Hello Ken
Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said:
> Meat is most certainly a sustainable food source. More than that,
> there is no sustainable way to maintain and renew soil fertility for
> crop growth without raising animals too. Nature never attempts it,
> and Man's attempts are doomed to failure - indeed, they are failing.
> Removing the animals would inevitably mean increased reliance on
> industrialised agriculture for crop production, and especially on
> fossil-fuels and chemical fertilisers, and therefore on pesticides
> too. Wall-to-wall GMOs, in the face of soaring oil costs, hm.
Keith,
Perhaps I overstated my case and simultaneously was not clear. But, you
covered it for me anyway. You are correct, meat as a food source is viable
but, I don't think that will continue to be as much of staple like it has been
in the U.S. for the last few decades.
Yes, eat less of it. On the other hand, eat less of everything! Or of
all the processed junk at least.
Furthermore, I don't think that it
could have been a staple to the degree that it has been if such a large
portion of the world wasn't already somewhere between near-vegetarian and
vegan.
I think not. Most people eat a mixed diet. There is no traditional
vegetarian society and never has been, it's not a sustainable system,
sooner or later the soil fertility reserves wind down.
6 billion people eating factory raised beef for 2 meals a day would
take its toll on the environment pretty fast.
Indeed, but why should it have to be factory farmed? Outside the
industrialised countries and industrialised urban centres elsewhere
it's generally not factory farmed.
You are correct, livestock
definitely help us
Not just help, animals are essential.
tend the soil but, that doesn't mean that you have to eat
the animal for it to be beneficial to you.
Actually it does, eat them or compete with them.
You could just as easily raise
sheep for wool and still have livestock as a dual purpose barnyard companion.
Yes.
And again, have the added benefit of the meat when the sheep has become too
old for shearing.
Yes. Anyway, even with raising meat, you don't slaughter the
breeders, just the offspring.
Likewise, grazing work horses would provide even better
nutrients to the soil if I understand correctly.
Not so, horses are far inferior grazers to cattle and sheep.
Back to the original point
though, corporate agrobusiness approach to meat farming means that the animal
waste is nothing more than a toxic with which to pollute our streams. That
same waste is not being used to fertilize the soil. The inputs and outputs of
factory farming make that approach to a meat-centric diet unsustainable.
Quite right.
Personally, I'd rather see the inputs going to raise grains or vegetables to
help the parts of the world that are struggling to provide enough food for
themselves right now.
Not a good answer. Food aid only helps in emergencies, but disasters
like famines usually wouldn't happen had there been timely
development efforts which could have prevented them. Have a look at
this, for instance:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_food.html
Biofuels - Food or Fuel?
What parts of the world that are struggling to provide enough food
for themselves really need is an equitable world economic system,
fair trade not "free" trade, and less bullying by the G8 and the
likes of the IMF. And their local lackeys.
> But organic farming can't feed everybody? I reckon it's the only
> thing that can, and it's spreading like a weed. But the crazed food
> distribution system will have to go, along with its billions of
> wasted "food miles", and the corporate grip on it all will have to go
> too.
For what its worth, I never said anything to the affect that organic farming
couldn't feed everyone.
I know you didn't, and good for you, but it's the usual objection.
In fact, I buy as much *local* *organic* fruits and
vegetables as I can get a hold of. I certainly try to promote buying local as
much as I can.
It makes so much sense, eh?
One more thought, there are *very few* streams here Lancaster County
Pennsylvania that I would consider swimming in or eating fish from. This is
primarily due to the incredible amount of dairy cattle waste that finds its
way into the water every day. That waste is coming directly from the source.
It's a thoroughly lousy way of doing it and it has no future. But
dairy farming itself certainly has a future.
Take care,
And you too.
Best
Keith
Ken
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