AIBU to think there’s no justification for eating meat and dairy any more?

[AnnoyingVegan]

People are educated now. People know that eating meat and dairy is disastrous for the planet. People know it’s causing an unprecedented climate crisis. People know it causes untold cruelty to animals.

So why are people still doing it? There is a vegan substitute for virtually every meat and dairy product you can think of. What is going on here?

The number of people I’ve seen on social media breaking their hearts over Australia shooting wild camels and horses because they drink too much water while still eating beef blows my mind.

• People are educated now. People know that eating meat and dairy is disastrous for the planet. People know it’s causing an unprecedented climate crisis. People know it causes untold cruelty to animals.

So why are people still doing it? *

Because I really enjoy a nice juicy steak and extra mature cheddar!!

I agree with you op. People just don't give a flying fuck unfortunately. Funding animal abuse is fine apparently.

We could dial back on the extremism on both sides of the debate and consider a measured approach that promotes a healthier environment and appeals to a greater number of the population.

We’re designed to eat meat, but our ancestors did not eat meat every day and certainly not multiple times in a day. They could go several days, perhaps weeks without fish or meat depending on seasonal availability and successful hunting trips. So, if we’re built to consume some meat, but far less frequently and in smaller quantities, perhaps the way forward is to persuade people to cut down and cut back rather than demand they give up meat and dairy entirely. As well as the obvious environmental benefit, encouraging people to spend money on meat less often but to direct that budget into better quality, locally sourced meat, fish, and dairy is a great way to boost the economy at home.
This doesn’t have to be an either/or. We could discuss this like rational adults, come up with workable alternatives, and remain respectful of others.

I don’t have kids or pets and I cycle to work. I also grow most of my own veg on my allotment. But even if I didn’t do those things, giving up meat and dairy is still, by far, the single biggest thing a person can do to reduce their carbon footprint.

Bollox.

I don't have children, that's my contribution to reducing my carbon foot print.

As an ex vegan and vegan sympathiser i still think yabvu. I wasnt happy as a vegan. Far happier now i have no restrictive labels and eat what i like.

Vegan food is junk, GMO crap. Are the Royals stopping eating meat? Nah, didn't think so. I'll eat what I want.

Vegetables are junk food? What now?

I low carb for medical reasons. Its virtually impossible to low carb on a vegan diet. Meat has no carbs. No way am I risking my health for vegan fo gooders.

We should all eat less meat as someone said up thread. I think most of us in the U.K. are conscious of that and trying. That will be far more effective than a few people doing preachy militant veganism

Should people not be allowed to eat what they want, without someone preaching to them on what they should/should not be eating?

Why is it always the "meat bashers" that are so vocal?

This may or may not come as a shock to you.
But I don’t get that much of a choice about what I eat.
I take my healthy start vouchers to the co-op where I get 4pints of milk a bag of spuds and some frozen veg.
Then I go to the food bank. Where I will gratefully receive anything I am offered.
I spend £2 a fortnight on a dozen eggs from the family near my mum who have been rescuing and rehabilitating chickens since I was a kid. I used to sit in a barn surrounded by the chickens when I was practicing the viola as a kid.

I don’t have the luxury of choosing what I eat, and there are hundreds of thousands of other people just like me.

Being vegan is a really brilliant environmental choice, but it’s a privilege and one that isn’t accessible by all.

So I take it you don’t consume anything made with almond? Bees are considered livestock in America and it’s common for 35% of a hive to die when they’re transported to pollinate the almond plants. They’re poisoned by the pesticides used in almond farming and even if it’s organic almonds they’re poisoned by the surrounding fields.

Society needs to look into how economically viable all food is to make. It's not just vegans who eat almonds and avocado.

@AnnoyingVegan you are brainwashed and clearly believe everything you read. Try spending a day with a community farmer, I think you’d be shocked. Also, cows NEED milking.

Vegetables are junk food? What now?

No one said that. Vegans rarely exist in vegetables only. Most vegan food items available in shops are full of shit. Vegan sausage rolls, ready meals, cup cakes, cakes etc. All full of crap.

YABU. We need to eat better quality meat less often. The livestock farming industry is being used as a convenient target but some of the science and facts that are being peddled are misleading at best and untrue at worst.

The type of meat production that takes place in South America is grossly damaging. Eating local meat that has been reared on a diet of purely grass is not, and actually pasture based systems lock carbon away under the ground as well as adding organic matter to our heavily degraded souls. The type of monoculture that produces grain and some plant based alternatives is hugely damaging to wildlife as well as soil fertility and structure whereas mixed farming - crops and livestock in rotation - adds fertility back to the soil. There is a widely held belief that because of the damaging practices used to grow crops at a large scale our soils are degrading at such a rate that we only have 100 harvests (or thereabouts left); without livestock farming in rotation there is no way to even start to repair this damage.

Everything in moderation. Plus, if you do the research and understand the science, cows do not create carbon dioxide, they basically cycle it, the only thing that actually creates carbon dioxide is burning fossil fuels.

The same tired, ignorant tropes get trotted out every time

Yes, I do wish the Annoying Preachy Vegans would stop doing that.

The majority of people aren't going to go vegan to save the planet when they can't even eat to save their bodies from obesity/ poor health.

There is a lot to be said for vegetarianism and veganism, but I'd rather vastly cut down on my animal product intake than eliminate it all together. The same as I would rather use my car less than just stop using it.

It's not just eating animal products that is fucking up the planet, as I'm sure you're aware OP. But most people's priority is feeding their own DC now, not what will happen to the planet when we're not here any more. That's just human nature.

gamechangersmovie.com/food/core-principles/

scarsthelot Luckystar777 said up thread vegan food is junk GMO crap My reply was to that.

Vegan food is bland and boring. A bit like vegans.

I like meat and cheese. Not giving up either.

Also, cows NEED milking.

I'm a meat eater but isn't the case that diary cows are impregnated yearly purely so they'll produce milk? If they weren't routinely impregnated they wouldn't produce milk.

I remember seeing a programme about a dairy farmer who euthanised male calves shortly after birth as they had no commercial value.

I thought the problem with cows was methane not carbon dioxide? So if the claim is that cows recycle co2 it's irrelevent?

Global warming gases are measured in terms of co2 equivalent ( CO2e) . I think 1 unit methane is equivalent to 4 co2 emissions)

After that it depends on what type of feed they are given and where it comes from ?

I don't think that vegan food is bland and boring, that's probably the cook

I don't know whether I agree that everyone should go vegan but I did have to respond to this from @Thefaceofboe...

"Also, cows NEED milking."

Cows only produce milk when they've given birth to a calf. The calf is is taken away within 24 hours of birth. With no baby to feed, you're right, the cow need to be milked. But that situation is created by the farmer - it doesn't happen on its own! Three months later they usually will be artificially inseminated and the cycle begins again.