Eating Less Meat Helps Protect the Planet From Climate Change

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  • HughFreakingDillon
    HughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,473
    oftenreading said:
    HughFreakingDillon said:
    I was talking to a co worker about this, telling him i have always considered going meatless, for the environment and also ethical reasons. he mentioned that, unfortunately it’s not as a simple as eating less meat as the media makes it out to be. 
    • Without cows we’d lose our grass lands. Unfortunately we killed all our other grazing animals (bison, buffalo) 
    • Agriculture as a whole removes more and more soil every year (we only have 60 years of top soil left) and we need grazing animals to help replenish

    thoughts?


    This would assume responsible cattle production, not feedlot production, which I believe is the vast majority of beef cattle. The volume of beef eaten now could not be sustained by grazing grasslands. 

    Every action has an impact on the environment, but some actions have less of an impact. It's very difficult to truthfully argue that major meat production has less of an impact than non-meat production. 
    yes, I don't know much of anything about this, so I'm trying to gather information. when I mentioned to him my reasons for considering stopping meat consumption, he did say the only way to really continue eating meat sustainably is to eat only meat from holistic regenerative  farmers. I don't even know what that is. LOL
    By The Time They Figure Out What Went Wrong, We'll Be Sitting On A Beach, Earning Twenty Percent.




  • PJPOWER
    PJPOWER Posts: 6,499
    edited August 2019
    oftenreading said:
    HughFreakingDillon said:
    I was talking to a co worker about this, telling him i have always considered going meatless, for the environment and also ethical reasons. he mentioned that, unfortunately it’s not as a simple as eating less meat as the media makes it out to be. 
    • Without cows we’d lose our grass lands. Unfortunately we killed all our other grazing animals (bison, buffalo) 
    • Agriculture as a whole removes more and more soil every year (we only have 60 years of top soil left) and we need grazing animals to help replenish

    thoughts?


    This would assume responsible cattle production, not feedlot production, which I believe is the vast majority of beef cattle. The volume of beef eaten now could not be sustained by grazing grasslands. 

    Every action has an impact on the environment, but some actions have less of an impact. It's very difficult to truthfully argue that major meat production has less of an impact than non-meat production. 
    There are good and bad practices in both realms.  Most types of farming (non-meat production) takes water, land, minerals, and destroys the habitats of many native animals to varying extents.   In fact, the dust bowl was due to gross over farming (non-meat).  I think the answer lies with more regulations to force the world to utilize the least harmful types of farming/ranching instead of trying to get everyone on board with a non-meat diet.  There are responsible and irresponsible producers in both realms and I believe corporate farms/ranches are the ones responsible for poor practices and need harsher regulations.
    To say “all meat eaters are wrong and all vegans are right” is just wrong.
    Post edited by PJPOWER on
  • rgambs
    rgambs Posts: 13,576
    I often think about the impact of 7 billion people relying on plants alone for sustenance.  Such a massive shift is very hard to quantify, and I have deep suspicions about the unintended consequences that would arise. 
    It is a fact, however, that less meat consumption would be better for the planet itself, our species, and every other species on the planet.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    PJPOWER said:
    Call me when you find a great “beyond” version of this:

    Stop it.  The grown ups are trying to have a conversation here.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • PJPOWER
    PJPOWER Posts: 6,499
    edited August 2019
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    Call me when you find a great “beyond” version of this:

    Stop it.  The grown ups are trying to have a conversation here.
    I respect what you are trying to do Brian, but every thread where a “grown up” conversation is happening gets derailed by the creator of this thread...so kindly get off my ass or ignore me if I irritate you that much.  Maybe if I grilled a pork chop for every gif or meme SC posts, making him directly responsible for more meat eating?
    Post edited by PJPOWER on
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    rgambs said:
    I often think about the impact of 7 billion people relying on plants alone for sustenance.  Such a massive shift is very hard to quantify, and I have deep suspicions about the unintended consequences that would arise. 
    It is a fact, however, that less meat consumption would be better for the planet itself, our species, and every other species on the planet.
    Billions of people in the world already live on a completely or almost completely plant based diet. Yes, there will be impacts if we make this massive shift, but would they be worse than the impacts we already have from increasing meat production around the world? 
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    PJPOWER said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    Call me when you find a great “beyond” version of this:

    Stop it.  The grown ups are trying to have a conversation here.
    I respect what you are trying to do Brian, but every thread where a “grown up” conversation is happening gets derailed by the creator of this thread...so kindly get off my ass or ignore me if I irritate you that much.  Maybe if I grilled a pork chop for every gif or meme SC posts...
    You don't irritate me- I don't take this kind of thing that seriously.  And both you guys do the same bullshit, so yeah, it goes both ways.  This place becomes a joke when these kids of petty quarrels going on and on.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • PJPOWER
    PJPOWER Posts: 6,499
    edited August 2019
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    Call me when you find a great “beyond” version of this:

