Could you do meat-free Mondays to save the planet? Gwyneth does.
I’m trying to eat less meat. You can read about my flirtations with vegetarianism here. Not for the planet (I had only the dimmest idea that meat was bad for the planet before I read the following post) but because eating animals has never sat entirely well with me. Admittedly it sits better at some times than others…like when I’m eating a tasty sausage. But I’ve stopped eating pork, ham and bacon because, well, I like pigs. In fact I’d like to adopt one.
Here’s a guest post from Kidspot editor, Lexy Brooks:
“I subscribe to Gwyneth Paltrow’s internet newsletter called GOOP – you can check it here – and each week I get some kooky little email, often with a recipe or some new age idea she likes to share. Sometimes it’s uplifting. Sometimes it’s just plain funny (although I’m not sure it’s MEANT to be).
This morning I received her ode to Meat Free Mondays, which is something that’s been on my mind for a while. You see, I love my meat. My son Captain Dramatic proudly calls himself a carnivore. Yet ALL the environmental groups tell us we need to eat less meat to help save the planet.
I’m so not sure I can give up steak, even if the planet really needs me to. BUT I do like to do my bit where I can. I try to choose low-impact meats such as chicken, kangaroo and rabbit rather than beef or lamb (which are more carbon-intensive and technically less earth-friendly).
I am a bit of a fan of author Rebecca Blackburn, who has written a book called Green Is Good, and she says if there is ONE thing we could all do to help the planet, it isn’t to recycle, it isn’t to stop driving – it’s to eat less meat. Rebecca was the first person who told me about the idea of “Meat Free Monday”. It’s for those died-in-the wool meat lovers who don’t want to ruin the planet. It simply means that one day a week, a family commits to eating vegetarian. Now that wouldn’t kill me (although Captain Dramatic would be moaning in the corner at such an idea).
Gwyneth has caught on to the idea too. This week in Goop, she writes:
“I am not a vegetarian, but when I heard about “Meat Free Monday,” I was intrigued. I had never thought about the environmental impact of raising livestock. Below are the facts presented by Paul McCartney,”.
” In 2006, the United Nations issued a report which stated that the livestock industry as a whole was responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the whole of the transport sector put together.
“I found this interesting particularly because people at the UN are not a vegetarian society and therefore, could not be accused of bias. They pointed out the following facts:
- The Livestock industry produces gases that are extremely dangerous for the future of our environment.
- The two main gases, methane and nitrous oxide, are considered to be more harmful than CO2 (methane is 21 times more powerful than CO2 and nitrous oxide is 310 times more powerful than CO2) so the data suggests that this is causing a highly dangerous situation for ourselves and, more importantly, for future generations.
- Methane also remains in the atmosphere for 9 to 15 years; nitrous oxide remains in the atmosphere for 114 years, on average, and is 296 times more potent than CO2 – the gases released today will continue to be active in degrading the climate decades from now.
- Livestock production is land intensive: a recent report by Greenpeace on land use in the largest meat producing state in Brazil found that livestock (cattle) production was responsible for vastly more deforestation than soya.
- A third of all cereal crops, and well over 90% of soya, goes into animal feed, not food for humans. Eating less meat will free up a lot of agricultural land which can revert to growing trees and other vegetation, which, in turn, will absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
- Livestock production is water intensive: it accounts for around 8% of global human water use. The estimated 634 gallons of fresh water required to produce one 5.2 ounce (150g) beef burger would be enough for a four-hour shower. For comparison, the same quantity of tofu requires 143 gallons of water to produce.
- Livestock production is the largest source of water pollutants, principally animal wastes, antibiotics, hormones, chemicals from tanneries, fertilizers and pesticides used for feed crops, and sediments from eroded pastures.
- The meat industry is set to double its production by 2050 so even if they manage to lower emissions by 50%, as they have promised to, we will still be in the same position.”
Love,
So when it comes to eating animal flesh do you reckon you could give it a miss? Could you join Gwyneth and give it up one day a week to make the planet a better place?
[you can follow Lexy on Twitter here and find her at Kidspot here]
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I think I’m going to start drinking coffee and stop eating meat
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Does PETA treat women like meat?
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Wearing dead animals is so, like, over people….
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Anyone else spend too much time hanging out on Planet What-If?
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Watch Gwyneth Paltrow de-bone a chicken.
I eat meat EVERY night (a lot of fish though) and on the rare occasion that I have made a meat free meal (usually nachos with chilli beans rather than mince) my boyfriend is confused and never feels full. In saying that I went meat free last Monday AND Friday and will be continuing for every Monday from now on
“The Nazi end of animal welfare” – Pardon???? Happymum, it is way more efficient for the world’s hungry to eat vegetable products instead of meat. In the US, crops for farm animals to eat use nearly half of the total water supply and 80% of its agricultural land. Farm animals consume 90% of the soy crop, 80% of the corn crop, and 70% of the grain. No wonder the hungry are hungry – the farm animals are eating all the food! This is the sorry truth – the meat industry has way more of an agenda than PETA ever will.
Well I LOVE my steak and preferably rare, something a good butcher could maybe revive. I will never give it up.
Hi Mambol,
Thanks for your well thought out response. You are correct in the fact that the Queensland Government report looked at just on farm practice in relation to the carbon cycle. As an industry we of course realise that our impact extends beyond the farm gate, which is why we are in the process of undertaking a series of Life Cycle Assessments (LCA). The first Australian LCA to be completed was undertaken by the University of New South Wales and was published last month in the Environmental Science &Technology Journal. This LCA looked at Southern Australian production systems and was from the paddock to the exit point of production. To date we do not have results for a complete paddock to plate LCA, however this is something that we along with many other industries are working on, as is ISO who are looking at establishing a universal system for measuring the life cycle of products – until this is done comparison between one LCA to the next is not exact. The key point from this LCA for the Australian red meat industry was that we have one of the most efficient systems of major beef producing countries in the world. The issue our industry has is that overseas and exaggerated figures are often used for local production, so hence we are undertaking a series of LCA’s which take into consideration a broader picture than the Queensland government report did.
Your suggestion that you could put a large factory in the middle of a paddock and that it would also sequester the carbon, is both improbabe and unlikely to hold up. A recent report by The United Nations, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) found that livestock grazing lands have the potential to help minimise net greenhouse gas emissions through specific practices, especially those that build soil and biomass carbon. By just having a factory in the middle of a paddock you are missing the part of the process that increases the ability of the soil to sequester carbon – the cows chewing down on the grass to enable it to continually regrow and therefore absorb more carbon than if the grass was just left to grow.
Unfortunately Mambol the science is still relatively new in this area and we are all working very hard to reduce our emissions and fully understand our emissions profile. As you can appreciate quantifying the emissions from our industry is substantially more complicated than a standard production system. You are correct in saying that we are investing significantly in R&D and I’m sorry if you got the opinion that we were claiming the industry was carbon neutral and so didn’t need to do anything to reduce our impact. What we are trying to show by reports such as the Queensland Government report is that we need to take the carbon cycle into consideration before criticising the industry – which let’s not forget produces food for human consumption, often from land that is unable to be used for producing any plant based crops.
Cheers,
Pip
PETA’s ‘own’ agenda is nothing to do with financial gain. Yours is.
PETA have their own agenda which is everyone stop eating animals, using any animal products – such as eggs, milk, wool, leather etc.
They will not rest until the whole world is doing what they dictate. They are the extremists who do not care for the environment as polyester and man-made fabrics are created by oil and petrochemicals. Hypocritical…
Hardly environmentally friendly!
They are out to cripple and cause destruction of human life by targeting and destroying farmers who want to produce food fore the world’s hungry. We are easy targets, as they have masses of money behind them to fight-to-the-death legal battles without any constructive or positive outcomes.
I am all for looking after animals properly and no undue suffering of animals. But they are the extreme Nazi end of Animal Welfare.
I am not seeing this from only my perspective as my husbands Aunt started Animal Liberation Australia. She has distanced herself from PETA quite a bit as she now realises that farmers do not want to cause un-neccessary suffering of their animals which are their livelihood.
Yes! That was my first thought too! Six days a week is a lot of meat! I’m not a vegetarian but my partner is so I hardly buy any meat at all. I’ll buy a kilo of high quality mince meat every fortnight or so to make spaghetti bolognese and the odd chicken breast. Not into steaks or sausages. My son won’t eat meat either but I buy chicken breast and ham for his lunches. The great thing about not having a big meat shopping list means I can afford to buy top quality when I do buy it…that means free range and usually organic.
Meat free Mondays! I reckon most people could do more than that, couldn’t they?
Paul McCartney’s OWN agenda? So you think he’s benefiting financially from getting the world to eat less meat? Or are you just assuming he gets some megalomanaical glee from feeling like he’s influencing the diets of the world?
He’s trying to help the planet.
Suddenly everyone’s a conspiracy theorist when it’s suggested they do something good for the earth.
Umm… nitrous oxide is NOT good for you when you inhale it either. Sorry to burst your bubble. I’m not saying I wouldn’t use it as pain relief either, but it’s not ‘healthy’ to inhale it. Straight nitrous oxide causes asphyxiation after more than a few seconds, so you’re breathing nitrous oxide plus oxygen in hospital. It affects coordination, causes nausea, sleepiness, disorientation and can cause unconsciousness.
http://www.marineconservation.org.au/WhatWeDo.asp?active_page_id=238
Above is the web address of the Australian Marine Conservation Society’s downloadable pocket sustainable seafood guide. Or better still, don’t eat any.
I think the stat is approx 1/3 of the world’s wild fish catch is for feeding farmed fish, so farmed fish are just as damaging to the environment, if not more so.
Campaign for marine sanctuaries and never eat bluefin tuna, never.
Tracy & Happymum: you both refer to PETA & environmentalists furthering their own agenda/cause. Exactly what is this supposed to mean? Their cause is protecting animals/the planet. There is no ‘hidden’ agenda. There is no personal benefit.
Unlike people like Happymum & our friend Pip from the Meat & Livestock Association (above) who come from a meat-producing background, PETA (and any environmental group you could name) do not own vegetable farms. They are charities.
Hear hear mabol
Yeah Linda I think more of them are using non-animal rennet now. Makes sense considering how many more people are vego.
Just be aware that curry pastes often have fish sauce in them. Check the labels.
SarahT2B – your comment about non-vego chefs making great vego food really strikes a chord with me. I always think about the vego meals from a meat eater’s perspective, and then change stuff accordingly. Or do it the same but with vego ingredients. My biggest hit was a vego Thai beef salad – exactly the same stuff as in the beef version, but I would deep fry cubes of tofu and then put them straight into the dressing I had cooked up – the tofu is like a sponge when its fried and still hot. It soaks it up just like meat does! It was popular with everyone.
