I buy local because it's fresher, often less expensive, and if it is California Certified Organic, it holds itself to a higher standard. I would prefer to support my local community because too often, a product is only availabe from overseas. I try to buy local to make up for the times that I can't.

I have limited my beef/pork consumption to one meal a week or less. I mostly eat chicken now, or go vegetarian. Even when I eat chicken, it is usually just part of the meal (just a few ounces) -- not the whole meal. I doubt I would ever become a vegan. I figure that chickens take much less resources than cattle do, hence the lower prices. I also suspect that they produce much less methane. I may one day completely stop eating beef and pork, but I like to leave my options open, and I think that if everyone limited their intake to once a week or less, the effects would be tremendous. Total abstinence is not needed.

I am so happy to see this issue being addressed on this site!

I have found that simply stating I am vegan, in a pleasant way, when it is appropriate to do so seems to inspire others to eat less meat or move further on the spectrum of eating compassionately (which also is best for the environment.) It comes up, for instance, when we're deciding what kind of pizza (veggie, no cheese...yum!) to get, or whatever.

Ive been doing the same. Last year, my freshman year, i dibble dabbled with vegatarianism and going vegan. But i am finding that beef if the least green. It was originally for weight loss, not eating meant, but ive gone back to it and made the comprimise of not eating beef too much. :) I eat more chicken.
Im in my spohmore year(high school) and right now, i know that im contributing to help with climate change. Although i love animals, its less for the animals and more for the earth. Thats why I am not eating much beef any more :)

Global Warming Fossil Fuels

or Global Warming Ethanol and Soy Fuels

How about no Global Warming Fuels

and alternative power drive sources.

I have an idead for a Power drive

source for vehicles written into

my computer and sketched in a book.

Tell me how to get a billion in grants

and investments and I'll have it in

production in 2 to 3 years.

Remember... We have 10 years to turn

Global Warming around. Have faith in

me or let's all fry!

Sinceriously, VINCENT HUFF

Visit this site, too!

http://www.veganoutreach.org/whyvegan/environment.html

Check out that webpage for reason to go vegan for the planet!

Here's another:

http://www.vegan.org/about_veganism/environment.html

Not only is beef the worst to eat in regards to the environment (I've read it takes 16 times the amount of energy to get a pound of beef on the table versus a pound of grain or veggies!), it's also the most difficult to digest. Our bodies aren't designed to eat meat (our digestive systems, stomach acidity, and check out our teeth in comparison to a lion... completely different!), and even the carnivores in the wild don't COOK their meat... sure, it tastes good, but are the complications it creates for the environment, health issues, etc, worth it?
I also understand that the Aussies and Kiwis are having issues with the methane gas that their livestock put off... not to mention that most animals are pumped with hormones, antibiotics, live in bad conditions and are scared out of their minds before they're slaughtered... and we then EAT that energy! No wonder vegetarian horse trainers have an easier time training than their carnivorous counterparts; the horses can smell the rotting flesh inside them!
To me, it's obvious that a vegan diet is the most green; the energy going to raise livestock can go to the people who are STARVING in the world! We as a human race need to focus on sustainability if we are to thrive on this planet, and starting to go towards a vegan diet (or at least, vegetarian) is an important aspect of that!
We're all in this together!
ONE LOVE!!!

I've been a vegetarian for 20 years now.
I don't eat beef, chicken or any seafood and also will not eat soup if it is made with beef or chicken broth.
My goal is to be a vegan, but I haven't yet completely given up cheese or eggs.
I initially became a vegeterian because I had started reading a lot of literature from PETA which included some brutal realities about the way animals were treated and slaughtered and couldn't bear to be part of that.
To now realize that being vegetarian also has benefit to our environment makes me even happier that I've made this my lifestyle.

As my children and I have moved away from the Standard American Diet over the last 10 years, we have had plenty of upsets and hard times. Although we were never heavy meat eaters, we had felt pressure to consume meat, and were readily relieved when we looked into vegetarianism. (Was I ever thrilled to find that I have one child who is allergic to fruit that has been cooked, and one that is allergic to meat since birth!)

From there we have worked to become vegan, and are turning quite heavily to raw veganism and finding the health benefits to be plentiful.

