1. trying to be what i call conveniently "green" unplugging every outlet while watching a big plasma, driving a hybrid... all over town, buying carbon credits to feel happy about oneself.
i agree that into each life a certain amount of hypocrisy must creep. But I dont see anything wrong wtih people, even tho havent abruptly completely changed their lives in a split second - if they are becoming more aware; and habits have a tendency to change only gradually. So i guess i'm not going to pooh-pooh good intentions and any effort, no matter how poorly it has begun for many. Change is a slow, difficult process, and being
open to beginning the process is the most important step.
the same people who are unplugging their outlets and watching their plasmas are going to be more aware of their elec use even while watching their plasmas and are more likely to take advantage of elec saving tv's in the future. Its a process; i'm glad they're even open minded enough to begin unplugging outlets.
2. it might be cheaper on a ... "let me wake up one day and buy a vegetarian dish" show looking at the menu a veggie dish costs 2-3 dollars less than a regular +meat version. However a person who has a regular diet (not well balanced or whatever, just a person who has eaten) has now switched and probably ends up spending more, b/c they are more hungry and not used to not being as full as usual.
ya but this isnt the vegetables fault. Like any major change in personal daily habits, one has to develop the personal disciplines, and one has to be in an environment that helps them do that (ie, what i said above about developing a
culture (and economy) of vegetarianism in this country. You're right that without that infrastructure most attempts at change of this sort is likely to fail. that doesnt mean the attempt (or the goal) was wrong though. Just means the culture isnt ready for it.
(cuz meat/protein fills you up, unless your able to find food that replaces your usual diet w/ the amount of protein your used to, you'll be on the prowl, looking to graze for food)(this is true if anyone's ever been on a diet, not "let me stop eating stuff where i can pick up the phone, but a diet either healthy or bent on improving your body, you'll feel hungry"
the other thing vegetarians (who have successfully switched) say, is that you tend to get used to the food you eat. So if you eat meat a lot, you tend to like that 'full and heavy' feeling; but if you get used to vegetarian diet, you actually get used to the 'light and free' feeling and if later have a burger you find the 'heavy and full' feeling to actually feel gross.
3. Just b/c some ppl in the animal slaughtering business choose to kick cows in the utter and dropkick their heads cuz they're inbred doesn't mean everyone that slaughters animals for a living are see how far they can demean and push an animal.
absolutely agreed -- which is why i'm
also for local production of food on small farms by farmers and butchers who are part of the community and are personally known by their neighbors and so are less likely to be anonymous enough to get away with the worst kinds of excesses that we see on the industrial slaughtering factories.
Scale, i think, again, helps matters a lot. Smaller scales, that is.
This is also why, whenever possible, I buy from local and organic farm even at my local supermarket which has those products usually in a special section. I also happen to think free-range eggs for instance actually look and taste better. Same with hormone-free milk, which i also prefer from free-range organic and humane small farms.
4. supply and demand if there was a way to produce better tasting healthier food on the go, on a McFranchise sort of way. It would already be here, it just isn't cuz it can't be done, because there is obviously demand, the industry just cannot supply it because of either culinary(as in they can't make it taste as good as a big mac) or technology(inventing a better "rotti roll" which btw sounds awesome)
disagree that 'it would already be here'. I think it a market opportunity that simply has not been exploited yet. I do think americans are increasingly, with each passing year, more health concious, and i think its only a matter of time before we see chinese and indian fast food joints (increasing radically the range and taste of veg food on-the-go that becomes avail in this country), and specifically veg and health-concious fast food places. Only a matter of time, will come soon, i'm sure of it. Places like that as mom and pop stores are already popping up in my area (roti roll is on example of an actual franchise, only 2 years old now, and expanding by the way). It will happen, because there is a market for it and it makes economic sense too.
In nyc by law restaurants are required to post calorie counts next to food items on the menu. This has already resulted in whole sale shifts in diet of me and my friends. because suddenly you realize the incredible poison that you were stuffing into your belly all these years, and you're just horrified. Information and awareness is key to changes like this. With each passing year there is more awareness.
What about people who are physically unable to become a vegetarian.
i would never mandate vegetarianism (and I dont think any sane person would). This is also why i talk about 'scale' rather than absolutes.