LOL! When I was in the Navy, if something wasn’t obviously vego or listed on the menu in too much detail, the boys (always boys…) who didn’t believe it was a meal without meat would even give it a go!
That is one thing that Mum likes about being vego – heaps cheaper not buying meat!
With you 1000%, anon. “I can’t be bothered to think… and the government is bad.” Really???
Hi Elisha,
The choice you refer to is one that I have been quite comfortable in making. Killing an animal (quickly and humanely) to eat has never been a moral issue for me. Perhaps this is partly because I live in the country, where the food chain is very in your face. In fact while I wrote my previous response I watched two kookaburras fighting over a dead bush mouse. I’m very found of mice, I kept them as pets as a kid, but I didn’t mourn the death of this one because the kookaburras need to eat too. I don’t see them as being ‘cruel’ to the mouse and I’ve never seen my own consumption of meat as cruel either. Just a fact of life.
But I take your point that we humans don’t ‘have’ to eat meat for either survival or health. And as I said to another guest I have been known to use the “as humans we should have evolved beyond that behaviour” argument in other circumstances. So with that in mind I am going to track down the book ‘The Ethics of What We Eat’, and try and keep an open mind.
Also, Amanda, WTF?
Hi Elisha,
The choice you refer to is one that I have been quite comfortable in making. Killing an animal to eat (quickly and humanely) has never been a moral issue for me. Perhaps this is partly because I live in the country, where the food chain is very in your face. In fact while I wrote my previous response I watched two kookaburras fighting over a dead bush mouse. I’m very found of mice, I kept them as pets as a kid, but I didn’t mourn the death of this one because the kookaburras need to eat too. I don’t see them as being ‘cruel’ to the mouse and I’ve never seen my own consumption of meat as cruel either. Just a fact of life.
But I take your point that we humans don’t ‘have’ to eat meat for either survival or health. And as I said to another guest I have been known to use the “as humans we should have evolved beyond that behaviour” argument in other circumstances. So with that in mind I am going to track down the book ‘The Ethics of What We Eat’, and try and keep an open mind.
Also, Amanda, WTF??
I don’t think I know ANYONE who eats meat every day of the week.
Maybe I live in a bubble. Giving up meat one day a week but still eating it six times still seems like a lot of meat to me.
Sorry, not sure how that ended up posting 3 times.
again, gutless anon.
If you are going to post criticism at least have the courage to put your real name to it instead of being a gutless anon.
Mizanthrop, I think what another guest is saying is that as humans, we do not have to eat meat to survive (nor to be healthy). Animals do.
And it is a fact that people who eat meat consciously choose to do so.
Loved it, LPC…thanks for sharing xo
Hi Pip,
The link was to the MLA (and their interpretation of the report, not the report for which neither you nor Sue provided links for). I have a bit of time on my hands at the moment so I chased it down and read it.
I’ve provided the link here
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/documents/AnimalIndustries_Beef/Net-carbon-beef-industry.pdf
I am just completely baffled by the setup of this study (I’m not a meteorologist but my university training is in the physical/mathematical sciences.) It says it’s an estimation of the net carbon position of the beef industry in Qld, but to me it looks more to be an estimation of whether soley the issue of cattle methane emissions (only whilst in the paddock) can be offset by vegetative biosequestration, so the title to me seems misleading.
What about the problem that this ’sink’ for carbon might have a limited capacity to continue to absorb carbon?
From the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research.
http://genomicscience.energy.gov/carboncycle/CarbonCycle012609LRnocover.pdf
“but some fraction of organic carbon
also remains in stabilized forms such as biomass, soil, and deep ocean sediments.
This process, known as carbon biosequestration, temporarily removes carbon from
active cycling and has thus far absorbed a substantial fraction of anthropogenic
carbon emissions.
Results from first-generation climate–carbon cycle models suggest that the capac-
ity of the terrestrial and ocean biosphere to absorb anthropogenic CO2 is likely
to peak by mid-century”
This ’sink’ for carbon might be one of the reasons that carbon emissions have not caused as severe effects as might be expected. If a saturation does occur, then we are in a bit of trouble.
The report does not deny (and actually verifies) that meat production is a massive source of greeenhouse emissions. It looks at the land used for beef farming and attempts to determine whether or not this is offset by biosequestration on the same land. But this biosequestration is needed as a stable carbon sink for ALL carbon emission not just those that are produced in animal agriculture. And this report uses biosequestration from 78% of the land in Qld!! To anyone who is reading this and not following the report is saying if you put a massive coal plant in a large enough paddock the carbon produced will be offset by that which is converted into natural biomass.
The report actually subtracts carbon from the biomass of the cows when they are sent to the slaughterhouse or exported off the land!! (So because the carbon is not released directly onto the land.is it not part of the carbon produced by the Beef industry?) It also ignores carbon generated by by transport of livestock and also the meat processing works. So really the report could have been titled “Cow Farts vs Vegetative Biosequestration.”
Pip I could put any carbon intensive industry in a large enough paddock and then use the natural carbon conversion processes around it to call it carbon neutral. If there hadn’t been such largescale clearing in Qld for beef farming in the first place then there would be a lot more vegetation around to convert carbon from all human activities, not just cow farts. I can only wonder why someone who is from the MLA is on a public forum trying to push their propaganda about their spin on a study which was nearly suppressed by the Qld Government. A Government that is getting together with the MLA to spend $28 million dollars trying to reduce the impact of beef farming on the environment. A lot of money to spend on a carbon neutral activity wouldn’t you say Pip?
Hi Pip,
The link was to the MLA (and their interpretation of the report, not the report for which neither you nor Sue provided links for). I have a bit of time on my hands at the moment so I chased it down and read it.
I’ve provided the link here
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/documents/AnimalIndustries_Beef/Net-carbon-beef-industry.pdf
I am just completely baffled by the setup of this study (I’m not a meteorologist but my university training is in the physical/mathematical sciences.) It says it’s an estimation of the net carbon position of the beef industry in Qld, but to me it looks more to be an estimation of whether the methane production of cattle can be offset by vegetative biosequestration, so the title to me seems misleading.
What about the problem that this ’sink’ for carbon has a limited capacity to continue to absorb carbon?
From the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research.
http://genomicscience.energy.gov/carboncycle/CarbonCycle012609LRnocover.pdf
“but some fraction of organic carbon
also remains in stabilized forms such as biomass, soil, and deep ocean sediments.
This process, known as carbon biosequestration, temporarily removes carbon from
active cycling and has thus far absorbed a substantial fraction of anthropogenic
carbon emissions.
Results from first-generation climate–carbon cycle models suggest that the capac-
ity of the terrestrial and ocean biosphere to absorb anthropogenic CO2 is likely
to peak by mid-century”
This ’sink’ for carbon might be one of the reasons that carbon emissions have not caused as severe effects as might be expected. If a saturation does occur, then we are in a bit of trouble.
The report does not deny (and actually verifies) that meat production is a massive source of greeenhouse emissions. It looks at the land used for beef farming and attempts to determine whether or not this is offset by biosequestration on the same land. But this biosequestration is needed as a stable carbon sink for ALL carbon emission not just those that are produced in animal agriculture. And this report uses biosequestration from 78% of the land in Qld!! To anyone who is reading this and not following the report is saying if you put a massive coal plant in a large enough paddock the carbon produced will be offset by that which is converted into natural biomass.
The report actually subtracts carbon from the biomass of the cows when they are sent to the slaughterhouse or exported off the land!! (So because the carbon is not released directly onto the land.is it not part of the carbon produced by the Beef industry?) It also ignores carbon generated by by transport of livestock and also the meat processing works. So really the report could have been titled “Cow Farts vs Vegetative Biosequestration.”
Sue I could put any carbon intensive industry in a large enough paddock and then use the natural carbon conversion processes around it to call it carbon neutral. If there hadn’t been such largescale clearing in Qld for beef farming in the first place then there would be a lot more vegetation around to convert carbon from all human activities, not just cow farts. I can only wonder why someone who is from the MLA is on a public forum trying to push their propaganda about their spin on a study which was nearly suppressed by the Qld Government. A Government that is getting together with the MLA to spend $28 million dollars trying to reduce the impact of beef farming on the environment. A lot of money to spend on a carbon neutral activity wouldn’t you say Sue?
another guest,
My decision to eat meat is not purely a reaction to instinct though. I try to make ethical choices. I don’t buy supermarket meat, but shop for locally grown and slaughtered (admittedly easier for me as I live in the country). I rarely buy pork products as they are difficult to source locally and I won’t support the practices (of the majority) of the Australian pork industry. I choose free range eggs and poultry.
I acknowledge that an animal dying for my dinner can be described as ‘cruel’, but much of life and nature is cruel and brutal. I think maybe I can live with that…
But you say:
“We don’t just rely on plain instinct but have a sense of consciousness to make better choices. ”
which is an argument I use myself in many different circumstances, but I have never applied to my choice to eat meat. Maybe I should? I like to think that I challenge my own prejudices when I discover I have them, so I will do some reading and give your point further thought.
I suppose your pro-life too?
Meat free everynight!
Not at all Christie, I have no problem with an animal being slaughtered for my consumption, I do however have a problem with waste and with animals being treated cruely and I do not think a quick death is. I only buy my meat from a farmer at our local farmers markets whom I have a friendly rapport with and know how he looks after his animals and we kill our own chooks and use their eggs. I believe we are the top of the food chain, and as a meat eater that means other animals die for me to eat.
another guest,
My decision to eat meat is not purely a reaction to instinct though. I try to make ethical choices. I don’t buy supermarket meat, but shop for locally grown and slaughtered (admittedly easier for me as I live in the country). I rarely buy pork products as they are difficult to source locally and I won’t support the practices of the (majority) of the Australian pork industry. I choose free range eggs and poultry. I acknowledge that an animal dying for my dinner can be described as ‘cruel’ but much of life and nature is cruel and brutal. I think maybe I can live with that…
But you say:
“We don’t just rely on plain instinct but have a sense of consciousness to make better choices. ”
which is an argument I use myself in many different circumstances, but I have never applied to my choice to eat meat. Maybe I should? I like to think that I challenge my own prejudices when I discover I have them, so I will do some reading and give your point further thought.
another guest,
My decision to eat meat is not purely instinctive though. I try to make ethical choices. I don’t buy supermarket meat, but shop for locally grown and slaughtered (admittedly easier for me as I live in the country). I rarely buy pork products as they are difficult to source locally and I won’t support the practices of the (majority) of the Australian pork industry. I choose free range eggs and poultry. I acknowledge that an animal dying for my dinner can be described as ‘cruel’ but much of life and nature is cruel and brutal. I think maybe I can live with that…
But you say:
“We don’t just rely on plain instinct but have a sense of consciousness to make better choices. ”
which is an argument I use myself in many different circumstances, but I have never applied to my choice to eat meat. Maybe I should? I like to think that I challenge my own prejudices when I discover I have them, so I will do some reading and give your point further thought.
another guest,
My decision to eat meat is not purely instinctive though. I try to make ethical choices. I don’t buy supermarket meat, but shop for locally grown and slaughtered (admittedly easier for me as I live in the country). I rarely buy pork products as they are difficult to source locally and I won’t support the practices of the (majority) of the Australian pork industry. I choose free range eggs and poultry. I acknowledge that an animal dying for my dinner can be described as ‘cruel’ but much of life and nature is cruel and brutal. I think maybe I can live with that…
But you say:
“We don’t just rely on plain instinct but have a sense of consciousness to make better choices. ”
which is an argument I use myself in many different circumstances, but I have never applied to my food choices. Maybe I should? I like to think that I challenge my own prejudices when I discover I have them, so I will do some reading and give your point further thought.
