If you must eat meat... "Replace Beef with Poultry or Pork"

[handmade34]

http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/forest_solutions/solutions-for-deforestation-free-meat.html?utm_source=tw&utm_medium=tw&utm_campaign=tw

http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/Solutions-for-Deforestation-Free-Meat.pdf

"Our meat choices have direct implications for the world's forests and climate.

Producing meat, especially beef, requires large amounts of land. Global meat consumption has increased in recent years—and much of the new land for meat production has come from clearing tropical forests. This trend is a leading driver of deforestation and a significant contributor to global warming emissions.

Beef in particular requires vastly more land than meats like chicken and pork, which use much less land to produce the same amount of protein. Thus a simple diet shift from beef toward chicken would greatly reduce the pressure on land and the resulting pressure for deforestation. Even without a dietary shift, a variety of other practical solutions can help significantly reduce the impacts of meat production..."

[progressivebydesign]

1. I don't eat red meat, just poultry.. but now need to be sure it's anti-biotic free...

apparently they're know saying that it really does make a difference that the chickens have anti-biotics in them, and then we eat them.

[RockaFowler]

2. I had to give up beef

After my surgery last month I completely lost the taste for beef. I tried to eat some spaghetti that I made before I went in for the surgery and I lost my appetite right away. I'm not sure if it's because I no longer have the gallbladder, or what happened to my gallbladder that makes me not want to eat meat any longer

[Meiko]

41. It's probably the fat content

having your gall bladder removed can make you sensitive to fat levels in your food. I have a friend who experienced the very same thing, he can't eat anything with a high fat content.

[cstanleytech]

96. Just curios but did your friend try eating ground sirloin?

After all if I recall its supposed to have alot less fat than even extra lean ground beef.

[CrispyQ]

129. I passed a kidney stone in December & have not desired one cup of coffee since then.

I used to drink 2-3 cups a day! I gave my brand new fresh bag of organic Dazbog to my neighbor. He was thrilled!

[BOG PERSON]

3. NEVER!

[handmade34]

23. ...

"...Although tropical forests cover only about 7 percent of the Earth’s dry land, they probably harbor about half of all species on Earth. Many species are so specialized to microhabitats within the forest that they can only be found in small areas. Their specialization makes them vulnerable to extinction. In addition to the species lost when an area is totally deforested, the plants and animals in the fragments of forest that remain also become increasingly vulnerable, sometimes even committed, to extinction. The edges of the fragments dry out and are buffeted by hot winds; mature rainforest trees often die standing at the margins. Cascading changes in the types of trees, plants, and insects that can survive in the fragments rapidly reduces biodiversity in the forest that remains. People may disagree about whether the extinction of other species through human action is an ethical issue, but there is little doubt about the practical problems that extinction poses..."

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Deforestation/

[slackmaster]

4. This message has been brought to you by cows

[DJ13]

6. This message has been brought to you by cows

[cherokeeprogressive]

73. eeT mor cHikiN n/t

[liberal N proud]

5. Chicken can't replace a really good strip steak.

[Skittles]

66. surre it can

and so can fish

[yawnmaster]

82. They taste completely different! now I want a nice medium rare rib eye steak.

tomorrow, perhaps fish or chicken.

[kctim]

7. Govern your own diet, not mine

[handmade34]

38. "you can't tell me what to do!"

...the article posted is a serious concern about deforestation of our rain forests and global climate change... I care about these things because it is important for a healthy future for you, your children and grandchildren...

there is empirical prove that excessive meat consumption is contributing significantly to global climate change... I can't force anybody to care but I sure as heck will do what I can to help people understand...

[kctim]

101. The article posted

does not seriously address WHY red meat is the meat of choice, nor does it offer any practical solutions to the human side of the issue.

People DO understand, they just don't share alarmist views or they simply just don't care. Because of that, the only option to avoid the great cow fart meltdown of the earth is to govern what people eat and I don't support government having that much control of us.

[handmade34]

108. alarmist views?

the government (but mostly corporations) already control much of what you eat... we need to look critically at this issue... not just have knee-jerk reactions to a perceived sense that gov't has too much control

"...Deforestation affects the earth's physical environment by causing soil erosion, poor water quality, reduced food security and impaired flood protection, according to a report from the World Resources Institute. Because forests are the source of employment and food for many people, their destruction can cause mass migration to cities. With the influence that tropical forests have on weather, particularly rain, deforestation can cause altered weather patterns...

