General Discussion

AlecBGreen

(3,874 posts)

38. Raising 100% grass-fed animals is GOOD for the environment

Mon Feb 18, 2013, 06:51 PM

Feb 2013

When you raise a herd of herbivores the right way it benefits the environment. A well-managed grassland slows erosion, builds topsoil, increases water retention, promotes biodiversity, adds organic matter AND sequesters more carbon that a forest. All this, and you get to eat the labor force

Based on our current flawed method of producing meat in feedlots, yes, reducing consumption is better for the environment. That assumes however there isnt a better way to do things. There is. Dont cut out meat. Seek a local farmer who is doing things the right way and patronize them. The economy, your health, and the environment will all thank you!

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Halve meat consumption, scientists urge rich world [View all] malaise Feb 2013 OP

Well that is just unAmerican. ZombieHorde Feb 2013 #1

I haven't eaten red meat since 1979 malaise Feb 2013 #12

Me too. I eat birds and fish, but no mammals. RadiationTherapy Feb 2013 #65

"This has diverted vast quantities of grain from human to animal consumption" KamaAina Feb 2013 #2

not to mention the water necessary to feed and "process" the livestock Flaxbee Feb 2013 #13

Just scarfed down a veggie lunch KamaAina Feb 2013 #20

I'm with you. I had pasta with cream of mushroom soup and peas poured over it. It was actually Ed Suspicious Feb 2013 #28

This message was self-deleted by its author KamaAina Feb 2013 #19

not that difficult to cut out meat 4 to5 days a week, then on to 7 days a week nt msongs Feb 2013 #3

But but but Duer 157099 Feb 2013 #4

Actually, this could be very bad news for cow lovers. JDPriestly Feb 2013 #25

I love beef, but I don't love much of the beef sold in this country CreekDog Feb 2013 #76

You know I was being Duer 157099 Feb 2013 #81

I thought there was a 50-50 chance CreekDog Feb 2013 #83

I know Duer 157099 Feb 2013 #86

sounds good to me quinnox Feb 2013 #5

As a vegetarian, sounds good to me also. n/t RebelOne Feb 2013 #6

So it's time to promote hunting now? alp227 Feb 2013 #7

I despised hunters until I became a vegetarian. Now I respect them. Gorp Feb 2013 #42

yup.I could never be a hunter myself, but the lives the animals lead before death are so much better renate Feb 2013 #78

I hunt & take 2 deer/yr, plus birds & squirrels... Eleanors38 Feb 2013 #93

We should eat more Burmese python. They are a real PITA in FL, and we would be doing FL a favor. nt raccoon Feb 2013 #8

Ha! Yeah, that and nutria. nt valerief Feb 2013 #16

eww! they're just rats that live in the water. nt Viva_La_Revolution Feb 2013 #27

Squirrels are rats in the trees, but superb eating. Eleanors38 Feb 2013 #94

I hear it tastes like chicken ... Bake Feb 2013 #61

I'm doing it... Benton D Struckcheon Feb 2013 #9

I buy organic felix_numinous Feb 2013 #10

But, but, God made the Factory Farmer. Coyotl Feb 2013 #64

We are not vegetarians, but we have cut way way way back gollygee Feb 2013 #11

we have stopped eating meat most of the time too otherone Feb 2013 #14

This describes us. When we're out at somebody's house, we'll eat what's served riderinthestorm Feb 2013 #56

thanks for the reply otherone Feb 2013 #59

We have too. We have already cut our meat consumption at JDPriestly Feb 2013 #24

The only meat I eat are birds and occasionally fish. Is that okay? valerief Feb 2013 #15

Same here - since 1979 malaise Feb 2013 #21

Maybe he should tell the Chinese to cut it out. They lead the world in absolute terms Ikonoklast Feb 2013 #17

People say the same thing about CO2. mattclearing Feb 2013 #75

We don't want there to be a beef gap with the red Chinese! Scootaloo Feb 2013 #77

I didn't even know about the Beef Gap DisgustipatedinCA Feb 2013 #108

It's a fairly simple graph. Ikonoklast Feb 2013 #92

Are you a vegetarian? mattclearing Feb 2013 #109

And they have four times the population of the US wickerwoman Feb 2013 #96

OK two things gollygee Feb 2013 #100

Keep your greasy hands off my filet minion! AAO Feb 2013 #18

Cutting back is good; but meat substitutes are energy intensive FarCenter Feb 2013 #22

Halve the rate of human reproduction. JDPriestly Feb 2013 #23

this. --^-- BlancheSplanchnik Feb 2013 #46

Thanks. Every word of your post is true and hits the real issues. JDPriestly Feb 2013 #74

