Vegi-istas On the Horizon
There is a quiet shift taking place across the country - a shift to eating locally grown food and less meat. An indicator of expanding wealth, meat consumption in the American diet has risen with the GDP. OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries are also facing rising demand for meat as their GDP’s rise and their ability to purchase meat becomes more attainable. Unfortunately, with an increasing world population, factory farmed meat as a primary source of protein for six billion people is detrimental to the environment and our own well-being.
Eco Design + Living recently came across the “Vegetarian Experiment” by Walton County resident and artist Teresa Cline. Cline is working to reduce her ecological footprint by eating less meat AND she’s hoping to inspire others to do the same. Eco Design + Living wanted to find out more about the experiment and the vegi-istas as Teresa is calling the Vegetarian Experiment FaceBook fans, so we asked Teresa to be subjected to a short interview, to which she obliged. Thanks Teresa!
[Eco Design + Living] Teresa, according to your FaceBook page, you have recently taken a keen interest in transitioning to a vegetarian diet by starting the “vegetarian experiment.” I cringe at the word “diet” because it has such restrictive connotations so, I’ll use the word “lifestyle.” Can you please explain what the vegetarian experiment is about?
[Teresa Cline] I am transitioning (back to) into a more meatless meal making mindset. That’s how I’m processing it for myself. Thinking about it this way doesn’t trap me into any kind of prescribed eating format. The Vegetarian Experiment is a social - collaborative - information sharing support system about what-why-how we eat.
It’s creating dialog about how to move our families mindset and the general populations into this EAT LESS MEAT concept because..…fill in the many, many reasons why this is a good idea. One truth is the business of commercial meat production industry is contributing to global ecological devastation. What’s also alarming is most people do not know the full extent of this problem, and they really don’t know where their food comes from.
Only recently am I starting to hear some people question the information about where food supplies are coming from. Surprisingly very few people actually know how incredibly GROSS AND BARBARIC, I will say it again… barbaric meat processing is. So, it’s a bit of an animal rights consciousness raising thing too.
[Eco] What sparked your own interest in transitioning to a more vegetarian lifestyle?
[TC] I raised my family on a mostly vegetarian lifestyle way back when, but when I moved to the beach I stopped eating like this. The local beach area offers so many different orgasmic foodie adventures its hard to resist. What brought me back to the garden - you might say - is a combination of economics, food quality realities, and genuine concern for the lack of knowledge most people have about the food connection and a healthier earth. Most people know they should eat better, but figuring out how to do it so it taste good is a huge undertaking. Most people have meat as the main part of their meals with the vegetable being a side dish. The information I am hearing about commercial meat production is that its ecologically unsound. In the last few years, I also became painfully aware myself of these barbaric methods used to commercially raise and process our meat supplies and frankly, I can not enjoy the taste of meat without thinking of the horrendous and inhumane things animals are enduring.
[Eco] What caused you to want to include others in your community in this experiment?
[TC] I am hoping for a connection of like minded individuals.
[Eco] What do you hope to accomplish?
[TC] Two things actually, sharing the burden of discovery! Meaning I am hoping a friend brings a delicious vegi meal to one of our gatherings so I can add it to my repertoire without having to do the experimenting myself! Secondly, I am hoping the simple act of creating a movement of dialog about why eating less meat is meaningful, will resonate in others hearts and minds and can in a small way contribute to a change.
[Eco] Can you give the average meat eater a few tips on how to reduce their meat consumption?
[TC] Ha!…let me give you the links to the covert slaughter house videos or the ones inside chicken farms where they show you the unspeakable misery of a chickens life. This alone should sway someone’s resistance to eating less meat.
[Eco] Thanks again Teresa!
On a final note, here is something to consider from one website:
In an effort to conserve water, you might install a water-saver on your kitchen faucet, saving up to 6,000 gallons of water per year. Most of those savings would be lost if you consumed just one pound of beef (which requires 5,200 gallons of water per pound to produce—compared to only 25 gallons for a pound of wheat). Raising animals for food consumes more than half of all water used in the U.S. A totally vegetarian diet requires 300 gallons of water per day, while a meat-eating diet requires more than 4,200 gallons of water per day.
Visit the following links for more information.
The Vegetarian Experiment on Facebook
Dear ‘EDL’ that was a great interview!
I share Ms.Cline’s thoughts and worry about eating meat.
Although, I confess I’m miles behind her at the moment. For the moment,
it’s a conscious battle to try and consume ‘less’ meat on a weekly basis.
While I agree with all of her reasonings above; ’saving the planet’ and the cruel methods’ they use to slaughter animals’, my rationale is more on a selfish level- ‘it’s just healthier’ to not eat meat. Like you both pointed out, the more you read and know on how the animals are being raised and slaughtered the less likely you are to consume it. When you read that cows are being ‘forced’ to eat soy and corn because it’s cheaper for the farmer, but results in the cows being sick all the time [because their grass eaters! Not Corn eaters!] and thus are having to be constantly shot with antibiotics and other ‘chemicals’ to keep them healthy- makes you wonder just what kind of meat are you really eating anyway? Studies have shown that the reason your grandfather could eat meat all the time and not be sick- was that the beef he was eating was a healthier cow to begin with. Read Michael Pollen’s books and he’ll say that todays cows are not being raised or farmed like they used to be and as a result, there’s a higher percentage..or rather, a direct correlation between meat consumption and illness in people.
Good article.
‘Ok, so where’s my steak and eggs for breakfast!?’