Do You Eat Meat? (Read 442 times)

Mr MattM


    Pink Floyd taught me when I was young that I can't have any pudding if I don't eat meat.  How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

     

    The pudding is delicious.

    be curious; not judgmental

    xhristopher


      I've put bacon on a boca burger.


      Feeling the growl again

         

        I am not sure what you mean.

         

        I don't object meats as long as they are humanely raised and produced, not industrial brutally produced. As Mark Bittman mentioned in his talk, there is no way that all farmers could humanely raise the animals for the massive demands. I just choose not to contribute to the demand force.

         

        What I try to do is to reduce my own carbon footprint and energy consumption. Since I found out that the worms can efficiently do the job (the worm eats half of its body weight daily and the population double every 3 month), I could reduce using a recycle truck to transport my waste to the recycle center and use energy to recycle it.

         

        Nice to see some acknowledgement that demand is what drives a lot of the practices.  If one chooses not to be part of the demand and seek other sources to satisfy their needs I can respect that.  Meat aside, around where I live demand for corn/soy had denuded the landscape of all wildlife habitat.  Those who live in the suburbs who really care about the big picture should till under their manicured lawns and put in gardens; it would be rewarding in many ways.

         

        Without getting into specifics about definitions about what is and is not humane, people need to understand that junk they view off the internet and real life are two different things.  If you have never spent significant time on a farm, you have no idea what is done and why it is done.  Many things that may appear inhumane on internet videos are not so in real life or don't even happen the way they are presented.  Alternatively, what may appear inhumane without context really has a reason why it is done and is more humane that the alternatives.  There are certain realities about working with domestic livestock that those unfamiliar just aren't cognizant of.

         

        My preferred order of meat is a) wild game harvested myself, b) small farm raised, c) general/commercially obtained.  That's a preference mainly due to quality/fat concerns.  Most family farms were forced out through Carter's financial crisis and aren't coming back, it's harder to source there and will only get worse.

         

        I've got a pound of venison thawing out for lunch/dinner tomorrow.  It's going to be great.

        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

         

        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

         

          I am transitioning to be a pescatarian. The following information has influenced me the most to the transition.

           

          Factory Farming 101 (From 2010's documentary Vegucated)

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihxs0I97Tek

           

          Al Gore: New thinking on the climate crisis

          http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_s_new_thinking_on_the_climate_crisis.html

           

          Mark Bittman: What's wrong with what we eat

          http://www.ted.com/talks/mark_bittman_on_what_s_wrong_with_what_we_eat.html

           

          Ethos (2011) - Documentary

          http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707818/

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUlF1_AMKfQ

           

          I have joined local transition network (http://www.transitionnetwork.org) community. Last weekend I visited a member's garden. The family have a small garden but grow 75% food by themselves.

           

          A couple weeks ago I bought some red wiggler worms and started kitchen vermicomposting to recycle kitchen waste, paper and cardboard.

           

          This is great stuff.  Congratulations on how you are putting your values into action.   I am a pescatarian also, although I don't eat much fish.

          JimR


            Eat meat?  Buy really low cost clothing? Manufactured goods?  Pay way less for day to day stuff than you really should and not bat an eye?      Have a gas guzzler you fill twice a week?

            AmoresPerros


            Options,Account, Forums

              Have a gas guzzler you fill twice a week?

               

              But that doesn't contribute to 'inhumane' treatment of animals. It might support wahhabi terrorists, but, at least it doesn't hurt animals.

              It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.


              Feeling the growl again

                 

                But that doesn't contribute to 'inhumane' treatment of animals. It might support wahhabi terrorists, but, at least it doesn't hurt animals.

                 

                 

                Not making any statement, it just sounded like a challenge.  Smile

                "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                 

                I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                 

                   

                  But that doesn't contribute to 'inhumane' treatment of animals. It might support wahhabi terrorists, but, at least it doesn't hurt animals.

                   

                  Read this as "wasabi terrorists." Now I want sushi for lunch. Thanks.

                    I've put bacon on a boca burger.

                     

                    I'm the one who put the Range in the Rover.

                    "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                    joescott


                        people need to understand that junk they view off the internet and real life are two different things.  If you have never spent significant time on a farm, you have no idea what is done and why it is done.  Many things that may appear inhumane on internet videos are not so in real life or don't even happen the way they are presented. 

                       

                      What he said.

