I find this kind of interesting..there are 2 trains of thought going on for the veggie people:

One is saying "Save the animals"

The other is saying "stop feeding the animals"

Anyone else finding this predicament a bit amusing?

Acer

"Half of life is 'if'"

Chum I think you misunderstood. No one's telling starving people that if they stopped eating meat they wouldn't be starving. What is being said is that if the WORLD, including developed nations, stopped eating meat, there would be more than enough grain to feed us all.

AcerRacer: yes biotech advances COULD grow enough grain for the world, and that would be excellent when that happens. But for the here and now, we know a solution, and that is vegetarianism. That said, I don't believe it will ever be realized. It is a strong and large industry, not one that can be gotten rid of- people would lose their jobs. Besides, like you, people love themselves some pork chops (etc).

I LOVE the taste of meat, but I am a vegetarian. I certainly don't consider those who eat "murderers" or any of that nonsense. I don't think I make any difference on the world hunger front, or am more or less healthy. But when every study and every stat and every sign (not counting my drooling taste buds) say don't eat meat, I'll play it safe.

I disagree with the statement made, saying that if we cut meat out of our diets, it would stop world hunger. Most of the world's population,in South East Asia, where alot of hunger is, is a place of both famine and a booming economy. Meat (cattle or farmed animals) often times isn't even part of their diet. Instead of growning grain, feeding it to their cattle and eating the cattle, they grow their grain and eat that. Cutting meat out of their diet wouldn't help a thing, considering the fact that they hardly eat it anyway.

that is an extreamly interesting thought!

okay, im gonna address a few issues brought up in this post...soooo sit back and buckle your safety belt, we are goin for a ride.

First...im not a vegitarian, sorry to yall who think meat is wrong, but im just a big fan of meat. Im sorry, i cant help it, im male, and by nature i am a meat and potatoes type person. And besides, how can you resist marinated filet mingon? mmm...

Second, I guess vegetarianism is okay to a certain point. Only like 10% of the people that are vegetarians though actually follow their diet correctly (surprisingly those of you who posted are exceptions to this statistic). My cousin is a vegetarian because it was a "fad" and cool to do. She still is a vegetarian, but her diet does not meet nearly enough of the daily requirements. I dunno, i am primarily concerned with this fad dieting because those who do it usually have no clue what they are getting into.

Third, i think it would be great if farmers could fill the bowls of everyone, including third world countries. Yes, this is possible. You know all of that bio tech stuff that people keep discussing? Well, bio tech advancements could help create enough grain for the world, and possibly lead to advances so significant that food producing plants may eventually be able to be planted and successfully grown outside of their natural habitat.

Okay, there is my little rant for you all.

Acer

If farms were protected from urban sprawl,there would be a lot more food for everyone.America is losing a lot of farm land to the developers.

Way to say it HighClas69!!!

~Sarah

No offense but from the posts and boards I have read of yours make you seem like you live in a fantisey world where everything is perfect. Alot of people aren't vegetarians just because of the crualty to animals. In all reality, the average american diet is too high in protien and saturated fats. Those who don't eat meat and eat healthy foods don't have these problems. In the US alone, if we all cut meat out of our diets and fed the grain that is to feed the animals to starving people, we could nearly end world hunger. More land is used to grow feed then is used to grow food for humans. It's not really an equal equation. In other countries, our one portion of meat would feed an entire family because they use grains, fruits and veg. as their main courses. They are as a society alot more healthy then us in the US and have lower occurances of cancer, heart disease and many other problems. Also if you think that people who care for animals are "hippies" then you have never seen the conditions that these animals live in. Next time, before you knock somebody else down, do your homework. I think you'll be much better off.

Liberalchic, It does not hurt cows if they re not milked, they just stop producing milk.

I don't think that it is fair for anyone to assume that because someone is concerned for the welfare of animals that she/he is not concerned for the welfare of people. I am a member of PETA and NAVS, also I am a member of Amnesty International. I am very concerned for both. In fact, once at an animal rights rally against **** fighting someone asked me why I wasn't out fighting for childrens rights or domestic violence laws. I believe that one is rooted in the other, so while fighting for one I am, in fact, fighting for the other. Also, the way we treat animals can be a measurement of how we treat people. Studies have shown that a person who will abuse an animal is more likely to abuse another person. You can get the proper nutrients if you are vegetarien/vegan. Especially when you consider that : " Everyday of every year, 24,000 people world wide die of hunger related causes, largely for lack of foodstuffs fed to animals.... Everyday of every year, approximately 18,000 people die of chronic diseases linked to the consumption of these animals." (from FARM) Everyday 123 million animals are murdered for human consumption, worldwide. It is not necessary to consume meat. Millions more people could be fed with the grains we give to animals. The consumption of met causes the needless suffering of billions of animals and millions of people, yearly.

Luinei, that's unfair to call animal rights issues "junk". As someone whose biggest concerns are for the welfare of animals, I'm somewhat offended.
Anyway, even if more grain was made avaliable for human consumption in the U.S., I don't think American farmers would be so willing to feed the starving people in third world countries, unless they were able to pay a good price for it. Sometimes when there's a grain surplus, farmers BURN it to keep prices up! All that food, gone to waste!
Okay, I've done enough off-subject ranting here...

I don't really know what I'm talking about, but does it hurt cows if they're not milked enough?

Our current meat industry is perhaps the most wasteful system humans have ever devised. Imagine you are sitting at a table and there are 40 people around you with empty bowls. Would you rather have an eight ounce steak or fill all those bowls with grain, including your own? That is how wasteful our current beef-produing industry. It is estimated that if the US reduced its meat consumption by 10 percent, 100 million people could be fed adequately. For every pound of beef we get, we put in 16 pounds of grain. (and no, pound for pound grain has more calories)

Although I am not all for the animal rights junk (I think that we should work on human rights first), I think this system is extremely unjust, especially considering the millions that starve every year.

Tommy-
Its not a question about CAN YOU GET THE PROPER NUTRIENTS WHILE EATING MEAT. Yes, you can.
If Slaughterhouses had Glass Walls
Yeah... just go here. Look at the picture of the cow with its throat ripped out. Maybe this is a possible reason why some people like the vegetarian way.

~Sarah !!

you obviously dont know anything about being a vegetarian/vegan.. becuase for you information, it has been proven, that people who dont eat meat are much less likely to have heart and artery problems as they get older. i dont eat any animal products, and i am living a happier more healthy life then when i did eat meat, and things of that nature.. at first, i will admit i had a health problem.. i wasnt getting enough of the nutrients i needed, but i went to the doctor, and he put me on multi vitamins, and now i feel great. and as i always say.. dont down it tell you try it.

vegitarianism is for hippies. you could easily get all the proper nutrients and lead a perfectly healthy life or you could give about animals that most scientists don't believe have feelings just respond to stimulus.

[This message was edited by YNLissa on October 20, 2001 at 02:58 PM.]

I'm Pico-Ovo-- I don't eat meat except for fish, and I don't drink milk but I do eat eggs and honey. The reasons are sort of complicated though.