JDPriestly....gee...thank you ! BlancheSplanchnik Feb 2013 #90

You are great! I'm always in awe of your posts. JDPriestly Mar 2013 #112

Winner! smirkymonkey Feb 2013 #62

I have been trying to eat all of the cows, pigs, birds, and fish, but they keep making more! Dustlawyer Feb 2013 #26

lmao!! darkangel218 Feb 2013 #33

I'll help you! customerserviceguy Feb 2013 #45

How precisely is the premise of the OP religion dressed as science? LanternWaste Feb 2013 #48

I failed to include the sarcasm icon but it was Dustlawyer Feb 2013 #73

First world problems do tend to make us trivialize actual issues LanternWaste Feb 2013 #49

We need to feed cattle with Hemp seeds Politicalboi Feb 2013 #29

Too late DFW Feb 2013 #30

I can think of a good place to start... pinboy3niner Feb 2013 #31

Bwaaaaaaahahahahahaha malaise Feb 2013 #57

No way, no how!! darkangel218 Feb 2013 #32

You will also greatly reduce major animal abuse. judesedit Feb 2013 #34

Where do the WeenieTarians stand on this? Berlum Feb 2013 #35

Whether we want to or not is immaterial now NickB79 Feb 2013 #36

Eliminate it. Meat is not a necessary dietary component. Gorp Feb 2013 #37

No thanks! tritsofme Feb 2013 #50

Thanks for the welcome, but "MEAT IS MURDER" is sort of requisite here. Gorp Feb 2013 #54

Not sure how you figure that Major Nikon Feb 2013 #68

Doesn't PETA use that as one of their slogans? Gorp Feb 2013 #70

TOTALLY on point. nt Raine Feb 2013 #53

Are you a vegehegian too? It takes some work, but we can all do it. Gorp Feb 2013 #55

Agriculture works best when there is balance. FedUpWithIt All Feb 2013 #103

I agree with almost everything you just posted except for the "model for all" line. Gorp Feb 2013 #110

Raising 100% grass-fed animals is GOOD for the environment AlecBGreen Feb 2013 #38

+1 eom arely staircase Feb 2013 #41

+100000000000000 Champion Jack Feb 2013 #43

Allan Savory's "Holistic Pasture Management" is incredible in rebuilding soils... drokhole Feb 2013 #60

thanks for the links AlecBGreen Feb 2013 #97

Whoa, that is freaking awesome! drokhole Feb 2013 #111

Livestock can support sustainable soil management, but I eat vegetables Kolesar Feb 2013 #80

+1 AlecBGreen Feb 2013 #98

My challenge now is to harvest later in the year Kolesar Feb 2013 #102

Yep, far better to raise cows that way. Used to be cheaper Eleanors38 Feb 2013 #95

deer is an excellent choice AlecBGreen Feb 2013 #101

Agreed. n/t FedUpWithIt All Feb 2013 #104

Already on it. kimmylavin Feb 2013 #39

Soylent Green is People! Fedaykin Feb 2013 #40

As an omnivore War Horse Feb 2013 #44

Eat organic free-range birds, eggs, pork and beef. We had already cut back on chicken and beef firenewt Feb 2013 #47

You just keep your pale, pasty and chapped hands off my 'beef, pork, lamb, goat'... ;) eom Purveyor Feb 2013 #51

i gave up beef 5 years ago..... Gato Moteado Feb 2013 #52

Meat is more of a treat than a staple for me RedCappedBandit Feb 2013 #58

Same here. GoCubsGo Feb 2013 #69

I didn't think that I could give up meat, but I really enjoy my meat & dairy-free meals emsimon33 Feb 2013 #63

have the horesmeat mixed in your burger scandal spead to the united state dembotoz Feb 2013 #66

Don't know n/t malaise Feb 2013 #67

Healthier also, to eat less meat. n/t area51 Feb 2013 #71

Haven't touched the stuff in at least a decade. n/t ProfessionalLeftist Feb 2013 #72

Good idea. Matariki Feb 2013 #79

Okay, I'll do it. Neoma Feb 2013 #82

I'm not rich but you can have mine... AsahinaKimi Feb 2013 #84

We are just like you malaise Feb 2013 #87

Yay! AsahinaKimi Feb 2013 #88

Message auto-removed CharlieVicker Feb 2013 #85

This is my first reason for not eating meat stuntcat Feb 2013 #89

I'll pass, thank you. Llewlladdwr Feb 2013 #91

Americans read it w/o the l: "Have meat consumption" 0rganism Feb 2013 #99

ROFL - you hae a point but it's not only Americans who can't spell malaise Feb 2013 #105

Seems Moore Lappe was onto something. nt shcrane71 Feb 2013 #106

Great idea.. Kalidurga Feb 2013 #107

Some responses to this are telling. flvegan Mar 2013 #113

LOL malaise Mar 2013 #115

IIRC some vegies such as spinach have much more protein than meat, without the risks Fire Walk With Me Mar 2013 #114