    Stop it.  The grown ups are trying to have a conversation here.
    I respect what you are trying to do Brian, but every thread where a “grown up” conversation is happening gets derailed by the creator of this thread...so kindly get off my ass or ignore me if I irritate you that much.  Maybe if I grilled a pork chop for every gif or meme SC posts...
    You don't irritate me- I don't take this kind of thing that seriously.  And both you guys do the same bullshit, so yeah, it goes both ways.  This place becomes a joke when these kids of petty quarrels going on and on.
    Well, I do agree that this place became a joke a long time ago and it really is hard to take things seriously here anymore, but it is a decent waste of time when you need it.
    Post edited by PJPOWER on
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    PJPOWER said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    Call me when you find a great “beyond” version of this:

    Stop it.  The grown ups are trying to have a conversation here.
    I respect what you are trying to do Brian, but every thread where a “grown up” conversation is happening gets derailed by the creator of this thread...so kindly get off my ass or ignore me if I irritate you that much.  Maybe if I grilled a pork chop for every gif or meme SC posts...
    You don't irritate me- I don't take this kind of thing that seriously.  And both you guys do the same bullshit, so yeah, it goes both ways.  This place becomes a joke when these kids of petty quarrels going on and on.
    Well, I do agree that this place became a joke a long time ago and it really is hard to take things seriously here anymore, but it is a decent waste of time when you need it.
    LOL, can't argue that.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • rgambs
    rgambs Posts: 13,576
    oftenreading said:
    rgambs said:
    I often think about the impact of 7 billion people relying on plants alone for sustenance.  Such a massive shift is very hard to quantify, and I have deep suspicions about the unintended consequences that would arise. 
    It is a fact, however, that less meat consumption would be better for the planet itself, our species, and every other species on the planet.
    Billions of people in the world already live on a completely or almost completely plant based diet. Yes, there will be impacts if we make this massive shift, but would they be worse than the impacts we already have from increasing meat production around the world? 
    I would be surprised if it was really billions.

    No, I don't really think the impacts would be worse, but I do think its entirely possible that they could be.  It's worth finding out, for sure.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    rgambs said:
    oftenreading said:
    rgambs said:
    I often think about the impact of 7 billion people relying on plants alone for sustenance.  Such a massive shift is very hard to quantify, and I have deep suspicions about the unintended consequences that would arise. 
    It is a fact, however, that less meat consumption would be better for the planet itself, our species, and every other species on the planet.
    Billions of people in the world already live on a completely or almost completely plant based diet. Yes, there will be impacts if we make this massive shift, but would they be worse than the impacts we already have from increasing meat production around the world? 
    I would be surprised if it was really billions.

    No, I don't really think the impacts would be worse, but I do think its entirely possible that they could be.  It's worth finding out, for sure.
    I tried to look up what percentage of the world's population is vegetarian and got between 25% and 31% which, if so, would be between 1.9 and 2.39 billion people, so probably at least a couple billion.  That doesn't surprise me, all things considered.

    oftenreading said:
    rgambs said:
    I often think about the impact of 7 billion people relying on plants alone for sustenance.  Such a massive shift is very hard to quantify, and I have deep suspicions about the unintended consequences that would arise. 
    It is a fact, however, that less meat consumption would be better for the planet itself, our species, and every other species on the planet.
    Billions of people in the world already live on a completely or almost completely plant based diet. Yes, there will be impacts if we make this massive shift, but would they be worse than the impacts we already have from increasing meat production around the world? 
    I would think those impacts would be for the good rather than detrimental.  Animal production would have to change over to plant crops, but that could be done gradually and the jobs would last longer.  With 7.7 billion people on the planet, meat production can't do on forever with those numbers. 

    If the world had a reasonable number of humans- the ideal being something like 1.5 to 2 billion- eating meat would not be nearly as big an impact on the planet.  We're headed toward 10 billion by around 2050 which is not that far off.  And of course there is no way that many people can eat meat.  But that many people will cause a who litany of problems.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • HughFreakingDillon
    HughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,473
    my parents' 50th anniversary is today. we were looking at one of those "in 1969" type of pictures, and the population of the earth just 50 years ago was a staggeringly much lower 3.61 billion. LESS THAN HALF what it is today. that's insane. 
    By The Time They Figure Out What Went Wrong, We'll Be Sitting On A Beach, Earning Twenty Percent.




  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    HughFreakingDillon said:
    my parents' 50th anniversary is today. we were looking at one of those "in 1969" type of pictures, and the population of the earth just 50 years ago was a staggeringly much lower 3.61 billion. LESS THAN HALF what it is today. that's insane. 
    It is crazy, for sure.  Living to see the strain on the planet those numbers have added is mentally painful.  I've never learned to deal well with that.  Someone should take me out to pasture and shoot me.  :lol:
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,830
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    Call me when you find a great “beyond” version of this:

    Stop it.  The grown ups are trying to have a conversation here.
    I respect what you are trying to do Brian, but every thread where a “grown up” conversation is happening gets derailed by the creator of this thread...so kindly get off my ass or ignore me if I irritate you that much.  Maybe if I grilled a pork chop for every gif or meme SC posts...
    You don't irritate me- I don't take this kind of thing that seriously.  And both you guys do the same bullshit, so yeah, it goes both ways.  This place becomes a joke when these kids of petty quarrels going on and on.
    Hahahaha more “both sides” crap. 