As a source of encouragement, and a source of recipes to help you become greener, please feel free to visit my works in progress at www.2CreateYourLife.com and http://2CreateYourLife.blogspot.com

Vegan is the only response-able way to live. And being a raw-foodist (80%) helps to be even more energy conscious.

The meat industry:
Is responsible for 40% more GHG emissions than any other industry (transportation's #2).
Consumes 70% of all food
Consumes 80% of all agricultural land
Consumes 50% of all water
Consumes over 33% of all fossil energy
Causes 80% of deforestation
Causes more water pollution than any other industry
Causes significant animal suffering
Is unhealthy.

What worries me most is the fate of the cows. They are a co-evolved species: there are no great herds of cows out roaming the wilds everywhere, and even if your heart does not go pitty pat at
" The friendly cow, all red and white,
I love with all my heart . ."
[finishing up with]
"She walks among the meadown grass
And eats the meadow flowers."
-- still, what becomes of them? Do we cut the faences and turn them out on the roads? Humanely machinegun them and humanely bulldoze them into pits? Will we miss them later? Drat it, they are part of the family, they grew up with humankind, and do they deserve to be abandoned in a sudden fit of conscience?

Having been vegan for more than 20 years, I'm pretty convinced that it is the way to go, both for health and the environment.

I have not pressed my beliefs on others over the years--except my daughter, who was vegan until age 8, experimented with her friends for a few years and then decided on her own that she wanted to be vegan. She is now a very earth conscious teenager!

There are a lot of processed vegan foods these days, unlike when I first started. I would guess that the processing and packaging/transportation diminishes the overall green factor... We started an organic garden last year, learned a lot and plan to have a bit bigger one this year with more variety. Nothing like getting fresh veggies out of your own garden!

The scales show that we are polluting the environment more and weighing more. One study tells us that we have gotten 30% larger in the last 7 years...not good news for an already strained Mother Nature. The vegan way of life offers one solution to both problems.

check out my short film on veganism

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vhlp23oHR1Q

The vast majority of the studies I have read - and I mean scientific, peer-reviewed studies - show support for vegan and vegetarian diets, and also mention that local and organic foods are the best for the environment. I personally have been a vegetarian for over four years (working on becoming a vegan) and my footprint is a lot smaller than those who eat meat regularly.

Morningstar's products have been an easy favorite since my 15 year-old started table food. Our diet is omnivorous and includes live whole foods at each meal as much as possible.

Be prepared to get creative. It's becoming just as easy for me to make healthier meals now that I think about it more. I'll make a big pot of barley, then use some for a soup, some mixed with veggies & cheese for dinner, and the rest warmed with milk and maple syrup for breakfast.

Favorite green dish of late? Whole Meal Salad by an awesome chef at the local soup kitchen & culinary school. Mix shredded red & white cabbage, chopped kale, shredded carrots, diced baked tofu, cooked brown rice, chopped tamari almonds, and some sesame seeds. Toss everything with some fresh-squeezed lemon juice and balsamic vinagrette and you have a salad that's great for weight loss, detoxing or just balancing out the rest of your diet.

I make it by the ton then store it in individual containers to grab and go, as well as share with others. Do yourself a favor and sure the veggies are organic!

My husband and I are not vegetarian yet. We each eat about 3 0r 4 oz of beef every 2 weeks, 2 or 3 oz of pork every 2 weeks, 3 meals of fish/seafood, 2 of chicken/turkey a week. Breakfast, lunch are always cereals, vegetables and fruit. Legumes, yogurt, soy milk are the sources of most of our protein needs. We favor whole grain high fiber bread. I wish venison and particularly rabbits would be more available. When we had a garden (organic) we raised rabbits feeding them with vegetables peels & leaves, and wild herbs or certain weeds. The meat is succulent, non-fat, low calories; we had a few hens also for fresh eggs. We were "green" without knowing!

We love Morning Star products at our house. We have replaced all our meat for those... not only for the environment, but also to save animals' lives. Join us and try some Morning Star... less fat and cholesterol, and no animal suffering involved :)

This is a great alternative to Shepards Pie, I like to call it Shepardess Pie. I served it to my dad whose favourite meal is the "orginal" and he really liked it!

You can use tinned lentils if it makes it easier or the ones you boil.