Biological Diversity: When massive swaths of forest are destroyed, species loss follows. Tropical areas, like Brazil's rain forests, have the world's highest concentrations of biologically diverse species. When the habitat for plants and animals is cut down or burned, species that may not be present anywhere else on Earth disappear. In addition, deforestation of tropical forests leaves many species of migrating birds without a winter home.

Climate Change: Deforestation is a main cause of the higher concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In particular, deforestation causes high levels of carbon dioxide: it is released when forests are burned or when they decompose, and when trees that used to take in this carbon dioxide are cut down, levels rise. Greenhouse gases are trapped in the atmosphere and act as a barrier for heat that would normally be released into space; as a result, temperatures across the globe rise and change rainfall patterns, ice cover and sea levels..."
http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/deforestation-effects-global-scale-2214.html

[trixie]

117. I raise my own cattle

grass fed, diaper wearing and then I put it to sleep and slaughter it and enjoy the meat.
No drugs other then medical pot.

[Honeycombe8]

88. Then don't expect sympathy re global warming or if you get cancer (beef linked to cancer).

Is it super hot, breaking records, where you are? Or more hurricanes than usual? Or record blizzards? Or you've gotten some odd cancer?

If you're one of the ones eating beef, driving a car without regard to the mileage it gets, not caulking your house to lower your bills, not composting, using chemicals in your lawn, etc., then you're one of the ones without as much a right to complain as others who have at least tried.

We can't have everything we want.

[kctim]

106. Good news then - I'm pro-choice

I don't expect, need or want sympathy for the choices I make.

[HappyMe]

8. Sorry, but you just can't beat

a tasty pot roast or a medium rare steak.

[B2G]

9. Or a filet...or a big juicy burger

And I wasn't aware the US had to cut down 'tropical forrests' to house cattle.

[pipoman]

14. Every bit of meat I serve

at my house is raised on my FIL's farm. Every bit I serve at my restaurant is raised within a couple hundred miles of me..none from rain forests..any corn fed oxygenates for nearly the entire growing period..

[handmade34]

24. ...

thank you

[4th law of robotics]

20. Actually the rain-forests are being cut down to grow corn and soy primarily

due to the spike in grain prices caused by our bio-ethanol policies. Which we had to implement to save the earth from things like excess carbon emissions due to the rain-forests being cut down.

Oops.

[handmade34]

31. !!

many reasons that our rain forests are being decimated... excessive demand for beef is surely one of them...

[4th law of robotics]

35. One of many but a major contributor lately

http://www.rainforestrelief.org/What_to_Avoid_and_Alternatives/Soy.html

http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0516-ethanol_amazon.html

[handmade34]

40. excellent links...

when bio-fuels began to be hyped years ago, I was quick to see the serious problems associated with it... so important to stress "buy local" food is better and less energy is needed to get it... mostly we can all do small things!

[TheWraith]

43. I'm pretty sure the US isn't cutting down tropical rainforests to make room for cows. nt

[Luminous Animal]

51. Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland, and Bunge are contracting for soy production to feed to cows.

[handmade34]

58. !

yup

[TheWraith]

122. And what does soy production in the US have to do with TROPICAL RAINFORESTS?

To imagine that US beef production has anything to do with tropical deforestation requires some really amazing mental gymnastics.

[Luminous Animal]

134. American companies contract to farmers in the rainforests and

import the soy to the U.S. Cargill, et.al., (U.S. companies) control, through contracts, about 60% of the soy produced in the rainforests.

[4th law of robotics]

100. No but our grain policies effect global grain prices

since we're such a huge exporter.

Meaning that by driving up grain prices by our foolish bio-ethanol schemes we're incentivizing the clearing of new land to grow corn and soy (mostly).

We aren't clearing rain-forests and we have enough domestic corn for our cows. But our policies do indirectly influence that region.

[TheWraith]

123. So nobody else in the entire world is responsible for their own policies?

Even though we only use corn for ethanol, not exportable grain?

[amandabeech]

124. In normal times, we export plenty of corn as well as soybeans and wheat.

This year, the corn crop is very, very low because of the drought in many parts of the corn belt, such as Illinois and Indiana, which are the number 2 and 5 (or 4) producers.

