and forgotten about due to the lax and lack in laws about advertising of 'free-range' and 'organic' products and what these words actually mean/dont mean vs clever and deceptive marketing aimed at the trendy ethics concerned population)
Yue!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I did think about those going vego for health reasons. But not until after I'd written it. What would your arguments be for or against?
Hey NFS!
ReplyDeleteOf course farming crops takes up land, pesticides etc. And we have to accept it to some degree - how else do we get food? But when those crops are going to feed cows to produce, by weight, a lot less food, that seems like a lot of wasted land which could just be used for growing food crops.
Similar argument with biofuel.
I agree:
"eg eating 1kg less meat might have a lovely theoretical calculation and implication on how it would benefit the enviroment, but these calculations and the well intended efforts of vegos are meaningless/futile unless the meat industry actually reduces their farming"
But that's why you get these massive campaigns and zealot vegos - it's market driven. If more people go vego then there is less demand for meat and less meat being being produced. This has already started happenign to some extent with eggs - that the rise of social consciousness about the awful realities of cage eggs have produced more and more 'free-range' eggs and 'organic' produce.
Actually, don't get me started on 'organic'! That's a post for another day. Along with the bendiness in labelling laws you pointed out!
Hi Liz,
ReplyDeleteSweet blog and very though provoking first post. Aleisha and I have just gone through the same process this year after reading Omnivores Dilemma (very good book that I highly recommend). We have made a conscious effort to reduce our meat intake and also focus more on sourcing meat from sustainable farms. At the end of the day we are omnivores and I think meat is an important part of a balanced diet. However, like many aspects of western life the balance part has been forgotten and people think they need to be eating 1 pound steaks with every meal.
PS - I will put a link to this blog from our blog, hope you dont mind.
Hey Simon,
ReplyDeleteThanks! Your point about balance is a very good one - we always tend to swing too far one way then there is a massive backlash and we swing too far the other.
The paper bags to plastic bags to paper bags again is another of those fails.