                       

                      Yes, I eat meat.  And I like meat.  Most of the meat I get from a central Kansas farmer whom I know personally, but I also don't even think twice about picking up some pork chops or even, <gasp!> hot dogs or brats from the grocery store, either.  Like some others have said, I also like a little quail, turkey, venison harvested by me or by my sons from time to time when we can get it.... although if you do the cost analysis, it's certainly pricey stuff!

                      - Joe

                      We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

                      EpicErin


                      Epic Runner

                        Yes, but not daily. When possible I look for organic, free-range or grass-fed, but I'm not exactly wealthy so sometimes I can't afford it. I've done the vegetarian thing but I find I don't end up getting enough protein and I feel tired.

                        Do Epic Runs

                        http://www.doepicruns.com/


                        Feeling the growl again

                           

                           I also like a little quail, turkey, venison harvested by me or by my sons from time to time when we can get it.... although if you do the cost analysis, it's certainly pricey stuff!

                           

                          Depends how you run the cost analysis.  If I consider the gear I have on hand, most of which I've had a long time, to be sunk cost....gas, ammo, and license probably worked out to $20/deer for me last year.  Figure roughly 40-50lbs of meat per animal (does), it's not too shabby.  But that's if I do all of the processing myself; if you pay for processing, it's $1.50-$2 per lb just for that.

                           

                          The geese/pheasant I will be driving 4000 miles round trip for this fall will likely be a little less cost-effective.  Big grin

                          "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                           

                          I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                           


                          Why is it sideways?

                            It's hard to tease apart the class/urban/rural/ethical/health/political values that guide the decisions we make about food.

                             

                            Most people (who have the means to make these decisions) are making difficult (and sometimes not so difficult) decisions about how they eat on the basis of limited information/propaganda (on both sides) and in the context of their other life values.

                             

                            Best not to feel too smug that you are making the right choice -- or that others are making the wrong choice. And also, it's important to keep hold of the idea that we almost always have to act and decide on the basis of insufficient information and then work our way into better ways of living. What seems like a naive choice or a choice made on the basis of propaganda or lack of knowledge may really be better viewed as an experiment towards something better rather than as a perfect choice. And keep in mind that many of the choices we make with respect to food--including the fact that food is thought of as a choice--are also signals of other things, like class, race, politics, etc.

                             

                            There are lots of goods that the industrial food system has brought -- cheap food being primary, but also I'd imagine more stable markets for those who work in the ag business. More standardized hygenic practices. And in many ways more humane slaughter techniques. But this does not mean that things can't or shouldn't be better. Big corporate food is plagued by many of the problems of big corporate anything else. They are not alone in those problems.

                             

                            As for me, I somewhat rarely eat meat (maybe once a week), try to buy local when I do, but sometimes will buy a burger at the local dairy dip. I hunt and fish occasionally--less now that I no longer live in the country. My philosopher buddy started a local farm after he got his PhD, and I get a lot of stuff from him.

                            Slo


                              I've been wanting to chime in on this but as Jeff pointed out, there are so many different angles in which to approach it. I like Jeffs use of propaganda. (Which is really where this whole thread started but that's just one example...after all sugar is sugar right, your body doesn't know the difference...I think that's how the commercial goes.)

                               

                              I eat meat. Everyday...2 or 3 times a day but mostly just two.

                               

                              I have 28 - 30 years of involvement directly or indirectly with the industrialized food industry. I also grew up on a family farm. I hunt and I fish.

                               

                              Meat and the ethical treatment of animals should be least on the list of items you should find apalling.

                               

                              If the consumer was anywhere close to the responses on this thread I and many others would be without a job.

                                I've been wanting to chime in on this but as Jeff pointed out, there are so many different angles in which to approach it. I like Jeffs use of propaganda. (Which is really where this whole thread started but that's just one example...after all sugar is sugar right, your body doesn't know the difference...I think that's how the commercial goes.)

                                 

                                I eat meat. Everyday...2 or 3 times a day but mostly just two.

                                 

                                I have 28 - 30 years of involvement directly or indirectly with the industrialized food industry. I also grew up on a family farm. I hunt and I fish.

                                 

                                Meat and the ethical treatment of animals should be least on the list of items you should find apalling.

                                 

                                If the consumer was anywhere close to the responses on this thread I and many others would be without a job.

                                 

                                Indeed. We only know limited information even living in this so-called democratic world. It is like a guy talking about the drug industry. If all researches were published, there are about 50-50 bad and good results, but because the researches are funded by the drug companies, so they choose to release good results to promote their products.

                                 

                                People promote what they believe is right. Only when enough people follow and join to become a cult, a movement (either right or wrong) happens.

                                5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08  (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)