I once read that McDonald's imports beef from South America, although I seem to recall that it was from Argentina, not Brazil. Argentina has large areas of grassland for grazing and not so much tropical forests, except maybe some along the Brazilian/Paraguan border.

[4th law of robotics]

131. That's not at all what I said.

But what we do does effect the global commodity prices which in turn effects what other people do.

If Saudi Arabia were to instead start burning a large chunk of the oil they would normally have exported that would alter policies and economic conditions elsewhere. Right?

[Luminous Animal]

49. And quite a bit of that soy is purchased by Cargill and, in turn, fed to their cattle.

According to this Green Peace report, 80% of the world's soy production is fed to livestock.

www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/planet-2/report/2006/7/eating-up-the-amazon.pdf

un-oops.

[Ikonoklast]

90. The livestock are fed the high-protein residue of what is left after the soy beans are processed.

Humans won't eat it, and it beats throwing it away.

Same as what happens to brewery spoils, it's not palatable for humans, but livestock eat it up.

[permatex]

91. The brewery spoils are called DDG, which is a gold colored granular substance.

Our local dairy here in Pahrump, NV., uses it for their dairy cows.

[ieoeja]

107. Then why doesn't my milk taste like beer?

Yuuuummm, milk beer.

[permatex]

111. LOL nt.

[quaker bill]

55. Rain forests are not good at carbon sequestration

[shraby]

12. Try rolling the chicken pieces in flour, browning them, put them in a cooker

a can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of water over it, put the lid on and bake for an hour..use 2 chickens, you'll need that much cause it's super delicous. If 2 cut up chickes are used, use an extra can of soup. Nothing can beat it for being really tasty.

[pipoman]

15. The only thing I would change is getting some..

mushrooms, garlic and onion, sauteing them in a little olive oil, add a little flour, a little red wine, and some milk..salt & pepper to taste. Almost as fast as opening a can of campbell's without the preservatives and less sodium.

That said, chicken is delicious...beef is delicious...don't try to feed me chicken when I am wanting a nice steak..or pot roast for that matter.

[B2G]

22. Beef Stroganoff...it's what's for dinner!

(can be done with chicken too for the tropical forrest devotees).

Beef Stroganoff


1 large round steak cut up into bite sized strips
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 onion, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 stick of butter
2 cans of beef bullion (double strength)
1 cup sour cream


Melt butter in large skillet. Coat steak strips in flour, salt & pepper mixture. Brown steak in skillet (stir well after browning to loosen up the drippings). Add mushrooms, garlic & onion and simmer about 5 minutes until, stirring well. Stir in cans of beef broth. Cover and simmer on low for about an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Just before serving, stir in sour cream making sure it’s well heated. Serve over buttered noodles.

A good side with this is french cut green beans with slivered almonds. Get some good crusty french bread and a nice cabernet.

[pipoman]

68. I used to use the cream of mushroom

but years ago figured out how easy it is to make a sauce with a similar flavor. I keep some dehydrated mushrooms around for spontaneously wanting to make some mushroom soup...fresh is better, and canned don't really work for me.

I love stroganoff...I make it just as you do with the exception that I deglaze the pan with dry sherry..

[HappyMe]

17. If I have a whole chicken,

I roast it up in the oven. When it's done, leave it rest for 20 minutes, don't tent it. Nice crispy skin, juicy meat.

[alphafemale]

78. Nice Dinner. Still not a Steak.

Nothing will ever substitute an occasional Steak.

Or a homemade burger embedded with blue cheese.

[yawnmaster]

84. That does sound very nice, but it tastes different than steak...

and won't replace it.
a nicely cooked rib eye steak is absolutely delicious.

[handmade34]

29. best

to make that pot roast or rare steak from a local farm...

I have always said one of the best meals I ever had (before I stopped eating meat) was filet mignon wrapped in home smoked bacon (all raised and processed by me) I will someday go back to farming and will raise organic pigs...

the discussion here is that the excessive demand for beef is exacerbating the deforestation of our earth's precious tropical forests!

[lumberjack_jeff]

10. Pig farms are an ecological disaster.

In my area, cows are grass-fed on farms big enough to be sensible.