My decision to eat meat is not purely instinctive though. I try to make ethical choices. I don’t buy supermarket meat, but shop for locally grown and slaughtered (admittedly easier for me as I live in the country). I rarely buy pork products as they are difficult to source locally and I won’t support the practices of the (majority) of the Australian pork industry. I choose free range eggs and poultry. I acknowledge that an animal dying for my dinner can be described as ‘cruel’ but much of life and nature is cruel and brutal. I think maybe I can live with that…
But you say:
“We don’t just rely on plain instinct but have a sense of consciousness to make better choices. ”
which is an argument I use myself in many different circumstances, but I have never applied to my food choices. Maybe I should? I like to think that I challenge my own prejudices when I discover I have them, so I will do some reading and give your point further thought.
Do they make you uncomfortable Meg?
I agree with the questioning of Vegetarians… i hate the question ‘Why are you a vegetarian?’ usually asked with a certain tone.. i usually throw back to those people ‘Why do you eat meat?’. I find it usually opens up a conversation about both diets and it also helps to change some of the perceptions people have about us vegetarians!
These are the comments that make people detest vegetarians….blah blah blah
kell i can tell you the zucchini pancakes are easy – just make a pancake batter like normal but add grated zucchini to the, salt and pepper, plus any herbs you like – i’d do thyme and basil personally.
or you could just grate zucchini, add herbs and anything else (cheese of some sort say or a bit of carrot) add a tablespoon of flour, an egge and mix it up and put on a griddle or bbq. i cant’ give you amounts but use your eyes and you’ll work it out. i never really measure stuff out for things like that. i like to have mine with more salad and tzaziki. you could also add some brown lentils to it for extra protein.
if killing other humans in the same way would be cruelty and murder, then why is it not the same for humans doing that to animals?
Other animals eating other animals is different. We are humans, embued with many more choices for food to not eat other living creatures because we know its cruel. We don’t just rely on plain instinct but have a sense of conciousness to make better choices. So your argument doesn’t hold water.
Of course there is impact with anything you do, not just producing meat. When you drive a car – it has an environmental impact. Do people not drive a car or fly in a plane ever?
So should we give up producing meat because there is an environmental impact? Should we all become vegetarians and wipe out all cattle because of the methane they create?
I agree that farmers need technology to produce sustainable envionmentally friendly meat. And whilst governments keep cutting funding to research – it will be a slow process reducing the carbon footprint of animals.
In regards to land clearing, you cannot chop a tree down on a property without incurring large fines. And farmers are planting more trees than clearing them. Why would we ruin our own environment for our stock to get half the return from our land? It would be akin to lighting a fire in your own shop and having half a shop to make money from.
It doesn’t make sense.
I have been a vegetarian since I was about 8 or 9. It’s not an ethics thing, I just do not enjoy the taste of meat. As I grew older I learnt that I had actually made a positive decision for the environment.
It would be great idea for people to make a conscious effort to have a meat-free meal once a week. Not only to help the environment (which is awesome) but to alert themselves to the fact that you do not NEED meat on your plate every night. There are heaps of alternatives out there and I would love if people stopped questioning vegetarians and accept the fact that they are probably more healthy than most meat-eaters and maybe they should try it for a week.
LPC you have the best recipes, you are officially now Queen of Recipes.
Anon, have you heard of Temple Grandin? She is best known for designing a more humane method of herding cattle to the slaughterhouse. There is a bio-pic out which stars Claire Danes as the title character. It chronicles her life of as a woman who not only overcame a host of physical, mental and social obstacles but actually used her autism to create a career for herself in animal husbandry.
Eek.
Amanda – alleatenup.com
An article I wrote on handwritten recipes is up today …
Thanks Holly, i have been eating plenty of vegies but not many legumes, i will start adding them in. I’ll get some B12 as well, ill take anything at the moment if it makes me feel better.
Thank you.
Ali, i have great doctor who has me on a high dosage of zinc and bio identical progesterone because i am estrogen dominant, im due for a blood test in about 3 weeks to see how everything is looking, if everything’s out of whack i will make an appointment with the nutritionist. I’m always up for natural remedies over chemical ones. Fingers crossed everythings normal and this is just a short phase
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/iron.html
I would get iron and b12 levels checked if you are vegetarian and not feeling great. Some good sources of iron aer chickpeas, baked beans, spinach, black treacle, and fortified cereals.
Hear, Hear Tracey.
This message about meat production being inherantly damaging for the planet is such a load of rubbish. The general public should be made aware that it originates from various lobby groups on the far left of the argument, many of them supported mainly by animal liberationists. The scientific evidence for this argument is very selective in how it proves it’s case because it is using intensive farming practices such as feedlots as the benchmark for meat production.
In reality in Australia there is a greater proportion of beef grown on a grass fed farm model which negates a great proportion of the carbon gas due to there being vastly less carbon rich inputs. Also, as you say Tracey, there is no account made for any of the proactive work that most farmers do at there own expense to improve their land.
The best thing Australians can do to help reduce carbon pollution in relation to the food they eat is to support local producers. Buy your food from the local butcher, baker, greengrocer etc, dont buy meat from supermarkets. Avoid highly produced food, and ask more questions!!!
Here here Tracy.
Just read the label in the supermarket. The brands I buy are listed on the label as ‘non-animal rennet’
Please don’t make sweeping generalisations about farmers and the impacts of their land use and treatment of animals. My husband, son and I have a medium size farm and we run a commercial beef herd. Our farm is on a river that is an important part of our local eco system. In the time we have been here we have invested a lot of money regenerating the land and worked hand in hand with government agencies to restore native vegetation and improve the health of the river. Our land wasn’t degraded by poor farming practices, it was degraded because it had not been farmed and was let go by the previous owners. My husband’s sister is a very highly qualified vet and we love animals. Every animal on our property is treated humanely and most importantly with dignity and respect. Not all farm animals are eventually destined for the dinner table – we have breeding cows that live their entire lives on our farm and are very well cared for every day. There are great farmers markets all over Australia, please go and talk to progressive producers before you label all farmers (including my family) cruel, violent and destroyers of our natural environment.
Part 3
Spinach gnocchi in a sage and burnt butter sauce
Mushroom risotto cakes with rocket pear and parmesan salad
Paneer saag
Cauliflower fritters with romanesc (capsicum and almond) sauce
Red capsicum and peanut soup
Soba noodles with miso, sesame, red capsicum and mushroom stirfry
Stuffed baked capsicum
Corn cakes/fritters
Aloo cholay (potato and chickpea curry)
crumbed and panfried flat mushrooms with cumberland (redcurrant) sauce
Hokkein noodle and veg and tofu stir-fry with hoisin sauce
Lentil, tofu and mushroom san choy bow
Vegie spring rolls with plum sauce
roasted pumpkin, fetta and puy lentil soup
bubble and squeak, made into patties and served as a vegie burger
Linguine with lemon and parsley sauce
spaghetti puttanesca
Okay, between that and all the other recipe suggestions here, you should all now have enough for a different meat-free meal every week for a year …
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/good-living/kangatarians-jump-the-divide/2010/02/08/1265477561439.html
Here is an interesting link from SMH today that relates to this topic. Maybe Kangatarianism is the way to go for those of us who cant give up meat!
You can actually get rennet that is not made from the animal enzyme, you have to order it over the internet, so I guess you can get cheese that is fully vego, you’d probably have to go to a health food shop to get it. I know this because I make my own goat cheese using rennet.
Ditto on all of the above Meg.
And what about all the animals who eat other animals? You know from the birds that eat bugs and lizards right up to the top of the food chain where those nasty mummy lions feed their cubs on sweet little Bambi like creatures?
I respect your right to not want to eat meat. And I completely agree that any farmed animal has a right to a stress free life, and death. But your argument that eating meat is cruelty doesn’t hold water for me.
Let the flaming begin.
I was sorely tempted to sign up in Espanol just for shits n giggles. But then I realised its probably going to be shits and giggles anyway!
I would love the recipes for the “sausage” rolls and zucchini pancakes if you dont mind sharing them!
I have a somewhat odd outlook on eating meat. I reckon you should be able to handle where it comes from (ie the cute little lamb/skippy/whatever). However I also think that if you are going to eat meat cooked, you should be able to handle it raw. As in eat it RAW. I decided this when we were eating steaks one night for dinner, and there was one of those Around the World shows on, and it showed a lion chasing down and killing gazelles or something. Rest of family: “Oh, that’s sad, poor gazelle” Me: “So, enjoying your steak, are you?”.
Acknowledge WHAT you’re eating. Acknowledge where it comes from. Catch a fish, let it die (or kill it) and gut it. THEN eat it.
As a chef, I know that the best way to eat meat is at least rare, if not blue (pretty much chuck it on, flip it, serve it). Chefs get reeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaallllllyyyyyyy annoyed with having an order for anything over about medium rare. We call medium and up boot leather, just to varying degrees.
As a chef though, I must admit, I (and my friend that I work with) couldn’t tell you the last time I sat down and had a nice steak. We tend to forget to eat! The only time I have an actual appetite is when its period time. Then I get hungry. Otherwise, we just pick at stuff – leftover chips, salad bits.
My Mum is (generally) Vego – she cooks her sketty for my nieces and nephews (and brother and sister), and will very infrequently have bacon or pork meatballs or something. Has been off lamb ever since I know (I’m not a fan either, but just don’t like it, no ethical drama). Never known her to really want a steak. Consequently, when I was living with her before I joined the navy, and I got home before her, I would always have dinner ready. It is SO EASY to make stuff that is vego and that you can add meat to! Its how I ended up being the champion of Navy vegos when I was cooking there – so many meat substitutes etc. Really not hard. And definitely happy to share recipes – I am kris2040 on twitter if you want!
