RE: Any Vegetarians/Vegans here?
August 12, 2014 at 6:06 pm
(This post was last modified: August 12, 2014 at 6:53 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
What the authors have quantified (and their assumptions and methodology have been criticized to no end) is not a problem with animal protein vs plant protein, it's an issue of fossil-fuel-as-food, a flaw in production methodology. Since cattle don't need to eat oil, or grain, we're stretching their data a bit too far in calling "meat farming" less efficient than "plant farming".
All of that said, economic efficiency -has- to be factored in, yes. Growing food is work, not charity.
There's a point in ag, that we tell folks thinking about breaking in, where your idea isn't a good idea on it;s own merits anymore. That point is reached when a commensurate investment in ag would yield more placed in a series of low risk stocks or bonds. As such, I'm doing what I do not because it's a "good idea", or because it could be said to be efficient under current conditions - but because it could change those conditions.....and somebody has to pay for that sort of change. We could grow plant based proteins with oil (and other fossil fuels), until they run out, sure. But we won't really be reducing the vast majority of suffering incurred by that process in doing so - as the vast majority of the suffering incurred does -not- happen at the feedlot or the slaughterhouse. So, by all means, save a few cows in the short term - I won't begrudge you there, but I'm in it for the long game.
All of that said, economic efficiency -has- to be factored in, yes. Growing food is work, not charity.
There's a point in ag, that we tell folks thinking about breaking in, where your idea isn't a good idea on it;s own merits anymore. That point is reached when a commensurate investment in ag would yield more placed in a series of low risk stocks or bonds. As such, I'm doing what I do not because it's a "good idea", or because it could be said to be efficient under current conditions - but because it could change those conditions.....and somebody has to pay for that sort of change. We could grow plant based proteins with oil (and other fossil fuels), until they run out, sure. But we won't really be reducing the vast majority of suffering incurred by that process in doing so - as the vast majority of the suffering incurred does -not- happen at the feedlot or the slaughterhouse. So, by all means, save a few cows in the short term - I won't begrudge you there, but I'm in it for the long game.
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