[handmade34]

27. all factory

agribusiness farms are a disaster, whether beef, pork, poultry, etc... all cause serious problems for the environment!

[underseasurveyor]

94. Not to mention the heinous torture and abuses the animals endure.

It's sickening. I wouldn't do those things to a republican.

[ellenfl]

63. i don't think there are 'grain fed' or 'free range' pigs. not many healthy pig choices. eom

[XemaSab]

67. For real

Most range cattle in the US use lands that are too marginal for farming.

[mainer]

76. Pigs can grow in forests and pastures. No need for factory pigs.

It's just the American way of pig farming that makes them disasters.

Look at all the wild pigs that thrive in California and in the southwest. Obviously those are completely free-range.

[Edweird]

11. Red meat has the diesel fuel I need. Nothing else does the trick.

I've tried vegetarian and poultry and pork. They all leave me 'flat'. I have a physically demanding job and a crazy high metabolism so I consume (and burn) unbelievable amounts of calories.

[TheWraith]

44. It's most likely the protein, not the raw calories.

If calories were it, you could get those from pasta or the like. But beef such as steak has 30-40% protein content by weight. Compare that to eggs at 10 to 14, bread at 6 to 12, and vegetables at 0.3 to 3 percent. If you have a physically demanding job, protein is needed to help rebuild your body's muscles. Nothing else does the trick.

[4th law of robotics]

13. Depends

A properly run cattle operation uses marginal grasslands that are useless for agriculture and actually doesn't really hurt the environment.

/large herbivores are an essential part of the ecosystem. We just need to work with it rather than against.

[pipoman]

16. You're forgetting that their farts are causing the sky to fall!!!1!

[4th law of robotics]

18. That's why a responsible operation always

ties a lit candle to the tail of every cow in the pasture.

It keeps the flies away and helps keep track of them at night.

[hifiguy]

25. I have an image in my head of cows being

blasted halfway across the pasture every time a fart is blown.

[4th law of robotics]

28. A side benefit

get's them to a new patch of grass without walking; keeps the meat tender.

[Posteritatis]

45. I think I like the world you live in better than this one. (nt)

[jeff47]

83. It's convenient self-cooking meat. (nt)

[drmeow]

130. If I had been taking a drink

when I read this you would be owing me a new keyboard right now (wasn't there a drink spraying smily before - I can't find it)

[HappyMe]

19. What about the children!!111

[handmade34]

26. local, organic beef: Yes

Demand for beef is destroying tropical ‪#forests‬. Tell your local retailer you want deforestation-free meat! http://ow.ly/bSVzc

[B2G]

33. What tropical forests are being destroyed in the US?

And how much of said beef is imported here?

[Luminous Animal]

56. It's not the cattle that is destroying the forests, it is the soy grown to feed cattle and sold

to Cargill, ADM, et.al., for U.S. and European markets.

[Quantess]

21. Poor pigs and chickens.

I have spent time among both pigs and chickens in my life. Pigs are charming and have a reputation of being smart. Chickens are also charming and nowhere near as stupid as people say they are. Turkeys are also much smarter than they get credit for! Turkeys are geniuses when it comes to stealing human food, actually.

That said, I cannot promise to abstain from meat. But I do not eat very much meat, though. I think a good solution would be if everybody ate less meat.

[NCarolinawoman]

89. I'm about where you are.

I still eat meat, but not very much.

Spent many summers of my youth on my Uncle's dairy farm in Greenville , North Carolina. What a contrast in experience from where I lived in suburban northern New Jersey.

This was a family farm, which today would be called organic. Lots of cows, chickens, a few turkeys, pigs, and one bull. I got to know those animals well. No. they are not stupid, and they each have their own distinct personalities. They deserve to be treated well for as long they are on this earth. They are totally in our care.

[Quantess]

97. I wish we could get away from factory farming,

and go back to the smaller farms where people actually take care of the animals they are going to eat. Meat animals are victims of naked greedy capitalism, more than we are.

[permatex]

92. Cows may seem dumb

but if there's a way to get out of their pen, they'll find it. They are also very destructive to farm equipment, you can't leave any type of equipment in their pen unattended, by the time you get back, all the wiring will be torn off, lights removed, wheel hub oil caps removed with the hub oil on the ground.

[Quantess]

98. Oh I am sure cows have their talents.

They are cute, too.