2 x 400g tins or 500g of brown lentils
2 Onions Chopped
Can of Chopped Tomatoes
2 Cups Fresh Seasonal Vegetables
1 Packet French Onion Soup Mix
1kg Potatoes
Olive Oil
Butter & Milk if you want creamier potatoes.

Brown off onion in a saucepan, add vegetables and cook for a few mintues
Add cooked lentils, (drain first), tinned tomatoes and soup mix. Cook until heated through.
Make your mashed potatoes buy boiling in water or mircrowave.
Add butter, milk, olive oil and mash till creamy. Add celtic sea salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon lentil mixture into a baking dish.
Spread mashed potatoes over the top. You can add cheese on top if you whish and it's also nice to add some sliced tomatoes if in season
Bake for 1/2 an hour or until top is brown.

Yum, yum, yum - Everyone will ask you for the receipe!!!

Being a Vegan is the best as it is definately the diet that is the lightest on the planet and gives you a smaller carbon footprint. I am a long time vegetarian and vegan.

I would recommend that you read

The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter/The Ethics of What We Eat by Peter Singer. He offers some great insight into eating meat and the environmental impacts of such.

*no meat for the last 10 years
*it's scary how bad people eat
*lots of water, some wine

*try this shake in the morning:

Spinach, Celery, Parsley, Ginger, strawberries, grapes, apple, 1 Acai fozen pack, oats, flax seeds, all in small proportional bunches in your Juice blender add about 28oz of pure water and blend it thoroughly.

It's so healthy and delicious you'll not believe it!! It cleanses your body and gives you instantly the best combination of vitamins, antioxidants and some protein on a fruity yet greenish super shake to start your day with the best natural fuel!

I created it and love it and love to share it with others so they can experience the best breakfast you can ever have!

Love, peace and light,

feRnaN

It's true I enjoy a steak and burger from time to time. And before, it was more often than not. I've attempted to cut out meat, and only eat it when it's necessary. I've mostly done this because I believe in respecting the food with I consume. I feel that all animals should be treated humanely, even if I eat meat, I still feel they should live happy lives, be healthy, and maintained like one would a child. They are creatures of our planet, and I appreciate them.

So to reduce my use, and also to live a much healthier life. I've cut my meats, even fish. I try to do all veggies meals, or at least eat less red meat. I shop for organic, and avoid eating fish that isn't protected. I also tell all my friends to the same.

The hardest task is eating out. I love eating out! So today for lunch, I went to California Pizza Kitchen and instead of eating pepporni and sausage, I went with a Mushroom only Pizza. It was great! Mushrooms are great cooked and I think make up for meat. Maybe they will for you too???

I gave up meat for lent. i was a veggie in the past and I had forgotten how good it feels. I am really trying to eat local as well. so far good and it is easier than i thought!

vegetarian is the better way to eat. because we mustn't make suffer and dye some other animals, who never make us any violence. I don't speack english but in french. nous ne devons pas faire souffrir et tuer des animaux qui ne nous ont fait aucun mal.
NOs pratiques sont cruelles et barbares.
Enfin donner le droit de réponse a la terre à l'air que nous respirons,ou tout condamner l'air l'eau la vie, et la vie des autres animaux aussi.

it's my opinion and I thinck, a lot of people get the same.

The debate is over-eating lower on the food chain is most green and sustainable. Vegan. Vegetarian still supports the beef industry.

The meat issue is just as complicated as the fresh organic produce issue. It seems to me the lines between big business' concept of "Organic" have blurred "organic" dreadfully in the last eight years.

The island I live on has become more proactive regarding the "living local" concept in the last eight years but unfortunately we are a relatively small community with only two grocery stores. The Stop & Shop has a captured cliental and in the last couple of years has created their own brand or "organic".

I am actually a proponent of meat as a protein food balanced out with grains and lots of fresh local produce.

Many people in my community have become involed in the "slow foods" movement and I believe that it is a great way for people to promote health/ off the grid food and friendship. I am wondering how one can get more local protein though.

As the planet's human population continues to rise nearly exponentially, it becomes self-evident that raising animals for food is simply a losing proposition. The land that it takes to grow food to raise an animal which will feed a virtual HANDFUL of people could have been alternately used to grow food that would feed HUNDREDS or even THOUSANDS of people. Add to that the waste that animals generate (which pollutes and destroys entire ecosystems as well as our own drinking water) and take into account the many health benefits of a vegetarian/vegan diet and one can see that it's in the best interest of mankind to go vegetarian/vegan.