We had vego shepherd’s pie (???) on the menu in the navy kitchen. I just grated up zucchini, pumpkin, carrot, onion, and put tofu through the food processor. Then I put in diced (really small) eggplant, and cooked it down the same as you would with meat for the same thing with crushed tomatoes and veggie stock powder. Top it with mashed potatoes and cheese (if you like). Done.
That is HILARIOUS!!!
These books sound v interesting. Thanks for the tips!
Loving your work atm, Lisa!!!
Kell – I tried vego about 20 years ago, and being a virgo, I researched it to the nth degree. Very few people realise that most cheese isn’t vegetarian! I had a friend who was vego, and my Mum, as well, actually – neither of them knew that cheese is produced with Rennet, which is from (I think) sheep’s stomachs – its an enzyme that activates the process of milk becoming cheese.
Yes, good advice, Ali. My Mum has been pretty much vego for quite a while now, occasionally eats bacon or chicken or something. Very infrequently though. She went to a naturopath and got this whole book (like I mean bound about 150 pages) of recipes! Some are a bit full on, even for her, but some of them are fabulous! And its all tailored to what she needs.
We want to do Monday Rib night at my pub!
Yes. The pub I cook at, I have a local who EVERY DAY has his meal – the girls at the bar just put his name on the docket when it comes through. TBone, Chips and Salad. Every day.
Linda, you’re so right. Its what you put ON the Carbs that is usually the bad gear, not the carbs themselves. WE NEED CARBS!
Same. I’m not vego, but I was the go to girl in the navy kitchen for vego meals, because mine always sold out! Happy to contribute.
you are not a vegetarian if you eat fish. don’t try telling people you are. you make it hard for those of us who are real veggos and don’t eat meat of any kind. fish is meat. you are a pescetarian
Not to mention its cruel to kill living creatures
Bullshit. This is all merely spin from the MLA. If we did not have a demand for slaughtering defenceless animals we’d not have the methane production that has occured, not to mention the waste of water in the production of meat – we end up wasting water to grow the fillers and fatteners they feed to livestock (who should be only given grass as they are herbivores) and then in the slaughtering process. You are not the leaders in envornmental and sustanabiliy. your numbers are spurious. Not to mention your whole industry is based on the slaughter of living creatures. http://www.earthlings.com http://www.foodincmovie.com
Do you want your kid to grow up in an environment where its not always hot, they can go to the snow and there is no drought of water? Then its bloody well time you start paying attention and looking at your actions.
corn fritters
zucchini pancakes
dahl with brown rice (or basmati)
eggplant parmiagiana
murshroom and spinach lasagne with ricotta
cous cous with herbs and vegetables of your choosing
chickpea with napoli sauce on pasta
frittata (choose your vegetables)
greens and tofu (stir froed, or steamed – make the tofu have taste by marinating it in various saices or miso paste)
i’d also go to the doctor and get your b12, iron and vitamin d levels checked. and check them annually. i am veggie but with low iron and b12 (well b12 is back up as i got an injection). just make sure you balance everything and as someone said go to a veggie nutrionist.
Thats why I ask the question because to me “meat” is any kind of meat that came from an animal, whether it be land or sea, and if I was doing Meat-Free- Monday I would assume that fish is off the list aswell.
As a vegetarian i am annoyed by people thinking fish isn’t a meat of some sort. FISH IS MEAT. it had a heart, it had eyes, it was alive…anyone calling themselves a vegetarian but eats fish is NOT a vegetarian. they’d be a pescetarian
As a vegetarian i am annoyed by people thinking fish isn’t a meat of some sort. FISH IS MEAT. it had a heart, it had eyes, it was alive…anyone calling themselves a vegetarian but eating meat is NOT a vegetarian.
There is no such thing as humanely slaughtered. Breeding, raising and then killing an animal for selfish reasons such as humans eating is inhumane. How would you like it if someone did that to your child? Why is this sort of thinking okay?
As for meat free monday – every day of the week is meat free for me. I gave up meat on my 30th birthday and haven’t looked back since. I may have the odd craving for texture or taste but i overcome that as I know i’m creating a smaller carbon footprint and not needlessly contributing to murder of defenceless animals.
Whilst meat free mondays is a good start its still not much – because it just drives up demand on other days ergo makes farmers and corporations continue to do such digusting treatment to animals.
If its not okay for this to happen to humans then its not okay for animals. all lives are sacred
I’m the same – if I cut large mushrooms into big chunks my hubby is easily deceived into thinking it is chicken lol.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO… I love my meat! Any kind of meat. We eat very well in our house, and I have heard all this about red meat before. We don;t eat red meat everynight because I have to leave room for chicken, pork, goat, fish, shellfish, lamb etc..
I have tried to balance things out by growing our own veggies and only buying meat where we are only one degree removed from the farmer, two at the most. And they are humanly farmed and slaughtered (if that can actually be so) Well. I am justifying it that way for now….
I would be happy to give it a go, we probably do it already without realising it, but I am confused as to what is actually considered “meat”?
I know this might sound stupid because essentially this is seafood, but can you still eat fish/tuna? Because if you were a vegetarian would you eat seafood?
Could someone please clarify for me what I need to refrain from eating on these days? Sorry, like I said, I know it sounds like a stupid question!
I’m already vegetarian and have been since I was 12 years old – over half my life. I have never looked back, if I wanted to eat meat again I would, but I just have not had any desire to. So for me, its been really easy.
Good luck to all those keen to give vege Mondays a go, I think it is a great idea =)
I forgot to mention I also want to know when I buy food eg Butchers, Greengrocers, Fish Mongers (yes I don’t buy these at Supermarkets unless I absolutely have to) because they are closed, to know the produce I buy is local, rather than buying lamb that’s been exported from New Zealand. I’m pretty conscious of buying local eggs at the farmshop and fresh vegetables too. Farmers Market’s are the best and you are buying directly from the Farmer and asking them about the produce is a good way of learning how long vegetables take to farm. Even if you have a small unused bit of land you can grow your own herbs or if space isn’t an option grow them in pots. Always fresh herbs that you don’t have to buy dried from supermarkets.
I received GOOP newsletter’s every Thursday and find most of the newsletter’s interesting. I don’t like to be preached to but I’m all for listening and reading other people’s point of views, not necessarily agreeing in part or entirely but if we were all the same and shared the shame opinions it’d be a dull world. I’m going to give Meat Free Monday’s a go. Starting tonight. I’m trying to work out in my head what I have that isn’t meat and all I can think of is I could make a tomato sauce using fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs over pasta. The more I hear Meat Free Monday’s I think its doable. I give up meat for Lent so why not also once a week and help save the planet! I also recycle and reuse things as well as try and offset carbon emissions when I fly etc and last year we switched to a new electricity and gas supplier who are Carbon friendly and plant trees rather than give you bonus points eg flybuys.
Kids with soy allergy often (but not always) cross-react to other pulses, which would rule out red kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.
I would definitely give this ago and I was just planning what to cook for dinner tonight. Its 10 hours away but I may as well decide to cook something Vegetarian. Looking forward to seeing if Hubby notices there’s no meat tonight! haha
I do my bit for the planet (recycle, turn lights off, minimise water use etc.) however I find myself faced with many contradictions eg. drive hybrid car which relies heavily on electricity that comes from (mostly) non-renewable sources. Recycle to reduce land fill and the drain on resources, but it also requires a lot of electricity to recycle. I think this is another one of those conundrums; eat less meat and reduce impact of animals on planet, but on the flip side increase cropping which involves land clearing, water use, pesticides etc.
We grow our own meat and kill it, plus a giant vegie patch on our few acres, all without chemicals. So does the reduction in transport emissions and packaging off set our meat consumption? I would like to think so. Plus most weeks we would have a meat free day, but it is not a planned decision.
Does eating toasties on Monday nights count? :p
Without question, could give it up one day a week. In fact, we try to have a few nights a week without meat.
I gave up veal a few years or so ago now. I was concerned over what I’d heard about the treatment to calves. But then, I eat lamb. I love it. Please don’t tell me anything bad about it, because I haven’t heard anything like the baby calves and I just don’t want to give it up!
But yes – could def go without meat at least once a week!
One day a week definitely, as I would do that anyway out of choice. I’m not a big meat eater but would probably miss it if I knew I wasn’t allowed to have it. Whenever my husband is away with work I pretty much eat fish/seafood only and always wind up with anaemia so would probably not be a great idea if I gave it up completely.
Michael Pollan’s advice is: Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.
http://is.gd/7Vvzh – at 10,000 words a little longer than Gwyneth’s email but well worth the read. Some get through it, some don’t (after all, it’s not Gwyneth’s deep insight, is it?)
His book The Omnivore’s Dilemma is awesome (and was chosen by the editors of The New York Times Book Review as one of the 10 best books of 2006).
hear you Caroline, i’d be lucky to eat meat once a week, so many other tasty things to eat…i never could see the big attraction to meat..but to each their own
i can’t believe so many people here didn’t know this, including Mia! this has been in the papers and on the news for YEARS. heaps of my friends are ‘enviro-tarians’ they only eat meat that is sustainable, ie. like kangaroo and seafood that is not overfished like squid and some types of fish.
Beans- red kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc. Basically a vegan diet without soy, which isn’t impossible to do, although depending on your daughter’s age you might want to go to a vegetarian sympathetic nutritionist. Good luck, its worth it!
I can assume that people are eating meat every night? Wow, its really expensive (the good stuff, free range/organic etc) so kudos to you for affording it. We eat meat 2-3 times a week and that is on a very “good” week, otherwise maybe once every 10 days. Pasta, lentils, beans, its pretty simple and easy and tasty, just think other countries, India, South American flavors or Asia. Enjoy x
yes, I love a carb too, but there are times when I rely really heavily on them and feel yuck. Laziness really.
I’m pretty much a part-time vegetarian. Meat isn’t usually my first choice, I’ll eat it if I’m out and I’ll eat it if my husband BBQ’s it for me.
I could probably do Meat Free Monday quite easily, the problem is convincing my Croatian husband to follow suit!
Completely off topic-
I too had an operation where I lost lots of blood also and would’ve had a transfusion but hadn’t quite lost enough to require it. If I’d donated blood before my surgery they would’ve done an autologous transfusion (given me my own blood back) since I reached the level for autologous donation but I hadn’t donated any (my surgeon said before the surgery “oh you won’t need to do that, we haven’t had to give anyone their blood back in years!”). Didn’t lose enough to get someone elses blood transfused.