    Its all 1 poster. Every time. And yet Kay finds the time to earn me for way less crap. I have no sympathy for that poster nor anyone that defends his crap.
    hippiemom = goodness
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    rgambs said:
    oftenreading said:
    rgambs said:
    I often think about the impact of 7 billion people relying on plants alone for sustenance.  Such a massive shift is very hard to quantify, and I have deep suspicions about the unintended consequences that would arise. 
    It is a fact, however, that less meat consumption would be better for the planet itself, our species, and every other species on the planet.
    Billions of people in the world already live on a completely or almost completely plant based diet. Yes, there will be impacts if we make this massive shift, but would they be worse than the impacts we already have from increasing meat production around the world? 
    I would be surprised if it was really billions.

    No, I don't really think the impacts would be worse, but I do think its entirely possible that they could be.  It's worth finding out, for sure.

    How many Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists are in the world?

    Not to mention those who are vegetarian by choice, rather than cultural expectations. 
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    edited August 2019
    cincybearcat said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    Call me when you find a great “beyond” version of this:

    Stop it.  The grown ups are trying to have a conversation here.
    I respect what you are trying to do Brian, but every thread where a “grown up” conversation is happening gets derailed by the creator of this thread...so kindly get off my ass or ignore me if I irritate you that much.  Maybe if I grilled a pork chop for every gif or meme SC posts...
    You don't irritate me- I don't take this kind of thing that seriously.  And both you guys do the same bullshit, so yeah, it goes both ways.  This place becomes a joke when these kids of petty quarrels going on and on.
    Hahahaha more “both sides” crap. 

    Its all 1 poster. Every time. And yet Kay finds the time to earn me for way less crap. I have no sympathy for that poster nor anyone that defends his crap.
    You don't think posting pictures of steaks on every vegetarian/vegan thread isn't perpetuating the bullshit?   And who the hell is "Kay"?  :lol:

    Hahaha back at ya, pal!  :wink:

    FOOD FIGHT!

    Post edited by brianlux on
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • PJPOWER
    PJPOWER Posts: 6,499
    edited August 2019
    brianlux said:
    cincybearcat said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    Call me when you find a great “beyond” version of this:

    Stop it.  The grown ups are trying to have a conversation here.
    I respect what you are trying to do Brian, but every thread where a “grown up” conversation is happening gets derailed by the creator of this thread...so kindly get off my ass or ignore me if I irritate you that much.  Maybe if I grilled a pork chop for every gif or meme SC posts...
    You don't irritate me- I don't take this kind of thing that seriously.  And both you guys do the same bullshit, so yeah, it goes both ways.  This place becomes a joke when these kids of petty quarrels going on and on.
    Hahahaha more “both sides” crap. 

    Its all 1 poster. Every time. And yet Kay finds the time to earn me for way less crap. I have no sympathy for that poster nor anyone that defends his crap.
    You don't think posting pictures of steaks on every vegetarian/vegan thread isn't perpetuating the bullshit?   And who the hell is "Kay"?  :lol:

    Hahaha back at ya, pal!  :wink:

    FOOD FIGHT!

    Who exactly has done that?  I threatened to today and did in this one thread as a response to the bullshit, but have not done that as of yet on “all vegan/vegetarian” threads.  It is tempting, though.
    Post edited by PJPOWER on
  • rgambs
    rgambs Posts: 13,576
    I guess I was thinking of vegan more than vegetarian, I but I'm in the wrong thread.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    rgambs said:
    I guess I was thinking of vegan more than vegetarian, I but I'm in the wrong thread.
    Aren’t we all? 
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,830
    brianlux said:
    cincybearcat said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    brianlux said:
    PJPOWER said:
    Call me when you find a great “beyond” version of this:

    Stop it.  The grown ups are trying to have a conversation here.
    I respect what you are trying to do Brian, but every thread where a “grown up” conversation is happening gets derailed by the creator of this thread...so kindly get off my ass or ignore me if I irritate you that much.  Maybe if I grilled a pork chop for every gif or meme SC posts...
    You don't irritate me- I don't take this kind of thing that seriously.  And both you guys do the same bullshit, so yeah, it goes both ways.  This place becomes a joke when these kids of petty quarrels going on and on.
    Hahahaha more “both sides” crap. 

    Its all 1 poster. Every time. And yet Kay finds the time to earn me for way less crap. I have no sympathy for that poster nor anyone that defends his crap.
    You don't think posting pictures of steaks on every vegetarian/vegan thread isn't perpetuating the bullshit?   And who the hell is "Kay"?  :lol:

    Hahaha back at ya, pal!  :wink:

    FOOD FIGHT!

    Apparently my iPhone changes lots is words on me ;)

    hippiemom = goodness

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