Fishing fleets are devastating the world's oceans as rapidly as possible, cattle ranchers are bulldozing the rainforests by the square mile, and pork and poultry farmers are contaminating the very land we live on. If all of that isn't reason enough to go vegetarian/vegan than I offer one other potentially compelling reason: Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Leo Tolstoy, Mohandas Gandhi, Albert Schweitzer and all four of The Beatles are/were vegetarians. Maybe, just maybe the greatest minds in human history were on to something worthwhile- food for thought perhaps?

How about hunting or fishing directly off of nearby undeveloped land if that is available to you? I am not aware of any studies that look into this in detail, but hunting may end up being more green than even a vegan diet if the food for the vegan diet was produced on farmed land. Of course, this is only true if the amount of hunting/fishing, etc does not exceed the lands carrying capacity.

I expect that this may be a bit controversial, but my first level impression is that it would be the case. This is not an easy option for some folks, but it is a practice that has and still does provide protein for many people while leaving the land relatively undisturbed.

Insisting on veganism or vegetarism will create a backlack. In all things, moderation.

Urge people to cut back on meat products, and indulge in veganism in your own life, but insisting evryone has to eat vegan will only create more backyard barbecues with 3 inch thick steaks.

And do it in an informed manner for a change. I understand rice patties release greenhouse gases too. I prefer information on my food choices, bt it has to be real, not holier than tho uninformed information.

Well myself I went Vegan a year ago and I have never been healthier. I don't get sick often, my blood pressure is wonderful, normal cholesterol. I've lost over one hundred pounds. I'm saving so many animals lives that's the best thing!

Vegan=Respect for the Earth and all inhibitants!

Vegan=Respect for the Earth and all inhabitants!

Just a few years ago, I was a person who ate white rice, white bread, red meat.... you name it! I have made many, gradual changes to my way of living over the last several years, one thing at a time. I hope it makes a lighter footprint. I am an avid reclycler, and do my best to avoid packaged, esp. over-packaged, products. As a gardener, I always raised a good portion of my food myself. Now that I am unable, I buy from the local farmers' market, and from local home gardeners. I eat only whole grains and whole-grain foods, fruits, vegetables, and a small amount of chicken, bought locally. I do still eat local eggs, and milk from a local dairy, but that will be my next big lifestyle change. When I started, I cut out refined carbs first... beef was next, then pork, and so on. It is a big lifestyle change, and I believe it is less of a shock to the system to do it one thing at a time. The bonus in making one change until it's part of your lifestyle, then moving on to another, is that people are more apt to stick with changes that they make in this manner, rather than those made all at once, and that's the goal. I think that most of the people who say they've tried, but just couldn't deal with the diet, are those that have tried doing too much, too quickly, and give up. BTW... Quinoa has been a boon to me, as it is a complete protein, unlike any other grains/seeds, and is very versatile. Great stuff!

A note to the person who mentioned that you'd never see gorillas eating meat, other than insects... though true for gorillas, other great apes, such as chimpanzees, do eat meat on occasion. There was a recent PBS program that showed that researchers had discovered chimpanzees making spears to poke in tree holes to stab bush-babies, and then eat them.

Someone mentioned being sensitive about people eating rabbit, as she told of her pet rabbits and how they coould not be compared with a meat animal, due to their responsiveness, etc.., It is known that pigs are actually at least as intelligent as dogs... yet many can remain emotionally detached enough to allow them to be killed so they can eat them, while being abhorred that someone in another country could kill and eat a dog! Why does the fact that one decides an animal is a "pet" either increase its right to live, or decrease those rights for another species, say a pig?! The difference is partly what we learn, growing up... what is "okay" or "not okay". If a person happened to grow up in a land where dogs were treated as a meat crop, and pigs were kept as pets, loved and fawned over, the reaction would be just the opposite of what it is here! The fact is, because cattle, pigs, etc... ARE eaten here by many, they are given an "emotional divorce" of sorts, which helps ease the dilemma for those who want to be able to eat them. Therefore, pigs, cows, and the like don't "seem" the same as other animals- like our pets- but it's because they are never given the CHANCE to show or develop those personalities! It would be much too difficult to mentally "divorce" ourselves from them, then. But-I assure you, they ARE there! They ALL have innate personalities...

