herbivores go rawr

While I understand guerilla vegetarianism may work for some, I don't think the majority of people are going to change simply because a vegetarian threatens to "shank" them.

Some of us grew up eating your typical meat and potatoes kind of diet, so it is somewhat like quitting smoking trying to go completely veggie. Not to mention somewhat confusing in how to go about getting in all the protein and nutrients necessary for a healthy diet. However, for those of us trying to slowly minimize our impact on the planet (thus becoming better environmentalists) there are ways to eat meat and still do it wisely.

First off, I agree with the prior commenter on the fact that simply cutting back on the amount of meat one consumes will be a good step in the right direction. Less demand would require less supply and thus less methane. (For the record though, it's not just the antibiotics used on the animals that causes the methane. These animals are being forced to eat grains which are not a part of their natural diet, and they get no exercise or fresh air. This causes issues with the digestive system which creates the flatulence which in turn creates the methane.)

Another, and even better, option is to eat meat raised in humane manners by local farmers. Meat and dairy is actually not as bad for you as some people would like to think when it is raised in a manner conducive to the animals proper space and dietary needs. A cow raised on its natural diet of grasses creates no more methane than you or I because it's digestion isn't messed with. They have free range of the grasses in the fields, defecate and create a healthy natural fertilizer for that field. The fields then are used to raise more healthy grasses for the cattle to feed on. A good-for-the-environment and healthy food chain.

Animals raised on their natural diet and with plenty of room to roam, breathe fresh air and exercise also require virtually no veterinary care and (absolutely no) antibiotics because they are getting what they need to remain healthy. Thereby, every aspect from the meat to the milk to the cheese is better for you.

Of course, never leaving out the thought that by going to local farmers for these needs (pick up your veggies while you're there if you can) you help your local economy, help your local "green" movement grow and eliminate the need of the "BIG" guys to lug all that meat around in gas guzzling big rigs.

The whole point is, people aren't going to change overnight and they are certainly not going to change because they have someone yelling at them and threatening them (Momma always said you gather more flies with honey than with dung). If you are concerned about it, help to educate people on better ways. Regardless of whether YOU could consider a meat-eater to be an environmentalist, it is possible if they go about it the right way and seriously consider the impact they are making!

Just my opinion,
Deaematres

"Your life is an occasion. Rise to it." - Mr. Magorium

Hey Holly.

You're right that meat contributes more greenhouse gas than cars.

"According to a new report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18 percent – than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation." - http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html

To save money (though the industrialization of farming bothers me), when I first moved out on my own, I cut way way back on meat. Later I found out how much that lessened my contribution to both methane and carbon, two huge green house gases. I've dated many a vegetarian, and I admire the choice... but honestly, I know myself. I have no discipline. Last night I ate a pint of hagen daas green tea ice cream for dinner.

Cutting back meat to every other day will halve your greenhouse gas emission. The caveat to going meatless is that its industrial farming, not meat production, that contributes the methane. Consuming butter, dairy every day keeps lots of cows alive, but they're still chomping away and being loaded with antibiotics. Its the antibiotics that wildly increase the methane production.

So organic? Well, what if they cows are still in stalls? That contributes alot to greenhouse gas emissions. This past month I've been struggling with trying to give up dairy (yogurt and half & half were the holdouts). Then I read this article, on biodynamic farming, in ode:
http://www.odemagazine.com/doc/53/tasting-is-believing/

This phenomena is much more advanced in Europe and New Zealand. The next link is a New Zealand compendium of web resources on biodynamic farming, which is much more humane to the creatures, and is closer to the carbon neutral pre-anthropogenic arrangement the pre-domestication cows lived.
http://www.biodynamic.org.nz/resrep_update2003.html

So, I occasionally eat meat. Eating it once a week contributes 1/7 as much to greenhouse gas as eating it every day. I still drive, but even hypermiling getting 45 mpg, its not neutral. Industrial farming produces methane through plant waste (in Brazil they use bagasse from sugar cane to power the ethanol production).

There's alot we can all do, but there are always limits on what people are willing to give up. Binary thinking won't get people to buy into living green; little changes across the board add up to a huge impact (even if not as big as big changes across the board)

Because even with my thrift I've still got a footprint, I buy carbon offsets through NC Green power (terrapass is also a good choice). The questionairre didn't ask about that, so I got a level 8 though I'm aiming for being carbon neutral (or negative).