[bluedigger]

30. What's fish, a vegetable?

[4th law of robotics]

32. According to Ron freaking Swanson yes. And suitable for sport only. Not eating.

[bluedigger]

39. I forgot about that.

Probably because I hate fishing. Love Ron, though.

[mahina]

64. Who the heck is Ron Swanson?

?

[JBoy]

70. Character on the TV show "Parks and Recreation"

- Uber Libertarian
- Hyper Masculine
- Meat Eater, Scotch drinker

[mahina]

86. OOOkey dokey.

Thanks.

[4th law of robotics]

99. {gasp}

Sacrilege!

[handmade34]

34. the article posted

is one concerned primarily with the deforestation of the rain forests... over harvesting of our fish is another concern

[Quantess]

36. People also eat too much fish.

Seriously. Our oceans are over-fished. I can get a link if you insist.

[bluedigger]

37. Oh, don't bother.

I'll just eat lobster - it's cheaper.

[FarCenter]

42. Eat more people; it's good for the environment.

[Quantess]

50. Yes! Great minds and all...

It sounds more and more like, I need to finally watch Soylent Green. Soylent Green is people, right?

No really, I do need to see that film.

[FarCenter]

53. Well --- if the trend of zombie face munchers continues to develop....

On edit: make that "naked zombie face munchers"...

[handmade34]

59. or dogs...

http://phys.org/news176582720.html

[mainer]

79. Shhhhhh!

I love dogs, but don't have one. It always amazes me how many of my vegetarian/vegan friends condemn meat eaters, yet own dogs.

[handmade34]

80. or

the number of people that say "you will have to pry my medium rare steak out of my cold dead hands" but condemn cultures that eat dogs and/or cats??

[RebelOne]

46. I do not eat anything that has hair, fur or feathers. n/t

[yawnmaster]

85. Nor do I. I find hair and fur gets caught in my teeth and feathers, well, they don't digest well...

I INSIST that all my meat and fowl have the hair, fur and feathers removed!
scales on the fish can sometimes be okay...depending on the fish.

[permatex]

95. I just had a vision of the movie Alien Nation.

[HopeHoops]

47. We quit all kinds of meat in '89. It's all evil and bad for the environment.

That said, it wasn't that way when farms were owned by families. We get our eggs from a family farm in exchange for herbs we grow in ours. I'll say it. Meat is murder. Dairy farms can be really bad but we're fortunate to have a local company that only buys from farms that treat the cows with dignity. That's not possible in most places in this country.

[Swede]

48. No.

[handmade34]

62. ...

http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm


"...Nearly half of the world's species of plants, animals and microorganisms will be destroyed or severely threatened over the next quarter century due to rainforest deforestation.
Experts estimates that we are losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day due to rainforest deforestation. That equates to 50,000 species a year. As the rainforest species disappear, so do many possible cures for life-threatening diseases. Currently, 121 prescription drugs sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. While 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less that 1% of these tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists.
Most rainforests are cleared by chainsaws, bulldozers and fires for its timber value and then are followed by farming and ranching operations, even by world giants like Mitsubishi Corporation, Georgia Pacific, Texaco and Unocal.
There were an estimated ten million Indians living in the Amazonian Rainforest five centuries ago. Today there are less than 200,000..."

[apocalypsehow]

52. Not interested. But you go right ahead.

[handmade34]

60. not interested

in making a healthier planet? the article is about the seriousness of tropical rain forest deforestation and global climate change...

really sorry to hear your not interested

[apocalypsehow]

61. Nope: not interested in giving up beef. But as I said, you go right ahead. n/t.

[patrice]

54. Make mine hemp. nt

[madrchsod]

57. i rarely eat beef

i`ll eat wild game ,pork , and chicken.

[FedUpWithIt All]

65. Or buy grass fed and finished, locally raised beef.

I do agree with the arguments for reducing meat consumption and not leaning too heavily on one type of meat.

[aikoaiko]

69. First they came for beef and I did not speak out...

I keed. I keed.

I probably won't change my eating habits, but I support folks eating less or no meat.