I probably have less problem with a meat eater who is a GOOD and responsible hunter... An excellant shot, who eats what he hunts. The animal lives a full and normal life up to the moment of death, and knows no more. If that hunter is grateful to a higher Power, whatever that may be for him/her, I think that carries the most respect, in my book.

Someone said they felt okay in drinking milk, because "you don't kill the cow to get the milk". I once lived behind a small, family-run dairy farm, and I can tell you that animals do die, in order for us to enjoy dairy products. One day I was priviledged to watch one of the cows in the field give birth to a little calf. It was an adorable little thing. She was washing her baby up nicely. Before her calf even had a chance to stand and nurse for his first time, along came the farmer, who picked up the newborn calf (must have been a bull-calf) and plopped him in the back of the pickup truck and carted him off to, probably, the local slaughterhouse. I could only sit and weep for the loss this new bovine mom must have been feeling, and the total bewilderment, fear and confusion of her sweet, new-to-the world baby. Yeah... welcome to the world, little one. I was completely heartbroken. This is what dairy products cost. A cow will not give milk without being pregnant and bearing young. Believe it or not, there are people who have actually never thought about this.. they just assume that cows are milk-factories. Even if the calf born is a female, the farmer will generally take it away from its mother, and feed it a milk substitute, so as to save the milk for the consumers. I fact it was the feeding of calves that was the proverbial "straw" that caused me to stop eating red meat-- during the height of the mad cow crisis, a newscaster mentioned that, in light of it, farmers were moving away from the practice of feeding calves BLOOD, as a milk substitute. That was it for me. The thought of taking an innocent calf, and an herbivore at that, and feeding it blood, was just more than I could wrap my brain around. It made me physically sick.

At any rate... I continue my journey.. I keep making improvements, changes for the better, though not all at once. But- I know exactly what my goals are. Keep trying, everyone.. keep chipping away- together, it makes a difference! Ummm... sorry for the lengthy novel! ;0)

Of coarse, a Vegan diet is the most environmentally friendly,and Vegetarian next. Eating meat would only be possibly enviro friendly if you ate meat that was thrown away or road kill, or from wild game or fowl, if it was from species that were overabundant and negativly affecting the balance of the eco-system.

But your average beef, chicken, or pork comes from factory farms which 90% of this nations soybeans are used on, 80% of its corn, and high percentages of other grains. When you factor in the use of these grains to feed livestock, it amounts to a huge percentage of our fossil fuels are used for the entire process, and 50% of our water.

ITS CRAZY, that we do this, and the only way its at all affordable for us to do this, is that our taxmoney, subsidizes this whole operation, from the growing of the grain, to the hundreds of million of dollars going to subsidize Big Oil.

Beef should really cost $50 lb!...just like it does in Japan.

Fish isn't much better for the environment when you consider sometimes 80 to 90% of the catch in nets is thrown away, and only target fish are kept. Our fisheries worldwide are on the brink of Total Collapse! Fishing also is a subsidized industy.

I'm an Italian boy and I think that a big solution to the nutrition is the Mediterranean Diet. It agrees to defeat the tumours. But this diet has a lot of problems: to eat slowly and moderately (the risk of infarct is elevated), when you eat the meat you have to accomapany the chicken or the beef with the vegetables, because the vegetables detroy the possibles toxins and the other elements that influence adversely the digestion. Also the vitamin intake is lacking in the flesh is completed by the vegetables ! :)

2 additions to this wonderful discussion:

1) As important as it is to stop meat consumption, going off *dairy* consumption is even more important for ecosystemic health -- and your own personal health.

