Resource Impact of Livestock

I was discussing this topic with my friends last evening, and I was surprised by how unaware most of them were with regard to the amount of resources used in the production of livestock.  I was able to share some bits of knowledge - which were quite shocking to them - but I had the impression that it wouldn’t be a lasting one.  So, I started to give the topic some serious thought and began to research.  Needless to say, I found out more than I had bargained for.    If you are still eating animal products, and you find yourself stuck but want a change, try cutting out meat from meals once or twice a week and go from there.  It's all about the small changes adding up to a big one!

• One pound of beef takes ¾ gallon of oil to produce.  Based on oil consumption, beef requires a 35:1 of oil to end product.  Tofu requires a 2:1 ratio.
• Producing a pound of animal protein requires 100 times more water than a plant-based nutritional equivalent
• 43% of the world’s grain production goes to producing feed for livestock, an industry that produces 6 billion pounds of deadstock annually.

I urge you to visit the following sources:

The Last Drop , The New Yorker

Global Water Supply , CNN

It's popular nowadays to institute a Meatless Mondays policy in a weekly routine.  Try giving it a shot with some of the delicious recipes here and see how you respond!

Seafood Sustainability

Many people transitioning to a vegan diet often eat fish as they are excluding other livestock-based animal products.  While information can be found easily on the ills of factory farming and industrialized livestock, proper education on fishing practices can be hard to find.  In the US, fish consumption supplements widely available beef, poultry and pork as part of the normal diet.  Elsewhere, notably SE Asia and Japan, fish is a staple in the local diet and consumed more often in larger quantities.  Unfortunately, the importance of the ocean’s ecosystem to the rest of the world is often pared down by the media, focusing on whale catching and other salacious topics in the fishing industry.  Did you know, however, that 33 percent of the world’s harvested fish go to feeding livestock?

Yes, 33%… as in one third!

As demand for livestock increases, demand for harvested fish also increases.  The industry is unable to keep up with the pace, causing the industry to respond with implementation of questionable and exploitative practices that, in turn, can cause localized ecosystems in the ocean to collapse.  If you choose to consume fish, either in transition or as an alternative to livestock, look for wild-caught options and consult a seafood sustainability guide for which species are in season and thriving.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch is an invaluable resource for education and resources concerning seafood consumption and its sustainability.  Whether you consume fish or not, I encourage you to visit the site and educate yourself about our impact.  Who knows?  Maybe the next time a friend orders fish, and you share your knowledge, it could be the last time he or she chooses to support unsustainable seafood.

Organic Produce: A Guide

When faced with the prospect of buying organically, many consumers find the price difference between conventional and organic products a bit shocking.  While it is true some organic produce will be grossly more expensive than their conventionally grown counterparts, you can still stay within your budget.  One of the keys to being a successful vegan (especially if you are on a budget) is to buy what is in season.  When you buy organic produce in season, the difference in price will not be as drastic because producers in the country are able to keep supply at a level that is near demand (for both commercial and retail purposes), bringing the cost lower.  Even still, some may find the price increase not feasible - which is understandable.

The list below will be helpful in identifying which kinds of produce you should always buy organically (if concerned with harmful pesticides), and those you can buy conventionally in a financial squeeze.  Of course, organic produce is better for your health, the environment, and the economy by reducing the impact and indirect social costs incurred when growing conventional produce.  Buying organic encourages farmers to grow their produce in a manner that protects the environment.  The more everyone buys organic, the more demand increases - further encouraging others farms to go organic and make a higher profit.  Most organic farmers have dealings with smaller distribution channels, cutting out most of the “middle man” costs of conventional produce, making the farmers’ organic crops more valuable.  Buying organically encourages sustainability and helps smaller farms thrive in an industry dominated by Big Agriculture and be more eco-friendly in their crop production.

“Dirty Dozen”
These produce items contain the MOST pesticides located in them, according to many studies by the USDA and EWG, in order - starting with the worst:

• Peaches
• Apples
• Bell peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Pears
• Spinach

“Clean Fifteen”
These popular fruits and vegetables showed the lowest amounts of pesticides, from best to worst:

• Onions
• Avocado
• Pineapple
• Mangoes
• Asparagus
• Kiwi
• Cabbage
• Eggplant
• Papaya
• Watermelon
• Broccoli
• Tomatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Grapefruit
• Honeydew melon

Additionally, I try to always buy the following in their organic form, to encourage organic practices in an industry dominated by Big Agriculture and their powerful Washington lobby:

• Wheat
• Corn
• Soy

Going green, and saving green

When faced with the decision to buy organic products, most people assume that going organic will have an adverse effect on your wallet.  While this may hold true for meat and dairy eaters, buying organic on a vegan diet is actually comparable to a conventional omnivorous diet, sometimes less.  Why? A lot of the staples of a vegan diet - grains, legumes and healthy oils - can be purchased in bulk, with a shelf life much longer than the meat or dairy in most kitchens.  If you are fortunate enough to live in a city with an organic grocer, they probably have a bulk section where you can purchase any amount of these dry goods for a set price per pound.  Buying  organic bulk is a double whammy for the environment: you avoid costly and resource-heavy packaging AND you are helping the overall price of those organic goods go down.  Every time you purchase in large quantities, you have a trickle-down effect on the market as a whole, encouraging the producers to increase their production efforts which, in turn, makes the production cost go down; ultimately, you, the consumer, see these benefits later on with a reduction in price.  This is known as economies of scale, which is paramount to making organic goods more accessible to the general public.

