What do you REALLY think about Vegetarians?

[the_bob_delusion]

What's the first thing that comes to your mind when someone tells you they're a vegetarian?

[chameleon54]

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@joz*garage wrote:

'scusy

A video that might be of interest to chame

[video]

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Thanks Joz and it backs up my previous comments perfectly. The vast bulk of the anti meat propaganda is based on highly intensive animal husbandry systems, used in the Northern hemisphere, particularly Europe where a lot of this propaganda comes from. As can be seen in the video it relates to artificial systems of intense housing, with animals fed rations of lush irrigated silage and grains. ( Silage is green crop, harvested when wet and lush and sealed in air tight storage to promote fermentation, ie. sloppy mush )

I agree entirely that animals raised in this way will produce excessive gas emissions, in the same way as humans fed entirely on a diet of baked beans and ice cream will produce excess gas emissions. That's just common sense.

This simply doesn't bare any correlation with Australia where cows and sheep are predominantly raised in broad acre farming systems on natural hebage. The methane emissions of Australian livestock, raised in broad acre farming systems are substantially less than those of the European livestock raised in intensive industries with excess artificial feeding.

It also confirms the central argument I put that the problem isn't meat or vegetables production or coal or gas......its global over population. It is this over population that is driving the intensive global food production systems that are resulting in ever increasing land clearing and intensive, mono culture farming systems.

Your video, also doesn't identify or address any of the issues created by the growing of grain crops and vegetables....ie, Fuel emissions in production and transport, daming of fragile waterways for irrigation purposes. ( you only have to look at our own Murray river ) ,salinification of soils caused by irrigation,  acidification of soils caused by phosphate use in crops, contribution to land clearing for growing of crops, breakdown of soil structure and erosion from tillage, the destruction of our micro fauna including " bee extinction " caused by pesticide use, the contamination of our water systems by herbicides and phosphate runoff etc. These are huge problems that the green / vegan movement don't want you know or think about.

Personally I think the best agricultural systems we currently have are hybrid systems using the best techniques of organics, bio dynamics and conventional agriculture, including the incorporation of broad acre livestock to provide complete, natural balance. This is the system I currently use on my farms.and I,m happy to provide further info if anyone is interested. 

[lyhargr_0]

I really dont care what other choose to eat. The heart foundation recommends approx 300 grams of red meat per week. so that's what I try to follow

[chameleon54]

You don't have to go to Europe to see the immense ecological damage done to the environment by irrigated grain and vegetable crops. There are great examples in our own back yard. You only have to look at the terrible algal blooms and fish kills on the Darling river a couple of years ago to see what the combination of excess phosphate runoff from irrigated cropping and excess use of scarce water for irrigation of crops can do. It only took a drought and a couple of warm days to highlight a problem that has been building for decades.

I,m sure if scientists where to collate the damage done to our environment by the intensive growing of grain crops, fruit and vegetables for human consumption, a very good case could be made that we should be eating more meat and reducing vegetable intake in order to save our planet.

But what would be the point ? Its all just propaganda, pushed by certain groups who have an ideological interest in promoting their own agenda.

At the end of the day, the problem is very simple. There are too many humans on the planet and we are destroying our environment through rampant consumption of ALL resources. Get the global population to a sustainable level and many of the ecological problems would disappear.

[*tippy*toes*]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

I was thinking more steak and chips (and a couple of fried eggs)

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I thought you may have been my husband in disguise. That was until the Greek salad comment. No way anything remotely resembling a salad would ever pass his lips. If I let him, he would have steak, eggs and chips every night, occasionally changing it to chops.

[*tippy*toes*]

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@domino-710 wrote:

No - no - vegetables.

What's your favourite.

Don't know why - I love peas. lol

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My absolute, all time favourite vege is Brussels Sprouts. I am in heaven when I eat them!

As for the topic..............

How do you know there is a vegan at your party? Given it 15 seconds and they'll tell you. 

[4channel]

I like them too. Fantastic with sliced silverside and potatos. I wasn't 100% keen on them when I was younger. I liked all veges but brussell sprouts only sometimes. Now it's "Yeeesssss please" and "do you have any more?"  Well, they'll definitely be in this week's grocery bundle. Thanks for the reminder!