Hold The Beef!
Skip the beef at dinner tonight and opt for a veggie meal instead. A vegetarian diet is not only healthier for you, it is also better for the environment. The production of beef makes more of an impact on the environment than any other type of food. According to a report produced by the World Wildlife Fund, more pasture is used for cattle than all other domesticated animals and crops combined. Cattle also eat an increasing proportion of grain produced from agriculture, are one of the most significant contributors to water pollution, and are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. The average American eats roughly 4 servings of beef each week. So hold the beef at dinner tonight and you can reduce your environmental impact by 25%.
Now, I know it can be difficult enough to get your kids to eat veggies as a side dish. If you tell them their dinner is “vegetarian,” you risk an all-out mutiny. But it’s easier than you think to pull off a vegetarian meal. Cheese pizza is popular with kids of all ages, and the same goes for mac and cheese, bean burritos, or spaghetti with a yummy marinara.
If dinner is a hit and you decide to take things one step further, consider taking PETA’s “Pledge To Be Veg” for 30 days. Sign up at their website and they’ll send you an email loaded with recipes and tips for going veggie. Check out their “Chew On This” video below for 30 reasons to go vegetarian. (Please note…THIS VIDEO IS VERY GRAPHIC. IT IS NOT FOR CHILDREN OR FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.)
I am an environmentalist and one who spends much of my time working to green myself and educate others on being green as well. I believe that going vegetarian is an environmentally responsible choice. However, this video from Peta is completely inappropriate and not a valid way to convince others of becoming vegetarians. This video is not about promoting eco friendly practices, it’t about animal cruelty. You can be a meat eater and be environmentally friendlty. What about buying free range products? Humans are afterall omnivores. I am against the mass agricultre practices and I am in support of better treatment for animals, but we need to eat meat like other omnivours animals. Free range products can be a wonderful alternative. Some of the “facts” in the peta video are erroneous and ridiculous. Dairy makes you fat? Hmmmm, I’m not sure where this “fact” is coming from. Please watch these videos asking yourself where the facts come from. Also, a seafood watch guide is easily obtained to buy fish that is farmed and/or caught in environmentally friendly ways. My last thought, buying produce can also be harmful to the environment. Imported produce takes a lot of fossil fuel, locally grown is the best to buy. My post leads to this: making smart decisions on purchasing food, including awareness of where your food comes from, including fish, meat, and produce can help the environment.
I always support the cause of PETA.”~`