My medical advice at the time was also “eat lots of meat” (bit bloody hard after you’ve had double jaw surgery, but I did my best)… Four months later I had a SEVERE vitamin B12 and iron deficiency (anaemia), extremely low haemoglobin levels, and a whole bunch of other blood problems as a result of the blood loss during surgery!! It took about 6-8 months of iron tablets, B12 injections, folate tablets, and multi-vitamins to get my blood sorted again.
Just wanted to advise you to see your GP and see if you can get your blood checked -see where your levels are at and if you need to take some supplements! Blood issues seriously knock you flat!!
I’m the only vegetarian in my family, and have been so for about.. 4? 5? years now. I intend to raise my children vegetarian. I just love my animals. Can’t stand the thought of them being slaughtered for my own selfish needs.
This article is totally food for thought. (PUN intended!)
Or (following on from Merryl’s suggestions)… a broccoli spaghetti with chilli flakes, extra-virgin olive oil and flaked parmesan.
It might not have every required vitamin but damn, it’s yummy.
Or a broccoli spaghetti with chilli flakes, extra-virgin olive oil and flaked parmesan.
It might not have every required vitamin but damn, it’s yummy.
I have found it a difficult transition from meat to vegetarianism. (Born in the country, raised by 3rd generation farmers who slaughtered their own for food – its in my dna). I would love to cook vegetarian meals all the time however I respect that my husband refuses to go meat free & that my kids also love it off and on. As a yoga practitioner I make vegetarian choices as often as possible for spiritual reasons (non-violence), and health (meat is difficult to digest, it blocks up the digestive system & this in turn affects the level of flexibility one can experience). We have vegetarian at least 4 nights a week, but it is hardgoing not to eat meat when you are starving, exhausted from raising 3 kids & just busy all the time. Its just going to take great discipline & organisation for me to strictly eat vego, and I look forward to being wholly vegetarian in my lifetime when the time is right. By the way after 3 pregnancies where I was anaemic in all three for the entire pregnancies, taking two different types of iron supplements, and eating meat, I had no improvement in iron levels. Its great hearing about everyone’s vegie experiences, and their kids making a stand, its inspiring. Im having veggies tonight!!
Hi, I’m from Meat and Livestock Australia and work in the area of environment, so have some first hand knowledge about the industry and its environmental impact. Paul McCartney’s Meat Free Monday has been getting quite a bit of attention lately and whilst the red meat industry has never promoted eating meat 7 days a week (not much variety in that!) we are very concerned about the incorrect figures he has been using to promote his cause – let’s not forget Paul McCartney is a vegetarian firstly and like many vegetarian/ animal rights groups might just be latching on to a sexier issue to push their cause…
As Sue mentioned, the UN FAO report that Paul McCartney bases his ‘facts’ on unfairly lumps all countries together and averages the results, which the authors themselves have admitted is a problem. What is important for Australia is that we are one of the most efficient beef producers in the world, meaning we use the least amount of energy and water to produce beef – see a recent University of New South Wales Life Cycle Assessment study http://www.mla.com.au/TopicHierarchy/News/MediaReleases/Australianredmeatuseslesscarbon.htm
Just looking at pure emissions is flawed as it neglects the total carbon cycle – the amount of carbon released and then captured. The report Mambol mistakenly said was from MLA, was issued by the Queensland Government and looked at the total industry in that state (47% of Australian cattle population) and concluded that taking into account the ability of trees and grass to absorb carbon meant Queensland cattle farms were close to carbon neutral and have the potential to be a carbon sink.
Australian red meat producers are leaders in land, water and resource management and sustainability is the heart of everything they do. So whilst the industry isn’t saying eat meat every day of every week, we just don’t want people like Paul McCartney suggesting that reducing red meat consumption is the answer to global warming – simply put it’s a ludicrous idea.
Didn’t the Catholics do this already with meat-free Fridays. Admittedly doesn’t have the same ring to it though.
You’re a braver woman than me, Tara! I wasn’t game to try natto or umeboshi when I was in Japan. Iron Chef had a Natto Battle a couple of weeks ago and let’s just say it didn’t help it look appetising…!
I went vegetarian once and also vegan. It’s not just about not eating meat. You have to ensure that you eat heaps of vegies etc too. I have a friend who calls herself vegetarian, but her diet consists of hot chips and sauce, vegetarian pizza, vegemite sandwiches, potato chips, fruit. If you cut the meat, replace it with more vegies, more salads, more fruits etc. Food from the land. The things I noticed were weightloss, clear skin, and I hate to say it, but I’ll be honest since it’s a part of life – my “gas” was odourless.
Yes it’s better for the colon & for environment, that part was always obvious to me, I thought it was common sense. And there’s no point pretending that abattoirs are loving and friendly environments………p.s .Gwyneth needs to lay off the straightening irons! Her hair in the photo above looks fried!
LPC, would you be happy to let us know where we can find the ezine you write for? I’m a fellow foodie and always love reading your posts…
I hate that PETA have taken my name and made it something so divisive…
Linda, that’s so interesting. I’m currently vegan and the only time I was ever anaemic was when I was meat eating!
Guest & YoungVintage, I also went to a dietician and it was the best decision ever
I was like that. My parents had to lie to me about where meat came from to get me to eat it when I was a tiny toddler–apparently I cried hysterically the first time I drew the link between cute little baby sheep and the ‘lamb’ my mum served for dinner.
I would love to go vegetarian but my little girl is allergic to milk, eggs and soy. Any ideas?
I know, I one hundred percent agree, too, SarahT2B! I’m vegetarian but I never touch the disgusting pre-made, fake meat products in the supermarket. Fresh food with lots of herbs and spices is way better and more interesting! I also never can understand it when people argue that I’m a ‘picky eater’ because I won’t eat meat. As long as it’s not a dead animal, I’ll try absolutely anything or any type of cuisine, can’t think of a vegetable I don’t love, and like to eat things most people who eat a meat heavy diet wouldn’t touch, like Japanese natto, umeboshi, etc. And yet people I know who won’t eat meals without meat or anything other than heavily processed junk tell me I’m picky…
Ditto Young Vintage. His lisp is tres sexy.
I agree–I became a vegetarian when I was 12 after much protest from my mother, and I’m fine! I have higher iron levels than most of my family (including my mum), and that’s even without any supplementation. You just have to make sure she doesn’t fill up on carbs without the meat and eats things like beans, tofu (although I don’t have it often), leafy greens, wholegrains, etc!
Have you read Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma? Fantastic book. Really well written and so balanced. I appreciated the fact that he didn’t seem to be pushing an agenda, just out to research what was what in the way our meals get from the paddock to our tables.
Ah the usage of the words “animal flesh” turned my stomache…. lol
Thanks! I’m going to google some chick pea and kidney bean recipes. Love the idea of the shepherds pie and the whole family likes Mexican so I’m sure I can come up with something
I invented – completely by accident – this frittata the other day. I had leftover potato bake (sliced potatoes with cream and a bit of cheese) and needed a vego meal. So I caramelised an onion with balsamic, added the cold potato bake, stirred until it was nicely bubbly, added 4 beaten eggs and cooked until done. It was divine, if I say so myself! I think there is nothing you can’t do with an egg or two…:)
I haven’t been able to read everyone’s posts so I’m sorry if this has been debated already…but if you take the above argument to its logical conclusion then we should also be aiming for dairy free days as well, if cows (sheep, goats) are the biggest polluters and desecrators? Does this mean we should have one vegan day a week?
While I don’t have a problem with a mainly vegetarian diet I would have a major problem in being vegetarian without dairy or eggs. Just about every delicious thing listed in the comments has either one or the other in some quantities. I also have a problem with low blood sugar and the only thing that fixes it is a huge whack of some form of protein – except tofu doesn’t work! Any ideas why?
I think an ethos of trying wherever possible to source locally, eat seasonally, ensure all meat products and by-products are free range and ethically farmed etc. is a more sustainable way of living and eating and one that doesn’t need to compromise taste and flavour.
Maybe we should all sleep in a National Park one night a week to help reduce land clearing for residential housing in Australia? I’m a huge supporter of changing our habits to combat climate change – but I’m really concerned that activists are hijacking the environmental debate to further their own causes. We all need to eat a healthy, balanced diet that we enjoy so don’t eat meat if you don’t want to, but I don’t think we should make meat producers a scapegoat.
When I read Gwenyth’s piece a few days ago I must say I was really surprised that she did not know about the detrimental effects of meat on the environment. I have been told to eat red meat due to health reasons, although the doc has said a small amount every day will suffice so that is all I have. I try to have kangaroo too as it is better for the environment etc. Beef is apparently the worst from the GHG generating viewpoint.
One thing that strikes me in this debate is that if other foods which are substituted for meat have been highly processed, such as canned beans, wouldn’t the carbon generating effects of the canning process outweigh the environmental benefits of avoiding meat? I haven’t researched this aspect at all, but as a general rule I grow all my herbs and some veges, try to buy locally grown otherwise to avoid transportation issues which also generate greenhouse gases, avoid purchasing products from certain companies known for their unethical environmental practices (they know who they are…), and avoid packaging if possible (although kangaroo is always packaged).
Hi Ani, I just thought I’d let you know your link doesn’t work.
Which is a shame as I was keen to get some information from someone who isn’t such a major stakeholder, rather than PETA or the MLA. I’ll trawl the IPCC site later when I have some time to spare.
Hi Ali, I just thought I’d let you know your link doesn’t work.
Which is a shame as I was keen to get some information from someone who isn’t such a major stakeholder, rather than PETA or the MLA. I’ll trawl the IPCC site later when I have some time to spare.
Anything with a face…yep
Hi Ali, I’d just thought I’d let you know that your link doesn’t work
Which is a shame as I was keen to get some facts from someone who wasn’t such a major ’stakeholder’. I’ll trawl the IPCC website for it later when I have some more time to spare.
There are state and federal fisheries departments that can offer information Ali, they have guidelines on sustainability if that is what you are after. If you are looking to avoid certain contaminants avoid fish higher up the food chain such as shark.
There are state and federal fisherise departments that can help, Ali, they have sustainability guidelines.
I’m sure you understand that demand for the product will ensure the production of more cattle and thus the production of more methane
We do a meat-free meal at least once a week – just please don’t tell my husband. He’d be horrified. I am a master of disguising veges in his meals. He thinks spinach and ricotta cannelloni actually has chicken in it
Yep, my iron is insanely high and I have been vego for 16 years. So really you can get enough from non-meat sources. My best friend eats meat and is always anemic conversely.
