Make Every Day Earth Day - #6

According to Ecotao:

...a great reduction in our impact upon the environment can be achieved through the adoption of a more vegetarian diet. It is quite feasible for the average westerner to reduce meat consumption to 1/10 of the current level. Ayres (1999) noted that the per capita consumption of meat doubled between 1950 and 2000. Ayres estimated that 7 kg of feed grain are required to produce 1 kg of feedlot beef. The biological conversion efficiency is generally quoted at 10%, so a ratio of 7:1 is good. By reducing meat consumption to 1/10 of the current level, we effectively free about 6 kg of grain per kilo consumed. The rate of consumption of this meat, being a tenth of the previous level, also has other benefits over and above gross consumption. Simply, the demand upon the environment from this component of the human impact upon nature, can be reduced. If the population does double, while we do manage to reduce meat consumption to 10% of the current level, the impact of this component need only be about 20% of the current level by 2100.

I've tried being a vegetarian several times. It doesn't agree with me. But, over the years, I've managed to greatly reduce the amount of meat I consume.

Comments

[almostinfamous]

i'm a veggie4lif3 but from what i hear, even turning to purely organic meat production would help in curtailing the damage done by it.

[B.D.]

I was a strict vegetarian for over 10 years. My partner chided me for not trying Northwest caught seafood once (she comes from a fly fishing family). I did try it and have eaten it about once a month since. As Deborah Madison points out, even omnivore meals are comprised of about 2/3 vegetables. Cutting back on the meat at the table or even eating it less often does a world of good for the environment. If I recall correctly, Francis Moore Lappe suggests a 10% cut in your weekly intake of meat. If the country were to do this, then resources would be improved dramatically.