Vegan Talk Forums

MomoPeach · Advanced Vegan Talker Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 80

Do you have to be vegetarian or vegan to be considered an environmentalist? I mean, there probably many people out there who truly care about the environment a lot, and would buy cars that don't hurt the environment as much, and plant trees, celebrate Earth Day, and be so involved in the environment- but they still eat meat.

BigBecka · Animal defender Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Posts: 412

Not at all!
There are environmentalists who eat meat and dairy, but elect to buy it from small local farms who use traditional, more sustainable farming techniques, and allow the animals to live in (relatively) humane conditions. Quite a few people keep chickens. You might be interested in reading 'The Ecologist' or similar for ideas on an environmentalist lifestyle.

I can't pretend to be comfortable with the idea, personally, but each to their own. Even "free-range" and "humane" farming inherently involves some cruelty, isn't always sustainable or financially viable, and some farmers have been known to flaunt the regulations a little... This is why a lot of vegetarians and vegans are eager to educate people as to what exactly is involved in the livestock farming process.

Like you say, there's plenty of environmentalist activities that fall outside vegetarianism, and I think everyone encourages them.

And, if people are going to eat meat and dairy, I'm naturally in favour of supporting local industry instead of having them hack down the rainforests for cattle ranches. Certainly at one point, the Vegan society were simply encouraging people to explore cutting down on animal products and become more aware of the issues surrounding them, on the basis that it's all a step in the right direction

BigBecka · Animal defender Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Posts: 412

BBC's Panorama broadcast a programme on ethical living and environmentalism last night. Most interesting was the following:
Farming animals produces an astonishing 18% of world emissions of greenhouse gases - much of it from the burps, farts and poos of the world's three billion cows and sheep.

The programme advocated going vegan from an environmental perspective, rather than an animal right one.

Read more here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/6413195.stm

Calhoun07 · Posted: Sep 19, 2007 12:08 am Post subject:

If they truly care about the environment, then they should become vegans.

We all learn things in stages. I do not cast stones at those who are environmentalists but still eat meat. I just hope they realize they can actually reduce greenhouse gases more efficiently by cutting meat out of their diet than by buying an expensive car made at a plant that expelled quite a bit of greenhouse gases to make that car.