[JBoy]

71. When you pry it from my medium-rare, well-marbled hand.

[undeterred]

72. Another good reason not to eat animals.

[cherokeeprogressive]

74. Fairly certain my beef is raised in the US and causes NO deforestation. n/t

[mainer]

75. Pork is actually an amazing protein source

Pigs eat EVERYTHING. Which is why they're a staple in so many poor Asian countries. As part of a green system, pigs fit right in. They eat leftovers, acorns, whatever you throw their way. And they grow quickly, endure multiple climate zones, and their fat is nourishing to those with poor diets.

Plus .. um, who doesn't like ham and bacon?

[fascisthunter]

77. beef eater here... will take this into consideration

what's the big fucking deal folks?

[handmade34]

81. I shake my head...

an honest discussion about how our eating habits affect the environment, climate change, serious loss of hundreds of species of animals, erosion, etc, etc... ??

and so many respond "you can't tell me what to do!" ??? it seems that many are willing to care, give lip service, but if they have to consider what they could do to help??

similar to NIMBY

[fascisthunter]

137. I just don't get it either...

[Honeycombe8]

87. I totally agree! Gave up beef about 15 yrs ago. Don't miss it. It is linked to cancer, now, also.

I don't eat pork, either.

[flvegan]

93. Note the apologists.

Such ego. Laughable here.

Mmmmm...unga bunga tastes good, fuck planet. Same idiots post hate on republicans for much the same sort of thing, SO LONG AS it doesn't impact those taste buds.

Fucking idiots.

Go ahead jurors. Have fun.

[handmade34]

103. oh, the irony...

sure what it sounds like to me... coming from many here.. "...fuck the environment; I ain't giving up anything that I want..."

I would just like an honest discussion about how our personal choices affect all of us and the environment

[kentauros]

118. I hate to tell you this,

but I don't think "discussion" is what too many come here for. That is, debate is king.

However, I would love to have a discussion on this.

Here's something I read some years ago (sorry y'all anal types, I didn't keep a record and link and printout of who said it or in what publication) was that Americans eat way too much protein. And too much protein in the body wreaks havoc on the calcium in our bones. In other words, eating too much daily protein helps the body to leach calcium out of your bones. Hopefully people will see where that can lead.

So, if you can't get people to at least think about cutting back even just a little on meat consumption for the sake of the environment they utilize second to second, then get them on health consequences. Make it personal and then they begin to think

[Beacool]

102. They can go eat tofu for all I care, but I'm still eating beef.

I don't eat it red meat that often, but I do like a steak once in a while.

The food nazi people should lay off already!!!. There's Bloomberg in NYC trying to ban 20 oz. drinks. How about letting adult people make their own life choices? I don't drink regular soda and have diet sodas in moderation and not even on a daily basis, but it's none of my business what other people choose to eat and drink.

[handmade34]

105. tofu?

I love watermelon. If I had empirical proof that my eating watermelon was directly harming your family, I would stop eating watermelon... guess that is the difference between you and me... I think it is our collective business

[Beacool]

110. Have you ever had Argentine beef?

It's grown free range in large savannas called pampas. It is also one of their largest economic mainstays and it's truly delicious. There are no rain forests in danger. Cattle has been raised in the pampas for centuries.

[handmade34]

113. sounds good

can't say I've had the pleasure... when I farmed, I had what was probably the tastiest meal ever... filet mignon wrapped in home smoked bacon (all raised and processed by me)... not the point of the article though

of course there is a place in society and within the environment for raising cattle and raising one's own or buying local and organic is super! The point is that there is an excessive demand and with few regulations on large agribusiness, great harm is being done to the environment... it is at a critical point and we would be best served to consider it and what we as individuals might be able to do to help

[Beacool]

125. It is good!!

I went to boarding in school in Buenos Aires. I love the city, the people and their food. That's one place where I will eat beef several times whenever I'm there.

I wasn't trying to be insensitive about the environment. I'm just adverse to totalitarianism and blanket statements. In some parts of the world raising cattle may be pernicious to the environment, but that's not the case everywhere.

[snooper2]

104. WooHoooooooo a food thread!!!!!!!

I just checked to fridge to remember what I pulled out of the freezer last night.


I've got boneless skinless chicken breasts and some Italian sausage..

Either way it's going on the grill as it's too fucking hot to cook everything inside. So do I do pasta with the sausage or grilled chicken breasts with some Texas Toast?