But what if I don’t have an organic grocer or a bulk section?  You are in luck, because the internet is there to help.  Namely, the natural & organic section on Amazon.  Yes, Amazon.com has a virtual grocery store.  You can get everything from flours to baking mixes, herbs, spices, oils, BULK FOOD (!), canned tomatoes, pastas, coconut water - almost anything - all for less than what you pay for at your local grocer.  What is even more amazing, is that most of your purchases qualify for free shipping.  You may be thinking this is counter-intuitive to organic principles, but in reality it is quite the opposite.  Food suppliers send the goods directly to the Amazon grocery warehouse in Kentucky, then Amazon ships the food directly to you.  In turn, this lightens the load on grocery store distribution channels as well as making a trip in your car to the grocery store obsolete.  Truly, a win-win situation!

Just remember to recycle the cardboard boxes that arrive at your door.

Vegan on a Mission

Most vegans I know try to keep as their diets as organic as possible, for a number of reasons.  For me, being a vegan and keeping organic go hand in hand with respect to my reasoning.

First, I decided to become a vegan because of the impact current food production has on the environment.  Currently, the commercial production of livestock accounts for 18% of the world’s CO2 emissions, one of the main contributors to global warming, more than any other industry (including transportation).   In addition to the production of livestock, conventional methods for producing commercial produce doesn’t respect the land and surrounding ecosystem the way farming practices used to.  With the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), natural balances in the local ecosystem are being disrupted.  GMOs encourage some pests to thrive and contributes to others' demise at the same time.  Intervening in the natural process of adaptation, GMOs pose a distinct threat to the world’s ecology as a whole.  Organic farming practices do not use GMOs or harmful chemical pesticides.  Rather, farmers work with the environment to grow their crops, using crop rotation to promote healthy soil and natural pesticides and fertilizers to encourage growth.

Second, I opted for a vegan diet with a concern for my own physical health.  Consuming clean foods that my body can easily and naturally digest has proven to be very beneficial for my overall well-being.  I have more sustained energy throughout the day, without the spikes and drops I used to have.  By default, I find myself eating more of a balance of nutritious foods.  Previous digestive issues have been eradicated, as I am more able to listen to what my body is trying to tell me.

Yes, listen to my body. 

I realize that may sound obnoxious and new age-y, but I have truly been able to recognize a difference.  With my body not having to constantly figure out what it is going to do with processed, unnatural foods, when something is going awry I am able to recognize it and effectively attend to the problem at hand.  This harmony led to a realization that I have an intolerance to gluten - the protein found in wheat, barley, rye and other plants of the triticae family (hence, caeliac‘s disease).  I noticed that when I consumed wheat products, my face would swell, my eyes would get puffy, and my joints would ache.  So, I tried to be more cognizant of how my body reacted to certain foods.  What a difference!  You may notice, too, that once you start eliminating typical problematic foods (eggs, dairy, red meat) your body will become more in sync with itself.

Sustainable Eco-Veganism: An Introduction

Welcome!

Concern for the environment in this country is growing rapidly. Everywhere you turn, people and companies are encouraging you to “go green.” Bringing your reusable bags to the grocery store is no longer seen as trendy, it’s common place; environmentally-friendly cleaning products have caught up with harmful chemical-based cleaners; organic farming practices are encouraged by the population at large, not just a select few. People are becoming more cognizant than ever about their impact on the world we live in. However, few people know what kind of impact our current food consumption patterns affect the environment. According to the UN, facotory farming – the industrial production of livestock – contributes to 18% of greenhouse gas emissions globally, more than any other industry. The combined emissions of transportation (cars, planes, trains, ships, etc.) account for nearly 13% of greenhouse gasses! Think about it for a second; raising livestock for food consumption is almost 40% more responsible for global warming than transportation. Imagine the change we could initiate by gradually reducing meat consumption.

My mission is simple. Educate the consumer about his/her impact and give sensible solutions to make a difference. A vegan diet doesn’t consist of just vegetables and rice. In fact, when properly advised, a vegan diet can be just as delicious as and MORE nutritious than an omnivorous diet centered on meat. Additionally, when purchased responsibly, an alternative vegan diet won’t have the impact on your wallet that you may think.

This blog is not meant to be preachy; rather, I wish to present a viable alternative to current food production and consumption practices. I will provide you with delicious recipes, educational information and resources to make the vegan diet more accessible to everyone. If you are considering a vegan diet, DO NOT BE AFRAID. I understand that changes in any diet can be challenging, and I am in no way suggesting that you should immediately change your food habits. Rather, try making a few meals a week vegan. Soon, you can set aside one day a week to abstain from animal products. Take it easy, and don’t go overboard as you begin this transition. You may, at first, find it hard to eliminate certain dairy products from your diet – this is to be expected. Listen to your body, and make decisions you feel comfortable committing to. Remember, you are making a lifestyle change… this takes time. Feel proud that you are doing your part in an area you have accountability for. We can’t change the way our world operates overnight, but we can do what we can to change our involvement in it!

Jacob