In episode 10 of the Positively Green Podcast, Kelsey and I are talking about somewhat of a controversial topic: eating meat. Do you have to go vegan in order to live a sustainable lifestyle? Kelsey, who used to be a vegan herself, now raises her own chickens! 🐓
Disclaimer: This is NOT an “anti-veganism” rant. What you choose to consume is deeply personal and we respect your decisions. We are simply sharing our own journeys with the topic and opening a dialogue.
Topics we cover in this episode:
- Why you don’t have to go vegan to live sustainably, and how livestock can actually help curb climate change 🐄
- Environmental ramifications of factory-farmed agriculture and why we don’t support it
- The importance of quality, pastured, grass-fed, etc. and regenerative farming for our health and the environment
- Common myths and misconceptions
Resources Mentioned:
- TreeBird Pure Silk Eco Floss
- Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
- Defending Beef: The Case for Sustainable Meat Production by Nicolette Hahn Niman
- Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies: Migrant Farmworkers in the United States by Seth Holmes
- Dr. Kelly Brogan’s research on red meat and depression
Tune in below or subscribe on iTunes! Check out this page for a full list of episodes.
Thanks SO much for listening!
With great respect, you are buying into the meat industries propaganda. I have noticed recently, there is starting to be loads of push back by the meat industry against vegetarianism and reducing meat consumption. These patterns are similar to climate change denialism and how the tobacco industry once fought back against the overwhelming evidence of negative impacts of smoking. Just like climate change there is loads of scientific literature describing why eating meat is bad for the environment and also bad for your health. You will notice the evidence on “how livestock can actually help curb climate change” is not written in a scientific journal by a scientist; it is written by a lawyer in a book that hasn’t been peer-reviewed by experts. In the same way I wouldn’t trust a lawyer to i conduct brain surgery; I would also leave it up to ecologists; climate scientists; soil scientists etc to tell me about the impacts of livestock on the environment.
I am an ecologist and a vegetarian. However, I also fly and drive, and buy things wrapped in plastic. But I am not going to convince you that flying, plastic etc is good for the environment. We all have to do our bit to avert the climate crisis. For some people, they might continue to consume meat but in smaller portions; for others it might be veganism but continue to fly etc…. however, please don’t tell me that eating meat is good for the environment. Next thing you will tell me driving a car is the key to preventing climate change…. it is just wishful thinking that we can have our cake and eat it too. Don’t perpetuate this myth pushed by the meat industry and gullible non-experts..We all have to try and reduce our impact on the earth – less meat; less driving; less flying; less consumption etc. It is pretty simple.