Me too – I want cold rolls now.
I have no quibble with eating carbs – I don’t subscribe to the bandwagon that it is bad for you. The issue I think is what kind of carbs (wholegrain being better obviously) and what you put on them (eg butter on potato or bread). Carbs are essential for the body to function after all!
I have no problem with carbs – I don’t belie
I have never had a problem with getting enough protein – my blood work always comes back in perfect shape. I have also seen a few dieticians over the years which helps I think. My quibble is just when people call themselves vego but still eat seafood – I know it is just a label, but it means that I constantly get served fish everywhere I go!
True! I love them once they have been heated. Something about them cold makes me gag.
yes – my fave thing to cook is vego shepherds pie – it does have carbs cause of the potato topping, but the base is onion, garlic, kidney beans and tomato paste with a dash of soy sauce. So good.
On a light note… and I don’t mean to offend anyone by this comment who is vegetarian… but its interesting that the claim is made “eat less meat to help save the planet” when animals such as cows create (aka FART) high levels of methane gas into the atmosphere. So essentially eating beef is good for the environment.
Just a thought!
I’ve got the biggest crush on Jamie Oliver! So cute… I just want to squeeze his cheeks whenever I see him on tv, haha …face cheeks, by the way
Now I’m hungry.
Part 2
Falafel rolls
Mushroom and goats cheese free-form tarts
Pasta with walnut sauce
vegetable rice-paper rolls with hoisin sauce
zucchini slice
vegetable korma
vegetable samosas with raita
spanish omelette
vietnamese style tofu pho
meat-free sausage rolls (made with rice, egg, mixed vegies and wrapped up with puff pastry)
corn chowder
leek and potato soup and cheese toasties
fatoush
spanakopita
… … …
I’m a polite meat eater-i.e at someone house who has gont to some effort I feel rude to turn it down. I was vego strictly since I new where meat came from( think 4 year old putting pad locks on the chook sheds so dad couldn’t lop their heads off). I may have cancelled the meat truck coming to pick up the cows once too.Chucked the head lopping knives in the rubish bin. Or the time I put the dead chicken’s head in the pocket of dad’s suit as revenge for the chicken. I had strong views as a child. I’m less militant with my views now but I’ve never developed a taste for the stuff. And after watching animals being killed does turn you off.
This did start a problem at out house as my parent stopped killing animals. trouble was finding homes for all those roosters. My dear mum used to drive around at night and release them in wild life parks over the fence in with the wallabies. You can still see some wild chickens running around in parks in Launceston.
Christie , eye fillet is no longer producing methane,although I probably would be……………
Yeah, I can easily go one or up to three nights a week meat free and eat vegetarian (as long as I can still have egg, milk and cheese). But my decision is mainly based on taste and probably influenced by the fact that I am currently pregnant and don’t feel like meat so much at the moment.
My brain really can’t make a conscientious link between meat eating and greenhouse gas emissions, although I’m sure you’ve gone to a lot of trouble to justify why and how above. I have to admit I scanned rather than read this article in detail. I’m a bit tired of all the ‘green’ rules at the moment. Ha! Next thing the Rudd government will do is introduce Meat Free Monday in a bid to control us all just that little bit more. In which case I think I’d start to look upon an eye fillet or lamb shanks as something to be secretly devoured, much like chocolate is now.
Just adding that Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and to an extent Jamie Oliver are really good advocates for ethical meat eating. They say that eating meat per se is not bad, but advocate paying more to source meat that is humanely, sustainably and organically farmed, and then respecting the animal by using all of it rather than wasting most of it. I’m not quite there on the pig’s trotters or brains thing, but I like the philosophy. Their cookbooks are well worth checking out, both for meat and meat-free recipes.
Also forgot that I read somewhere else that another chef said that non-vegetarian chefs are cooking the most exciting vegetarian food because they’re not cooking with the ideology – I think it’s the ideology that colours people’s concept of ‘vegetarian food’ (and also those atrocious Sanitarium nut loaf products
.
Oh dear, I just read the blog and i think that you are all going to hate my comment shown. I am one one of my local butcher’s best customers – we eat meat EVERY DAY! I am keeping them in business!!!! However, I do agree that eating meat each day can become quite expensive… some days Spag bol mince will cost me $6.00, other days lamb cutlets (meat on sticks – which the kids LOOOOVE) can cost more than $30.00. Please don’t judge me harshly and accept that we are all different. Thanks!
I did the same thing too Guest!
Thanks to the dietician, I found out that Milo is ridiculously high in iron. Was so stoked, haha
Sorry Sue but the Washington post did not report that second part at all. It was not a news story nor a report, it was a comment written in to the newspaper by the president and chief executive of the American Meat Institute, hardly a trustworthy source, without any links to any credible independent scientific studies to support his assertions. Also even if some of it is true which I highly doubt given its source and lack of credentials or references to valid studies, who do you think is largely responsible for the deforestation in countries like Brazil? It is the amount of environmental effect that a particular activity of a particular group (in this case meat eating of Americans) causes all up in the world that is relevant not just that which is caused in their own backyard. Also the feedlots and intensive farming methods they use in the U.S. which uses less land (though there are still massive issues with waste production ect. ) are horrific and barbaric and absolutely beyond cruel. Look them up and have a look at them yourself.
If anyone is wondering in the first part MLA stands for the meat and livestock industry of Australia. Also a report without any support from valid scientific studies… which is interesting because in this report they are trying to claim that meat production in Australia is almost so carbon neutral in fact it is almost a carbon sink! (and actually they claim in contrast to the Americans they are better because they use more land….so using more land and less land is both better)
SO true SarahT2B – I totally agree too!!
Best thing I ever did was go see a dietician when I became vegie at age 15 (Mum made me go after the GP said I “couldn’t” be vegetarian). Still vegie (and a healthy and informed one) 16 years on.
Typo – ‘Nadine’
The vegetarian chef Nadie Abensur once said something like: People think vegetarian food is boring – but go into your supermarket and look around! Where is the most colour, the most variation in shape and texture? The fruit and vegetable section! The idea that vegetarians only eat brown nasty lentil patties and twigs is so 70s – it’s not about using things that are pretending to be meat any more. And quite frankly, the most heinous thing you could ever put on my plate is a plain cooked chop with overcooked broccoli, carrots and potato. THAT is boring!!
Don’t worry about the cattle farmers. Think about the happy vegie farmers instead!
Kidney beans too! Saw something on tv with a dietician saying that she always tells poor uni students to eat kidney beans if they can’t afford chicken, because apparently in terms of the amount of protein, it’s the next best thing!
The vegetarian chef Nadie Abensur once said something like: People think vegetarian food is boring
I didn’t read the article – boring! I have two reasons: 1) my daughter is 13 and becoming a vego in the craziest way; she will not eat any form of pork (My god, everthing is better with bacon!!) or chicken. If she DOES eat chicken, it must be pre-cooked elsewhere. No uncooked chicken must touch my kitchen. 2) I had a big operation last year and lost a stack of blood. They almost gave me a blood transfusion. However, the thinking these days is to slowly regain the loss by ‘eating lots of meat’!!! So that’s where I’m at. Miss 13 will eat lamb or beef and both of those are good for my iron stores. I don’t mean to be as controversial as this post sounds – it’s just my reality….
Can I respectfully suggest that a number of commentators (including the guest commentator and those she has quoted) learn a little more about chemistry than their ‘facts’ and conclusions demonstrate.
We ate vego pretty much the whole time I was growing up (except for birthdays which were steak) because it was too expensive. I like your garnish analogy; I do it all the time with prosciutto.
Sorry Sue but the Washington post did not report that second part at all. It was not a news story nor a report, it was a comment written in to the newspaper by the president and chief executive of the American Meat Institute, hardly a trustworthy source, without any links to independent scientific studies to support his assertions. Also even if some of it is true which I highly doubt given its source and lack of credentials or references to valid studies, who do you think is largely responsible for the deforestation in countries like Brazil? It is the amount of environmental effect that a particular activity of a particular group (in this case meat eating of Americans) causes all up in the world that is relevant not just that which is caused in their own backyard. Also the feedlots and intensive farming methods they use in the U.S. which admittedly uses less land (though there are still massive issues with waste production ect. ) are horrific and barbaric and absolutely beyond cruel. Look them up and have a look at them yourself.
Defensive much? What is PETA’s “agenda” apart from helping animals who can’t help themselves?
Geez, without even thinking about helping anyone except myself I do meat free, monday wednesday and thursday. I find meat hideously expensive and we only have it about 3 times a week and often as a kind of garnish, ie: in pasta with vegetables I will throw in a little chorizo for the grown-ups cause Mr kzmet reckons dinner without meat is boring. Whatever, my little girl loves lamb cutlets but they are ridiculously prices so she gets them maybe once a month. I like meat, don’t love it passionately so I am already with gwynnie on this one.
LOL so true…
I’ve already managed to cut down my family’s red meat intake to no more than 2 times a week. The other 5 times it’s either white meat or no meat. And my previously carnivorous hubby has grown so used to it that I don’t think he even notices we barely eat meat anymore hehehe.
“Carbs” are not the enemy. Vegos probably eat more carbs, but not necessarily more sugar and starch.
My grandmother went vego at age 3 after her mum cooked her pet rabbit. I went vego at age 15 and haven’t looked back. BF is vego too. It isn’t hard at all and makes me feel happy that I am not causing others to suffer. Share the love.
Totally with you Guest, but also pointing out with the above thinking from Happymum that something that actually does seem quite logical as ‘I can breathe it therefore it cannot be poisonous’ is not always as clear cut as it might seem. Because oxygen is absolutely necessary for human life but in certain forms it is quite deadly.
I could do wine-only wednesday!!
Chickpeas are the key – high in protein and filling….
Jess, go see a nutritionist and get professional advice. It’s amazing what you will learn from them in terms of what your body needs and how you can get it.
It just shows how little is actually known with comments like that.
Being enviro friendly is not just about pesticides, disease there are so many more aspects to it.
What about
- land clearing
- weed management
- methane production (natural in cows)
- water usage
- soil degradation through over use
-introduction of feral animals
- poor creek health
ahh there are just so so many..
I am all for australian farmer and yes they are comparatively pretty good
but to ignore the impacts (which pretty much come with farming) is just plain silly
farmer need help with technology so it is possible that they can function more efficiently and minimise there impact. Until that time i am happy to have meat free monday.
If society didn’t eat so many eye fillets, the cattle wouldn’t be produced in the first place, meaning the methane wouldn’t either
Hmmm, i am a vego but eat seafood. not because i want to, but because i am finding it really hard to find a way to eat the amount of protein my body needs/craves (i would literally be eating every minute of the day legumes etc to reach the amount i need)!
