Want to really help the planet? Eat less meat.

I'm not much of a meat-eater myself.  I guess at the moment I'd call myself a flexitarian (I choose to eat vegetarian whenever possible, but I'm not going to refuse to some meat if it's offered to me).  I have, however, given up red meat almost completely (except for the occasional meatball or two at a potluck)  ever since I watched the film Super Size Me.  That movie pretty much changed my whole view of meat and the fast food industry....for the better, I might add. :)   I am currently reading two books about how our diet affects not only our own health but also the health of the planet.  The Kind Diet, by Alicia Silverstone, and Harvest for Hope: A Guide for Mindful Eating, by Jane Goodall, have both reminded me of the importance of eating less meat. 

Not only does meat cause all sorts of problems for our health--heart disease, osteoporosis, even cancer--but it is also depleting our planet of vital resources (i.e. water, land, as well as crops grown not for human consumption, but for animal feed).  Furthermore, methane produced by livestock is the leading cause of pollution, surpassing carbon dioxide emissions from the cars we drive.  Now, those reasons right there are enough for me to step back and really consider cutting out meat from my diet completely.  However, for those of you who love your meat, that's okay.  But, I ask you to really make an effort to eat a little less meat--and a little more veggies or legumes--during the week.  And, when you do eat meat, buying organic, grass-fed meat (preferrably from a local farmer) is really the way to go.  Not only will that meat be a lot better for you--no growth hormones or antibiotics--but it will also mean that we are supporting people actually cares about animals and the land (as opposed to supporting factory farms, which are cruel to animals and are creating havoc for our environment).  I'm not asking anyone to completely give up meat, I'm just asking you to think twice about the meat you do eat, where it comes from, and how it affects your body and our environment. 

You don't have to just take my word for it.  Here are some resources I recommend you check out. :)

http://www.earthsave.org/environment/foodchoices.htm
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/78/3/660S
http://www.csupomona.edu/~admckettrick/projects/ag101_project/html/destruction.html
http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/latest/7397