You will be amazed how much this opens your eyes:

http://notmilk.com

2) We must have far far fewer cows, for many reasons. One huge reason that is not so well known can be understood from this:

=======================================
Dust In West Up 500 Percent In Past Two Centuries
=======================================

ScienceDaily (Feb. 25, 2008) — The West has become 500 percent dustier in the past two centuries due to westward U.S. expansion and accompanying human activity beginning in the 1800s, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder.
[[ Sediment records from dust blown into alpine lakes in southwest Colorado's San Juan Mountains over millennia indicates the sharp rise in dust deposits coincided with railroad, ranching and livestock activity in the middle of the last century, said geological sciences Assistant Professor Jason Neff, lead author on the study. The results have implications ranging from ecosystem alteration to human health, he said. ]]
[[ "From about 1860 to 1900, the dust deposition rates shot up so high that we initially thought there was a mistake in our data," said Neff. "But the evidence clearly shows the western U.S. had it's own Dust Bowl beginning in the 1800s when the railroads went in and cattle and sheep were introduced into the rangelands." ]]
...
While droughts can trigger erosion and increased dust deposition, western U.S. droughts during the past two centuries have been relatively mild compared to droughts over the past 2,000 years, Neff said. [[[ Instead, the increased dustiness in the West coincides with intensive land use, primarily grazing, according to radiocarbon dating and lead isotope analysis of soil cores retrieved from lakebeds, he said. ]]]
[[[ "There were an estimated 40 million head of livestock on the western rangeland during the turn of the century, causing a massive and systematic degradation of the ecosystems," said Neff. The 1934 Taylor Grazing Act that imposed restrictions on western grazing lands coincided with a decrease in accumulation rates of the San Juan lake sediments in the study -- a decrease that continues to today, he said. ]]]
The study also shows more than a five-fold increase in nutrients and minerals in the lakebed sediments during the last 150 years, said Neff. Increases in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium -- byproducts of ranching, mining and agricultural activity - have been shown to change water alkalinity, aquatic productivity and nutrient cycling.
In the Niwot Ridge alpine region west of Boulder, for example, CU-Boulder researchers have observed increased algal growth in streams and lakes as a result of rising nitrogen deposition, as well as changes in the composition and diversity of wildflowers on the tundra. "Because these types of inputs have the potential to increase plant growth, the ultimate outcome of such depositions could change the fabric of our ecosystems," said Neff.
[[[[[ Excessive dust also can cause significant human health problems, including lung tissue damage, allergic reactions and respiratory problems, Neff said ]]]]]
...
"There seems to be a perception that dusty conditions in the West are just the nature of the region," said Neff. "We have shown here that the increase in dust since the 1800s is a direct result of human activity and not part of the natural system."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080224134744.htm

Vegan of course is best, but very hard for most people to do. I was a strict vegetarian for 12 years, but having problems like having a wheat allergy and can't eat most meat substitutes now, I do on occasion eat fish. All anyone can do is try the best they can. Of course I respect an animals right to a life so I stay away from eating them and try not to eat fish too much. If we all try hard to do our best, it makes such a huge difference.

My husband and I are vegetarian and our 9 year-old son has just decided that he is, too. We eat about 50% vegan and 50% vegetarian. It is too hard for most kids to give up cheese in foods, not impossible, just very hard. Our friends also would stress over trying a vegan recipe, but manage to find vegetarian dishes to make when we are invited for dinner. I think it is easier to be totally vegan if you enjoy a variety of foods, live near a big city (if you like eating out), and have like-minded friends. We are happy with the way we are eating for the environment and for health/nutrition. Replacing traditional meat based recipes has been key in keeping our commitment. There are tons of tasty veggie/vegan foods to buy/make, but it takes some trial and error to build a collection of favorites that everyone in the family enjoys. Don't give up; it's fun trying new things!

although i said eating chicken may be somewhat less harmful to the environment than eating pork or beef, it needs to be said that chickens are some of the most cruelly treated animals of all those we eat, with NO protections in the humane slaughter act.

debeaking without painkillers. unimaginably crowded and filthy living conditions. unnatural diets and unnatural body proportions, making it painful to even stand. and at the end of the line, it is disturbingly often that they're boiled alive.

you should check out the documentary "earthlings." it really had an effect on me.

I like things all natural and simple.That's why I joined LIVE EARTH in the first place, and I've been working my best to make GREEN decisions throughout my daily life. However, turning vegeterian was something personal, but now , knowing that its green decision too, I feel pretty good and I'm much more motivated to keep it going.

this has nothin 2 do wit this the situantion but i dont eat srimp or sushi.does that make me a vegitarian?anywayzer bye persons!!!