Eating less meat would be good for the Earth

Complete nonsense

But experts agree that the urgency of climate change and the demands of a surging global population call for an overhaul of how humans get their protein.

[photo caption] 'A seventh grader carries her plate which consists of three bean chili, rice, mandarins, cherry tomatoes and baked chips during her lunch break at a public school in the Brooklyn borough of New York.'

A typical American lunch?

Complete nonsense

Any actual argument? obviously the experts have much more solid appeal to authority than nameless people on the internet.

I don't have a set schedule, but I'd say I average two meatless days a week. Pesto and other stuff are good to eat without the meat. Meat need not be eliminated from the menu, but eating less meat is something we could all do without discomfort. If it benefits the earth, why not?

We eat about 75 grams of meat protein 3-4 times per week. Fish other days.

Currently over 75% of productive farmland goes towards raising animals, either directly or by growing crops for animal feed. Over a third of global plant calorie production and half of global plant protein production is used as animal feed. But animal products provide less than 20% of our calories, and those it does provide are inefficiently produced. In fact, the conversion rate of plant to animal-based calories is at best only around 10% for pigs and chickens and only 1% for cattle. For protein, it is around 20% for chickens, 15% for pigs and only 4% for cattle. This is a colossal waste. And an enormous and unsustainable pressure on unspoilt land.

Incidentally, the average pig has lived just 6 months before its fate is met, beef cattle 18 months and meat chicken just 6 weeks.

I've noticed this ever increasing vilification of meat in the MSM. This worries me as I get the feeling they will try to make it more difficult to obtain. Having looked into the many health benefits of the carnivore diet, I have been following a largely meat based diet in recent months. Typical industrial cattle ranching can be bad for the environment, but it does not need to be. So decreasing meat production is not necessarily better for Earth, but it certainly will be better for big pharma...

I've noticed this ever increasing vilification of meat in the MSM. This worries me as I get the feeling they will try to make it more difficult to obtain. 

There is nothing "They" need to do, climate change is enough to make everything more difficult to obtain, specially something as resource intensive as meat. Pretending the personal benefits you receive somehow outgweight the huge environmental costs (which is what this article is about) is not a rational argument

So decreasing meat production is not necessarily better for Earth,

You make no argument how this is the case, production of meat do not need to be industrialized to be much more resource intensive than the plant based alternative, that is enough to justify the argument of reducing the production as the environmentally better option.

the so-called “meat paradox.” That’s the term scientists use to describe the psychological conflict that occurs in people who like to eat meat but don’t like to contemplate the animals that died providing it.

For people who can't get behind veganism and animal welfare maybe lab-grown, in-vitro meat is the answer.

Italy is the first EU country to produce in-vito meat.

For people who can't get behind veganism and animal welfare maybe lab-grown, in-vitro meat is the answer.

I'm neither vegan nor even vegetarian, but out of sheer curiosity I tried plant protein-based meat substitute on several occasions. I believe it was made from pea protein and it worked surprisingly well, not least because it didn't pretend to be something it is not. Of course it won't replace a steak or be served in yakiniku restaurants. But it's a decent substitute for minced meat and sausage, and I would imagine other meat-based products that are based on pulped protein anyway.

I eat meat because my kids do and it shuts them up. We have enough on our plate without conflict at meal time and wasted food. Parents of teenagers will understand.

I'll go half veggie when they leave home.

Italy is the first EU country to produce in-vito meat.

And when served with a basil sauce it's called "vito genovese".

Animal Agriculture Emits Nearly 60% of Greenhouse Gases From Food Production, those figures alone should inform people that producing and eating animals is not good. But lets be honest, the majority of people just do not care.

Italy is the first EU country to produce in-vito meat.

Is that a joke (Vito) or a spelling error (in vitro, ie lab meat)?

I read that Italy has banned lab meat.

Over 70 billion land animals are killed for their bodies each year.

Of all the mammals currently alive on Earth, 60% are livestock and 36% are humans and both are increasing. Only 4% of mammals now alive are wild ones. In terms of mass, there are 630 million tonnes of domesticated animals, including 20m tonnes of dogs, and 390m tonnes of humans. By comparison, there are 22m tonnes of wild land mammals and 40m tonnes of sea mammals.

Wick's pencil

I read that Italy has banned lab meat.

Yes, my bad. Italy has banned lab meat.

Love a traditional Sunday Roast, beef, pork, or chicken, roast potato's, Yorkshire pudding, three veg. gravy.

I cut down on meat in the week, lots of fish, seafood.

Pasta is a choice, with Pomodoro.   

I just want a choice, not to be forced into a diet.

Been on keto and now carnivore eating for 8 years never felt better! I weighed 112kg back in 2016 and now 68kg.

I had a heart issue I started my own research and found the truth about saturated fats and meat. I eat 6 eggs a day 3 scrambled and 3 hard boiled. And I cook all my meals using coconut oil and grass fed butter.

The so called low fat diet pushed by the creation of the standard American diet back in 1979 and starting 1980, has made more humans obese and sicker!

Carbs, Sugars, Seedoils that’s a dangerous combination!!

Grass fed beef is just the best! Try Keto for month and see how ya feel but always check with your doctors first especially if you’re already having health issues like diabetes.

No fad diets, lots of fruit, meat, eggs, snacks and beer. Not as much veg as I'm told we should eat. Still 6% body fat and generally healthy.

Regular exercise, at least an hour a day, much more on the weekends and awesome genetics.

I never eat "fake" anything so no margarine and definitely NO fake meat.

those figures alone should inform people that producing and eating animals is not good. But lets be honest, the majority of people just do not care.

Agreed, I never give it a thought.

I like eating meat, it’s tasty and healthy if it’s unprocessed. The child’s meal in the photo doesn’t look appetising, I wouldn’t have been happy with that for my lunch when I was little. It’s bland and lacks protein you see.

The best thing for everyone is to eat as much local produce as you can. Forfeit the imported meats , veg etc where possible.

Im not giving up my steak, chicken and fish for anyone, thank you very much.

While I love meat, I do agree less meat consumption is better for the Earth.

But don't start there. Start by reducing portions at restaurants in US and other places where food proportions are too dang big at restaurants. At least from what I've experienced, Americans eat/serve too dang much. Bad for the environment as we would require more to sustain a population. And two, too much obesity in that country and the like, and diabetes.

time for steak party with friends

When the hope is gone, we are all nihilists.

Im not giving up my steak, chicken and fish for anyone, thank you very much.

For good or for bad climate change is going to make it so everybody does, mostly because people are unable to think about the common good and focus exclusively on their personal gain.

We see articles like this all the time. 'Stop using your airconditioner! Stop using your heater! Stop using your car! Stop eating meat! You don't need to own your own home! Staycation! Cut down your showers!'

I eat meat at least twice a day, every day and that will never stop. I'm not going to make myself even slightly uncomfortable for 'the good of the planet' while the rich and powerful consume and pollute the earth about 5000 times more than I ever would.

I'm not going to make myself even slightly uncomfortable for 'the good of the planet' while the rich and powerful consume and pollute the earth about 5000 times more than I ever would

That is a very irrational comment since you are following the example of people whose power and resources mean they are shielded from the worst consequences of their self-centered choices, something that the 99.9% of the people don't have.

Is like thinking that if politicians are fine letting companies pollute the environment, get away with collecting your information and charging people for things that should be free that means you should be fine with those things as well.

For good or for bad climate change is going to make it so everybody does, mostly because people are unable to think about the common good and focus exclusively on their personal gain.

EVERYONE IS GONNA DIE !!!

I’ll stop eating meat when private jets are banned and not before!