My biggest beef, is with beef.

     I debate with myself often, I weigh the convenience factor against doing what I am convinced is right. This internal debates range in scope from wanting to cheat on my vegan leanings to trying to consolidate the total miles I drive my car. I try to consume as few animal products, burn less fuel and minimize my consumptive practices as much as possible, because I believe I have the ability to change. I believe we have the ability to change. We have the ability to change the tide, to reverse the trend of the amount of green house gases and determent we do to this planet.

     As a global citizen I refuse to engage in, endure, or participate in this race to the bottom. There are very easy ways we can fight back, and this struggle starts with the basics. My biggest beef, is with beef. 

      According to the EPA (environmental protection agency) livestock production makes up the bulk of the of agricultural green house emissions. The EPA states that total emissions from agriculture is only eight percent of total emissions. Their analysis does not reveal the whole story behind our meat eating practices. This analysis does not include the gases emitted to ship, refrigerate, and  to cook our meat products. 

     From the reading I have done on this topic, producing half a pound of hamburger releases as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere as driving a 3,000-pound car nearly 10 miles.There is a huge laundry list of reasons to go Veg. My reason why I choose to dramatically reduce my meat intake is the same reason I also sometimes walk off of the path from veganism, convenience. For me giving up meat (especially beef) is the most convenient way to cut my carbon foot print. As much as I would like to be able to ride a bike or walk everywhere, I am unable to avoid driving my econ-car to work, I am unwilling to give up my laptop I use for blogging and research. I realize that we need to change our habits, the first green house emitter I divorce is meat.

     The next industry I am going to break up with is food transportation. Imagine if all of the produce you consumed was grown only a few miles from your home. Imagine avoiding all of the miles traveled by semi-trucks loaded with produce. Imagine having a rekindled relationship with not only the soil but also the food you eat. The first plant to yield a vegetable for me last year, was a cucumber.  That cucumber was the best  cucurbitaceous I have ever tasted. The appreciation I gained actually working the earth, was immense, and helped me feel gratitude for the task of farming. By returning to basics we free our lives, this is the first of many for me.

    Thank you as always for reading. If you would like to check out the link above the film Unacceptable Levels is fantastic. It does a great job of exposing the amount of dangerous chemicals in all of the products we consume.