Eating Green

A few days ago I saw the documentary "Food, Inc." I had read "Fast Food Nation" a few years ago and "The Omnivore's Dilemma" recently, and the film included interviews by the authors of both. Though much of the material was familiar to me already, it was more powerful to see the film. It made me glad I am a vegetarian (I eat fish a couple of times a week).

Food production causes pollution, uses fossil fuels, exploits workers and increases global warming--but we need to eat. Meat production is very inefficient because the animals need to eat a lot of plants to make each pound of meat, so it causes a lot of the pollution, energy use, worker exploitation and global warming. These problems are intensified at Confined Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs. Production of meat can also involve cruelty to animals, and eating too much meat causes a lot of our most common health problems. Then the sick people need doctors and medicines and hospitals, which sometimes cause new problems when they solve old ones (known as "side effects").

I am trying to avoid both sets of problems at the same time by being a vegetarian, but the rest of my family eats meat. I know that most people are not ready to be vegetarians, so why not start eating a bit less meat, and a few more vegetables? Your doctor will be proud of you. And buy local, or grass-fed, or organic meat, milk and eggs. We are lucky to have some local farms that sell meat, eggs and cheese at local farmer's markets throughout our area, not to mention all the great fruits and vegetables. I buy my eggs from a neighbor, year-round. That is good for me because the eggs are delicious and fresh, though not organic, and good for the hens because my neighbor treats them like pets. It is also good for the local economy, and good for the environment because I am supporting local open space, and my neighbor's eleven acres are enough that the chicken droppings are fertilizer, not pollutants. Next time you are driving along one of our scenic roads and you see a sign that says "eggs for sale," stop and ask about the hens and buy some eggs. Go home and make an omelette, or a frittata, or custard. I think you'll be glad you did.