To ask you to think twice about eating chicken regularly

[Tigofigo]

...it's just not sustainable for us to consume as much as we do.

Intensive chicken farming is polluting and destroying our rivers and also potentially causing breathing difficulties and lung issues in those who live near farms spraying chicken / other animal manure as fertilizer.

Really worrying too, at a time when govt are ripping up EU regs on environmental laws that will further destroy our rivers and the animals, plants and people that rely on them (along with the shit already pumped into them...).

www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/25/chicken-farm-giant-linked-to-river-wye-decline-was-sued-over-water-blight-in-us

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/14/muck-spreading-could-be-banned-to-reduce-air-pollution

inews.co.uk/news/brexit-bonfire-environment-regulations-otters-dolphins-birds-conservationists-1875799

Its really not. Someone always comes out with it though. 😬

@BigWoollyJumpers

dont kid yourself

(and what i meant to say was that the CIWF link ranks foods in order of sustainability)

I doubt it , I don't eat much meat but threads like these would probably make me want to eat more

It got me looking into it and converted me, so yes.

@SmilesOnStage Hmmmm you may have the superior tones but I'm a vegetarian and happy. You sound like you're actually lacking something though.

Do you know anything about predators and food chains? Or is it just humans that are evil for eating meat (whether that's a lot or a little)

Perhaps get off your moral high horse, gain some self awareness, friendlier tones and read some books.

It's all well and good to say "eat less and better" and supporting local sustainable farmers, but it costs loads to do that. I eat vegetarian 3-4 days per week, but I am firmly of the mindset that humans are omnivores. If I had more money, I would go to a local butcher. Until then, supermarkets are my only option.

Letting people know the damage being done to the planet and the conditions animals are kept in and how they are killed does make a lot of people go vegetarian or vegan.

As with most things though, I think it’s the people who get het up about the discussion who are actually the most conflicted. Surely it’s fine to be open about a change in diet towards a more planet friendly option if you look at the science and the delicious veggie food now available and still think: we like chicken so we’re going to eat it! Without resorting to zero sum arguments and belligerent stances.

Do people think vegan substitutes appear from thin air and have a zero carbon footprint

Same here. I don't eat red meat, and eat very little fish,

We always used to buy free range but they became hard to obtain during the first covid lockdown and the non-free range ones didn't actually taste any worse, but were about £8 less.

I also consume dairy, but at least that is from the UK and isn't some processed vegan rubbish being flown in from overseas.

I think lots of people have an aversion to trying vegetarian or vegan food, because of similar misconceptions that have been trotted out on here. Sometimes they try it only in order to find criticism that its not exactly the same as meat.
I think that sometimes, these people will actually eventually be in a situation where they try it with an open mind without expecting it to be identical and are then actually pleasantly surprised. Very much so. Sometimes they are surprised to even find it to be absolutely fine and tasty, even if they dont prefer it to meat, but they realise that its not actually a hardship.

Theres lots of families that have both vegetarians and meat eaters in them and they arent balking every time they have a veggie bolognese or vegetarian curry.
Loads of people that couldnt tell the difference between quorn dippers or chicken nuggets.

No idea why its so polarised or why people are so rude about vegetarian food.
I had a temporary dairy intolerance a few years ago and it was honestly so weird the comments I got when i just mentioned that id found a nice vegan cheese!
So defensive

Don't you get vitamin B12 deficiency and have to take supplements

It says a lot about human beings that we have perfected the art of squashing animals into a tiny area, depriving them of movement, diurnal rhythms and food gathering, such that the cost of animal protein cheaper than the equivalent mass of tofu from plants.

It's like something from a sci-fi/horror movie when the aliens or vampires do it to humans.

Everyone knows it's wrong, hence the angry reactions when you point it out.

It's got so bad now that we eat meat for a hobby. Nandos WTF is that all about? Meet up with your friends and fill your face with dead animals just because you can?

YABU. For many it’s the only affordable protein.

and before you bleat on about beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy, many of us can’t eat them unless we want to spend most the week on the toilet. Other vegetarian options are on the whole, processed crap that really isn’t good for you.

Yes they do! Weird isn't it

They were never wild. The broiler chicken is an overbred version of the red junglefowl thats been domesticated over time to produce far more eggs than is healthy, and to have more edible flesh.

Poor things

Letting people know the damage being done to the planet and the conditions animals are kept in and how they are killed does make a lot of people go vegetarian or vegan.* *

Letting them know could make a difference, lecturing does not. People can make their own choices on what to eat.

No. But a plant based diet even if it includes highly processed meat substitutes still has a lower carbon footprint.
assets.plateupfortheplanet.org/carbon-calculator/

They very much do indeed think that.

No carbon footprint or disaster for the environment stemming from almond production. Nope, not at all. (Sarcasm in case anyone can’t tell)

The trouble is chicken is more affordable and although I eat mainly vegetarian dishes I do need to eat some meat or I end up lacking in iron. I am not keen on beef or lamb and most meat is exorbitantly priced.

We eat a mainly pescatarian diet at home, fish twice a week and the rest vegetarian. I do cook meat if we have visitors for dinner though but this is usually only once a fortnight. I will sporadically have chicken, ham or bacon but only a couple of times a month. I do worry about our dairy consumption though - the dairy industry is awful!

You do realise that a) there are no wolves in the UK and b) not every sheep/deer/goat/whatever that lives where wolves also live are ripped apart by them right? Nature is generally very good a keeping a balance.

But can't say I'm surprised to see this classic strawman argument. It's rolled out all the time. What you are saying is that because some animals would die in gruesome conditions in their natural habit means it's OK for us to breed them, treat them like shit, and slaughter them because some people enjoy the taste of their flesh.

By that logic it you must think it's acceptable to mistreat and kill human children because they also don't fair too well in the "wild"?

You can easily compare Almond and cows milk tho @Getofftheladder
ourworldindata.org/environmental-impact-milks

The trouble with getting people to give up chicken are the gym goers/cross fitters… so many of them get through more chicken than most families put together.
A friend of mine gets through 4 chicken breast a day, that community seriously needs to cut back.
I agree with the post about lamb as well, it’s reared in a high welfare way, is in season and has a low carbon foot print.