So until i can work that out,i eat fish as my main source of protein.The reason i chose fish and not chicken for example as the one meat to eat is because from what i know most fish are in their natural environment before they are killed and do not have to go through the whole procession-like line following other fish into an abatoir, sensing what is about to happen to them. But in saying that it doesnt sit right with me so if anyone can recommend sources of information on the seafood industry that would be appreciated.
My family are all dedicated meat eaters so luckily I rarely eat at their houses. I generally eat things like lentil patties, kidney beans, meat substitutes etc.
Fresh ingredients!
I figure if the cattle are causing all the methane, I should eat a nice medium rare eye fillet, and save the planet………
I thought the same thing too Aneets! One day out of every seven isn’t much at all.
Mabol are you making a point for or against me ???
not really sure.
but yes you are correct
at our level ozone is harmful (smog anyone??)
however up higher it is very important in providing a protective layer from UV rays.
This is why we dont use CFCs in Australia ( and I am pretty sure they have been phased out globally)
I’m a vego.
About 5 years ago (I think.. Lost track!), I was eating spaghetti bolognaise and just thought “Oh my GOD… This poor little animal…” and then, that was it. I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat meat for much longer. A month or so later and I was a fully fledged vego.
I’m lucky because my boy grew up not eating much meat, because his mum is also a vegetarian. So it’s not an issue for us. He eats meat maybe twice a week?
People are always surprised that vego food isn’t boring! It’s really not… Beautiful pastas, salads, lasagnes, vege patties, stir frys, soups – whatever people cook that has meat in it can be cooked using other ingredients to substitute it.
The flip side of being a vego is that I eat the most fresh food out of everyone I know. Not eating meat means you get to be more creative and really rely on fresh ingredients. I try to eat a largely raw diet too… But that one’s much tougher to maintain and I’m still working on it!
I’m from a meat producing background and I think that the issues raised in the UN report are being continually addressed by better practices and have been for decades . UN or not I am immediately suspicious of statistics..because statistics can be presented in any number of ways to get the results needed.
The MLA http://www.mla.com.au/TopicHierarchy/News/MediaReleases/cuttingredmeatconsumptionisnosolutiontoclimatechange.htm has reported about: ” the UN’s admission that the figures in the FAO report unfairly lump all countries together. The report looks at total global emissions rather than the emissions of each country, which doesn’t take into account that farms in Australia are more efficient than in other countries.”
They also report: “Last month the Queensland Government published a report that looked at the beef industry across the state. By incorporating sequestration, this report found that the Queensland beef industry, which comprises 47% of Australia’s cattle population, was close to carbon neutral and may in the near future be a net carbon sink.”
Similarly The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/02/AR2009080201669.html reports: “Assigning a percentage of global emissions to the U.S. system is misleading because the vast majority of global greenhouse gas emissions attributed to livestock production result from deforestation and the conversion of rain forests and other lands to crop or pasture land, which does not occur in the United States. ” and
“Since 1990, greenhouse gas emissions from the U.S. animal agriculture industry have remained nearly constant while meat production increased by almost 50 percent, milk production by 16 percent and egg production by almost 33 percent.”
So while I have no doubt that meat production can have a negative environmental impact, I also believe that with research and management this can be (and appears to already be in some circumstances) minimised to acceptable levels.
I certainly have no problem with having a meat free day a week.. I would already do this simply through natural choice and variation in diet.
Which is the trap that is easy to fall into when you first start trying to eat this way, because that usually means you are eating very little protein. Once the meat is removed from the plate, there’s only relatively small amounts of protein in the vegies and less in the pasta or rice.
Lots of vegetables and pulses???
Happymum, are you actually disputing the finding that livestock industry as a whole was responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transport sector?
I’m not a fan of PETA, but I do pay attention to the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which has found that global increases in methane and nitrous oxide are primarily due to agriculture (eg, see http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/Report/AR4WG1_Print_SPM.pdf)
Hardly environmentally friendly..
Is it really that difficult to not eat meat one day per week? I mut be out of touch with how much meat people are eating. I have just completed my meal plan for the week and we are only having meat on 3 (possibly 4) days this week.
Most of the time the kids and I barely touch the meat part of the meal anyway as I much prefer vegetables.
I have had some drama getting my 5 year old to eat any meat at all as she has an objection to eating animals. I call her the littlest vegetarian. I accept this excuse as a good enough reason not to finish the meat on her plate. I have found some people seem to think I need to force her to eat it, but seeing as I dislike meat a good portion of the time, that seems hypocritical to me.
Ooooooo that’s exciting!
This is the dilemma I am facing too, how to eat more vego but not fall into the high carb trap. Suggestions?
Fish may have a nervous system and feel pain, but they’re not really cute by most people’s standards. Lambs, pigs and cows, on the other hand? Really quite cute. People don’t feel so bad about eating not-cute stuff. Not really an excuse, but I know that’s the logic behind lots of people eating fish (or chicken for that matter. Although baby chicks are gorgeous, once they have their fluff), but not red meat.
In my family its whatever the meat eaters are having, without the meat
And the Thai version of that starts with red or green curry paste, then the tofu, then the frozen vegetables, cook for a little while, then some coconut milk, cook some more, then it’s finished. If the rice is cold, you can add it to the pan towards the end so that it can heat up.
No, it’s actually a novel, just googled and found the author is Ruth L Ozeki. Here’s a bit from the review:
Jane Tagaki-Little is one very determined and independent young woman. Quite how she managed to foist a TV programme about a vegetarian, lesbian, American couple on her employer’s BEEF-EX[porting] sponsors I never really fathomed, but it earned her top prime-time TV ratings in Japan. It also cost her her job.
Ozeki’s book is entertaining, well written, humorous and thought provoking. But you just might give up eating meat after reading it.
His arguments are great, added to which, the book is brilliantly written.
Aha! And if you don’t have leftover brown rice in the fridge, the Sun Rice quick rice bags (I like the brown basmati one) is a good staple to keep on hand in the cupboard. I will give the idea a go, I reckon my girls would like it too. Thanks!
It’s a bit embarrassing really Merryl, it’s for those night when we all get home at 6pm & the 4 year old is hysterical. Anyways….fry some garlic, add the tofu, tip in the brown rice (already cooked obviously) then mix in a bag of frozen veggies and whatever sauce (soy/oyster, whatever is there). And serve it. Sometimes with egg mixed in. Pretty sure I’m not winning any awards for this one. Pretty simpe as that’s how the kiddies like it!
I am all in favour of the idea but I can guarantee my 14 year old son won’t be!
I am eating more meat/protein at the moment than I have in years because I’m trying to cut down on evening carbs. (CSIRO influence). There would be a mutiny from the males in my family if I cut out meat and carbs!
I’d love some recipes from creative MMers for low carb & vego recipes that their families will eat.
I don’t eat less meat because of anything PETA say. I do it for myself and to fit with my daughters’ food choices. I think most of the replies here have been from people with a similar outlook. Pretty much every organisation is beating their own drum & aiming their propaganda for maximum effect, we as consumers need to be savvy & make our own choices.
Good on you for putting these dishes on here! Make people aware of the fact that us vegetarians aren’t just about lettuces and cabbages! (which is unfortunately what most peoplel’s perception of “vegetarian food” is…)
i agree, but do find that I end up eating HEAPS of carbs, I don’t know whether this is just me though.
Is that the book where they refer to meat as flesh all the time – that put me off eating meat for ages just because of that.
Well the ozone layer is itself very poisonous and would kill you if you were to breathe it in and it is composed of oxygen atoms. Albeit clumped in threes not twos like down here lower in the atmosphere (i’m assuming no one is reading MM from the international space station), this grouping into threes which occurs at a certain atmospheric height, is highly unstable and thus very reactive, which is why if you release certain chemicals into it.. there is an explosive chain of chemical reactions.
They look exactly like dog food, and I usually gag tipping them out of the tin
What’s the frozen veggie meal? Any additional to the menu gratefully researched at this house!
No doubt Gweneth could have sourced her facts from some legitimate scientific organization some where, but it would have been a great name-dropping opportunity lost…
Thanks Frankie. It’s so simple and so tasty. LPC and I have a blogging friend called J9, she has been a vego for many years and told me about it. But refried beans? There’s just something about them I don’t like the look of. Miss 19 loves them! Looks a bit like dog food to me, sorry for that image
Much as I love beef, I appreciate clean air more. I’d rather go without beef than go without brazillian rainforest.
Good post Happymum I come from a meat producing background as well. I’m a little sick of the meat-hating bandwagon that everyone is happy to jump on as soon as a celebrity lends itself to a cause.
What about a balanced post putting forward both sides of the argument instead of just propaganda from PETA? which is the most manipulative and ineffective organisation on the face of the planet.
I am an all out vego for all my life not because of environmental reasons, but i just can’t bear the thought of having to harm another being for my own enjoyment. In saying that, I have no problems to those who loves their meat, as this is my own personal choice to become vego. But to this initiative of meat free mondays all I can say is “I am ALL for it!” and good on those who are at least trying! I thank you on behalf of the animals
I read a book some years back titled My Year of Eating Meat, a great funny/sad/enligthening read and expose of the American cattle industry. It changed my outlook significantly. I’m not a vego but I do eat in a much more educated manner these days, luckily I have a good source of free range meat nearby so it’s not too difficult to manage.
Eating vegetarian at least once a week for your HEALTH is a step in the right direction – if you need to be influenced by a celebrity with a cause – so be it!
Merryly!?!
Merryly that sounds unreal. My kids LOVE tacos but it’s refried beans all the way for us!
I’m from a farming family, and we pretty much grew up thinking that its not a meal unless its meat. My mum was brought up the same way, and I guess she just didn’t have the know-how to put together a nice meal without it.
Since moving out of home a couple years ago I’ve experimented a lot more and have probably one or two days a week meat free, but I don’t really plan it that way. Like a lot of other people on here thats usually just the way the groceries work out (and I’m sure there are a lot of weeks when I eat it every day).
I’m going to try and plan a meat free day starting with the next groceries. I’ll never give up meat altogether though. Its the country girl in me.
Very easy to have a meat free monday for me as I have only eaten fish about once or twice a week for the last 15 years! My kids have either meat or fish between two or three times a week and the rest of our meals are veggo. My oldest is 8 and is desperate to be completely vegetarian as soon as he can (not yet, says me), while my youngest would eat a variety of farm animals at every meal if she could; the middle falls somewhere between these two extremes. Fingers crossed that they are getting enough of everything they need, I’m pretty careful with their food. They eat lots of pulses and vegies, and all love a tofu/brown rice & frozen veggie meal that is our equivilent to fried rice.
