It seems like everyone is jumping on the "go vegan, anti-meat bandwagon" lately. There have been a couple articles in the Pique on this topic recently, but let's take a little deeper look and think about this rather than just accept what the loudest voices are saying.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and our largest sources of greenhouse gases are oil and gas production, transportation, electricity production, wetlands and swamps, and agriculture.
So cows emit methane, but consider the fact that if the grass they eat was left to rot, methane would still be released.
We have had large ruminant animals on the earth for God knows how long, industry as we know it for only a short time, but let's blame the animals for climate change. I'm sorry, this is ridiculous.
Also consider that livestock properly raised creates soil, which actually captures methane and carbon, stores water, and combats desertification.
Properly raised livestock are beneficial to the environment, and necessary for properly raised vegetables.
Which brings us into taking a quick look into plant agriculture. Things required by a vegan diet are mono-cropped grains and vegetables like rice, wheat, soy, quinoa, canola, corn, legumes, etc., which devastate the local ecosystems, destroy animal habitat, and are raised with glyphosate, fertilizers and other chemicals.
This is through displacing the animals in the fields, spraying, and killing at harvest time, so the animals don't get caught in the harvesters and contaminate the crops.
It seems to me that the real issue should not be meat vs. veggies, but should be regenerative agriculture vs. industrial agriculture. To eat in a way that is healthy for the planet and for us is not rocket science, but there is a lot of misinformation out there. Start with the obvious, avoid the ultra-processed garbage like the fake meat, and eat in the most natural way possible.
Go eat a grass-fed steak, and don't feel guilty about it!
Greg Funk // Whistler