[sweetapogee]

109. at 5'6'' and 142 Lbs

I eat whatever falls on my plate: Chicken, pork, fish and Beef. Especally Beef. I'm having some right now!

[kentauros]

120. If the cooked contents of this package fell on your plate,

would you eat it, too?


http://www.quorn.us/Home/


Because I'm having some with rice and spices right now (for lunch) and it's delicious!

[MadHound]

112. Ah, what so many of you seem not to know,

Is that cows are required animals if you are practicing organic, rotational farming. For those of you who don't know, rotational farming is just that, you rotate different crops through the same field. The reasoning behind this is that some crops, like corn, are harder on the soil than other crops. Some crops, like soybeans, actually add nutrients to the soil.

The typical crop rotation cycle also includes a season of letting the land go fallow, and a season where that field is grazed by livestock, for the fertilizer value of their manure. Now chickens simply can't provide enough manure to do the field justice as far as fertilizer goes, and pigs, well, you don't want their manure in your crop fields for health reasons. So that leaves sheep, horses and cows. Sheep are actually quite good for this, but the thing is, sheep aren't very popular as meat in the US. Horses are far too hard on any field, they eat the plants right down to the root, thus leaving the soil bare, open to wind and water erosion. So that leaves cattle. They have a great ratio when is comes to plant matter going in to meat quantity coming out. They don't eat the pasturage down to the roots. And their manure is absolutely fantastic when it comes to fertilizing a field.

There was a reason that our forefathers practiced crop rotation, and raised cattle, namely because it worked. It was good for the soil, good for the farm. The trouble is, like a lot of things, you have to do this in moderation. Turning a couple of cattle loose on twenty acres is one thing, turning thousands loose on hundreds of acres is entirely different.

So I wouldn't say give up beef, but know where it comes from. Buy your beef from somebody who practices sustainable, organic farming. That way you can insure that you are indeed helping the planet with your choices.

[handmade34]

115. good points

although as a once (and hopefully near future) farmer I don't think cows are a necessity for a healthy sustainable farm, although there is certainly a place for them. ...and I have used pig manure successfully as fertilizer, it merely has to be composted well and correctly. Field rotation (either crop or pasture) is an excellent practice for the health of the soil and animals involved.


yes, this is what we hope to avoid...

[FedUpWithIt All]

121. Good post. n/t

[Fawke Em]

114. No pork.

Ridiculously bad for you.

Besides, I'm allergic to it and around half the world can't eat it for religious or dietary reasons.

[Spoonman]

116. Less than 1% of beef consumed in the US

comes from Latin America.

Deforestation is fueled by the large beef importing countries of Japan, Russia and China.

(information from my county extension office)

[uppityperson]

139. Deforestation is not fueled by beef coming to USA but other countries? That's

interesting information. Have you a link other than local co extn? Thanks.

[FreeJoe]

119. I'll give up cow meat, but I can't imagine a life without bacon. n/t

[Beacool]

127. Yeah, bacon is delicious.

One of my favorite childhood memories is waking up on Saturday mornings to the smell of bacon being cooked by my mom. I would run downstairs and watch cartoons until breakfast was ready.

Good memories........

[Warpy]

126. The twice or so a year I eat beef

I look for grass fed beef. It's lower in fat, which means it's tougher stuff that requires moist cooking, but it's nicer to the environment that beef that is fattened on grain to the point of sickening before it's slaughtered.

With the failure of grain and feed crops across the midwest this year, the grass fed stuff is likely to become a little less expensive than the feed lot fattened beef.

Of course, poultry and pork is also going to be more expensive this year as the cost of feed skyrockets.

[mike_c]

128. here's a better plan if you really care about the environment....

Don't reproduce. Meat production only requires large amounts of land because there is large consumer demand for meat. The real driver of environmental degradation isn't peoples' diet choices-- it's overpopulation.

[handmade34]

135. ...

[demosincebirth]

132. I love a juicy Porterhouse, medium rare.

[Marrah_G]

133. I eat grassfed beef

But I'm planning to go meatless next month, for health reasons. Not totally vegetarian though because I still plan to eat wild caught north Atlantic fish.

[L0oniX]

136. Chicken and pork are not safe as well ...with all the antibiotics which are having an effect...

on ebola making it more resistant.

[uppityperson]

138. Eat as local and as non-mega-agribusiness as you can. E.O.M.