The reasons given for meat free mondays seem pretty legit to me but I’m the first to say i haven’t researched it extensively.
I do what Holly(PTKO) does, I fry onions & garlic, then add a good load of brown lentils, drained, straight from the tin and also about two thirds of tin of red kidney beans, drained. Mash the lentils & beans with the back of a fork and literally fry them like they are mince. Continue just like normal to finish the recipe, then add the remaining red kidney beans near the end, keeping them whole. Too easy!!
With thanks to our vego friend J9 for the idea.
Fish still have a nervous system and feel pain (as demonstrated in many studies). They are certainly animals (or ‘meat’) in the same way cows and chickens are. It drives me bonkers whenever I go over to someone’s house and they try to serve me fish! It’s called ‘white meat’ for a reason:)
Hi Happymum, the issue is not pollution. It’s mainly the impact of land clearing for the purposes of grazing and feed-lotting (the resources needed to grow and transport grain for feedlot cattle etc). Which is an issue in Oz.
I’m also a carnivoreMerryl, as you well know – I’ve been asked to write a topic on nose to tail meat appreciation for the e-zine I write for. So I’m a fabulous cook but completely immune to Gwyneth’s argument. Eat it beacuse it tastes good, and not for any other reason.
I love Lexy Brooks. Well written!
I have just had a movie brought to my attention titled: Food Inc.
I fear it may be life free meat days… or whatever once I watch it.
Yep, they do indeed. I eat much more meat when I am staying in the country with the bloke, it’s not a meal unless there’s meat on the plate according to him (and all his family).
I just make refried beans tacos. So much better than mince ever would be!
It IS yum, take my word for it, she’s a great cook
I’m not a vegetarian because I like animals… I’m a vegetarian because I hate Plants….
Is not eating meat for a day really that hard?
We do it all the time. Too much meat blocks you up, people!
We used to do vegan Tuesdays. Now I just do random veggo days for health reasons … with enviro benefits to it as an extra bonus!
Can I come to your house for tea? YUM!
I love veggie tacos! But I usually use veggie mince in them. Delicious!
I am a beef, lamb and grain producer so I may be biased on this one. But I can tell you that the way we produce it in Australia, it is clean, non diseased, (no BSE or Foot and Mouth) and no chemicals or pesticides are used in the production of our beef. Also we do not use antibiotics and hormones for growth.
It is very environmentally friendly compared with producing cotton (loads of chemicals and water usage) Mining (water and degredation to the environment) and cropping (needs a lot of land clearance for it to take place) – as well as chemical sprays.
I am sorry but Paul is affiliated with PETA who have tried their hardest to make the world into vegetarians for their own agenda and I don’t need to bleat to everyone on how beef is one of the foods which will feed the worlds appetite for clean, efficient, cheaply produced food.
Wine-only Wednesday! Top work pt!
Don’t know what it’s likely to do for the enviroment, (is viticulture an enviromentally friendly industry?)… but it sounds like a bloody good idea to me!
When I became a vegetarian I was surprised to find out how many cheeses in Australia aren’t actually vegetarian.
Fish is a tricky one. There is a good website that has lists of environmentally responsible choices for fish… can’t remember its name though…
It surprises me too, that people could seriously eat meat every day!
We have most nights meat-free in our house too (partly for environmental reasons, partly cost, partly ‘ick’ factor of raw meat). I am more likely to eat meat out too, especially something like steak, as I would never cook steak for myself.
According to Michael Pollan (author of ‘In Defense of Food’), we should all do the following:
1. Eat food
2. Not too much
3. Mostly plants
He backs up his arguments with much research and eye-opening facts; apart from being a great read, it just seems sensible, so I give it a crack.
But most fish eaten is not “farmed”. Fish stocks are being dangerously depleted by overfishing to feed the world’s growing population.
Why not try veggie tacos? I use mushies, zuchinni, capsicum, beans and lentils. It makes a tasty meat alternative. The lentils give it an almost mincy texture.
Fish farms are REALLY bad for the environment! If you want to eat fish, you should buy local, wild caught fish.
Everyone should read ‘The Ethics of What We Eat’ by Peter Singer and Jim Mason. It wil open your eyes! It certainly opened mine!
Its not detrimental in that way, but it is a well known ozone depleting substance, so in terms on whether we keep on releasing it in large quantities in the future – hell yes it will be harmful
We catholics have been doing it for centuries – on a Friday, though. And the intention was to save our souls, not the planet. My soul is a lost cause so might give Mondays a go for the planet.
Jess, make sure you are eating lots of greens and legumes. The thing about being a veggie is that you have to think a little bit more, and make sure you get all the vitamins you need.
Sounds like you need more iron in your diet. Also make sure you are eating B12 enriched foods or take a vitamin.
Hope that you feel better!
Monday nights is taco night in our house so no way to meat free Monday. BUT we already eat at least one night vego, not for any good reason, just because thats the way the shopping list runs (usually a pasta or gnocchi dish).
Good thing I have the Veggie Quiche and salad planned for tonight. We arent hard core red meat eaters (more chicken) but having a day a week without any meat isnt hard and when I think of it we already do it at least once a week.
Eating fish isn’t affecting the environment (this is assuming they are farmed fish), or contributing the global warming.
Technically, fish is meat though? You can do a main meal based on eggs & cheese. Or a vegie risotto. or a vegie & lentil pasta sauce. Or a vegie & chick pea curry.
I don’t eat any meat really. The way live stock is slaughtered is totally disgusting.
I’m a veggie too Linda, for around three years now.
It is so easy to have filling, healthy tasty meals without meat! For the environment and your health, have a go!
Fettucine with Pesto sauce
Egg Fried Rice
Eggplant parmigiana
Pan-Fried Haloumi Cheese and salads
Bean burritos
Boston baked beans
Lentil burgers
Pumpkin, goat’s cheese and spinach frittata
Cheesey polenta and roast vegie stacks
roast vegetable enchiladas with guacamole
vegie pad thai
banana flower salad
tofu tom yum goong
roast vegetable tortellini en brodo
… … …
I already do Meat Free Monday, in fact I do several days of the week meat free, as I’m a part time vegetarian. Miss 19 is a full on vego (but not vegan, so lots of eggs eaten in our house). Miss 18 only eats chicken and don’t let it have a bone in it to remind her that’s it’s animal in origin. Three or four night meals a week are full on vego at our house. I break out occasionally with rack of lamb or a steak when I’m allowed out
meat free monday’s , no worries. i would just follow it up with take-away tuesdays. anyway as if gwyneth is slaving over a hot stove every night anyway…..
We already do a meat free day at least once or twice a week. Its not hard. I cant believe some people are so hung up on meat. If you seriously dont think you could do it, why not try having a fish friday or something?
If Nitrous Oxide is extremely poisonous, well I should be dead from sucking on it during Labour and Childbirth.
Try to get the real facts Paul.
Absolutely I could. We already do meat-free many-days. We aren’t hard-core carnivores by any stretch and eat vego about half the time. I will ONLY eat chicken and eggs that are free range and/or organic, and luckily these are easy to get in our area. I do admit to having a bit of a fetish for pig parts, primarily as prosciutto and pancetta, but we only eat those in small amounts. About three times a year we eat beef for an iron boost, and we never eat lamb or veal. If free-range beef or pork was available in our area I would buy them in a second. Meat-Free Monday is a good idea to raise awareness, if nothing else.
i cut meat out of my diet this year, and it’s been really hard. I never ate lamb, bacon or pork but cutting out chicken and beef has been a challenge for me. I use have 1 week every month or 2 when i would go vegetarian for the week just to amp up my vegies.
I have been having trouble focusing at work and i can’t get to sleep at night, i feel like shit to be honest. I’m not sure if it’s from cutting out the red meat or to do with an hormonal imbalance im experiencing at the moment.
One day a week – no problem… just not Monday’s please!
Monday’s have in our family been RIB night for nearly 2 years (they’re half price at one of the locals on Monday!) if I took it away the Mr and the Kiddo would not be my friends anymore….
I can do a Slaughter-free-Saturday or perhaps a Wine-only Wednesday…. would that count?
This is true. It’s coming…
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by miafreedman: Could you do meat-free Mondays to save the planet? Gwyneth does. http://bit.ly/dmEgpa (via @lexybrooks)…
I like meat but couldn’t care less if I miss out for a day or a week, there are so many yummy foods out there. But I do remember my MIL being on a diet where every second day you couldn’t eat meat, so she used meat substitutes!! I don’t get that at all, is the carnivore in us so strong that a day without something that resembles meat just too painful!! The other day my 7yo asked if sausages were made from a pig, when I said yes she said that she didn’t like eating animals, but it tasted to good to not eat. I suppose this sums it up for most of us!
I am quasi-vegetarian anyway – I eat chicken and fish maybe twice a week, and no red meat or pig products ever. I think Meat-Free Monday is a great idea, but… do people SERIOUSLY eat meat every day?? That boggles my mind. I don’t really know why exactly, when I think about it I suppose it’s the staple part of most recipes. But not in my house!
I’ve been vego for 16 years now. So really it seems pretty easy to me!
Mia we really REALLY need a recipe section… there are dozens of recipes I can think of to keep everyone happy on a Monday night, from your kids to your grandmother.
When I read this post, at first I thought “But we don’t eat meat every day” but in thinking about it, I guess we really do eat some form of meat every day, even if it’s just a little bit of bacon in the carbonara sauce or some a bit of crispy proscuitto sprinkled over the salad.
So yes, this is something we as a family could probably commit to, although I then start worrying about the cattle farmers’ livelihood and our export market and, and, and . . . lord, there are so many things to worry about these days aren’t there?!
By the way, does fish count?
Meat Free Monday is a definite possibility for me. Might just give it a go.
Even though, like Captain Dramatic I am a Carnivore, or as I like to call it, a Meatasaurus Rex
I’ve been inadvertently doing a meat-free Tuesday and my husband, who is a 6ft 4in committed meat-eater doesn’t mind at all. In winter I do hearty veggie soups (with plently of potato & kumera); summer time we either bbq vegetables or I roast them. So long as tyou include corn, potatoes & other starchy veggies, your meal really will fill you up!
Now I know it’s a “thing” I’ll keep going with it to lessen our impact on the planet. And we might switch to Mondays
I’d need to see these ‘facts’ from a more reliable source than Paul McCartney, who is against eating meat for ethical reasons, and seems to me to have jumped on the environmental bandwagon to further his own agenda.
Also, not eating things because you like them or they are cute, but eating things that ‘aren’t’ cute or you don’t care about, seems slightly sociopathic to me.