Meatless Monday's

rlbrue
rlbrue Posts: 14 Member
edited November 26 in Food and Nutrition
Im starting the pledge to go meatless on Mondays.

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[Edited by MFP Mods]
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Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited November 2015
    Yeah I'd like to see the calculations where they worked out that particular marketing spiel
  • ActuarialChef
    ActuarialChef Posts: 1,413 Member
    Forgive me if I'm being dense.

    I do enjoy some meatless meals now and again. There is nothing wrong (to me) with eating a meatless meal.

    However, can you explain how you save energy preparing a meatless meal? I make a mean black bean burger, but it takes just as much energy to grill/pan sear it as it would to grill/pan sear a beef burger. My chickpea curry takes the same amount of energy to prepare as the same curry prepared with chicken.

    There are many positives to eating meatless now and again, especially for people with certain health conditions or those with familial histories of certain health conditions, but I think this type of post (one lacking support for its claims) does not promote the issue properly or effectively.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Forgive me if I'm being dense.

    I do enjoy some meatless meals now and again. There is nothing wrong (to me) with eating a meatless meal.

    However, can you explain how you save energy preparing a meatless meal? I make a mean black bean burger, but it takes just as much energy to grill/pan sear it as it would to grill/pan sear a beef burger. My chickpea curry takes the same amount of energy to prepare as the same curry prepared with chicken.

    There are many positives to eating meatless now and again, especially for people with certain health conditions or those with familial histories of certain health conditions, but I think this type of post (one lacking support for its claims) does not promote the issue properly or effectively.

    I am not sure what calculations are behind this, but I imagine it is based on the energy it takes to raise a cow to slaughter weight, not the actual energy used to cook the burger. I do agree with you that a better documentation of the claim would create a more impactful ad.
  • rtoode2
    rtoode2 Posts: 9 Member
    @ActuarialChef

    I believe the calculations in this are based off of the extra energy consumed by cows that are raised specifically for meat. Since it's a supply & demand scenario, if there's less meat consumption, factories will keep fewer cows, leading to less methane gas production (aka cow farts) and less water used to both give to the cow & to use on growing the grains for the cow to eat.
  • rlbrue
    rlbrue Posts: 14 Member
    edited November 2015
    You can check out the meatless Monday campaign on their site or their Facebook page. it has all of their research on there. They are a nice community and will happily answer any questions. This is just something I chose to do for myself.
    http://www.meatlessmonday.com/take-the-meatless-monday-pledge-for-food-day-2015/
  • rlbrue
    rlbrue Posts: 14 Member
    edited November 2015
    My post isn't to promote anything this is just something I'm doing for myself. I'm not advertising anything or stating in no way shape or form that anyone else should do it.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    http://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-meatless-mondays/
    Though Wheatless Wednesday has fallen by the wayside, Meatless Tuesdays have recently been revived and replaced by Meatless Mondays, an effort founded by advertising executive Sid Lerner in association with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
    The campaign has turned into a global movement, with a new slogan: The day all health breaks loose.
    The newer version of the campaign supports health, nutrition, the environment and animal welfare.
    Monday is viewed as the day people are most likely to start new diets or give up bad habits, like smoking, making it ideal for a health campaign (the two M’s in Meatless Monday also have a nice ring to them).

  • TrickyDisco
    TrickyDisco Posts: 2,869 Member
    Good for you, it's so easy to do as there's many, many alternatives with recipes from the most simple dishes to exquisite vegetarian cuisine ... every day's a meatless day in our household - hoorah! :smiley:
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    I would think the energy used to grow additional non meat food would impact those numbers... Veggies beans fruits pasta etc all take water, energy, time and resources to grow, harvest and turn into something edible.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I actually read somewhere that if everyone stopped eating meat the world would starve in 20 years or something.

    Bottom line, you can find anything online...
  • rlbrue
    rlbrue Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks @TrickyDisco I'll have to hit you up for recipes sometime
  • PSYCHOJOKER13
    PSYCHOJOKER13 Posts: 7 Member
    Every Day is Meatless, for me...
    I'm Vegan :D

    Watching documentaries like "Earthlings" on YouTube also opened my eyes more, after I switched over to veganism.
    It's so easy....at least for me.

    I guess when you BELIEVE in what you do, its Easy.
    And when you Educate yourself on how Factor Farms operate, how could you Not
    Become vegan?


    Great job with taking the first step, that's more than what many even do.
    I wish you the best of luck <3
    Another good idea is not having any soda,energy drinks,etc. On Mondays.
    (Water only, and lots of it!)
  • rlbrue
    rlbrue Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks @PSYCHOJOKER13 i makes fresh fruit smoothies for Monday's I do t drink a lot of pop but defiantly need to cut back on the energy drinks.
  • PSYCHOJOKER13
    PSYCHOJOKER13 Posts: 7 Member
    rlbrue wrote: »
    Thanks @PSYCHOJOKER13 i makes fresh fruit smoothies for Monday's I do t drink a lot of pop but defiantly need to cut back on the energy drinks.


    You are welcome!
    And yeah, I think the best thing would be to do some research on the energy drinks you consume, and then decide whether it's actually beneficial or will just hold you back in your Health Journey. Sorta like making a "pros" and "cons" list.

    I have also heard many times that if you do not eat properly, that's when you will crave things like the energy drinks and even 'junk food'.
    I actually crave odd things when I don't eat properly, its pretty crazy! Smoothies are just as easy to make as picking up an Energy Drink at the store, just discover a recipe you love and can depend on for Energy & Nutrition <3

    Good luck sista! :)
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I would think the energy used to grow additional non meat food would impact those numbers... Veggies beans fruits pasta etc all take water, energy, time and resources to grow, harvest and turn into something edible.

    Since it takes a lot of grain to produce a pound of meat, it is more efficient for us to eat the grain or vegetable directly.

    It does take energy to grow and harvest plants. We can eat those plants or we can feed them to animals and eat the animals. If we eat the plants, it requires much less energy.
  • pearso21123
    pearso21123 Posts: 351 Member
    I would think the energy used to grow additional non meat food would impact those numbers... Veggies beans fruits pasta etc all take water, energy, time and resources to grow, harvest and turn into something edible.

    Since it takes a lot of grain to produce a pound of meat, it is more efficient for us to eat the grain or vegetable directly.

    It does take energy to grow and harvest plants. We can eat those plants or we can feed them to animals and eat the animals. If we eat the plants, it requires much less energy.

    True, but there are some animals that can make use of plant matter in areas that are not compatible with farming, so in theory eating those animals is actually more economical than eating the plants. However, that situation is pretty rare. I have no issues with eating meat or the energy it takes to raise animals for meat, but I do have a problem with the "standard" practices in today's factory farms, practices that would be considered animal abuse if normal people were the perpetrators. Farm animals have no protection under animal abuse laws, at least in the U.S. So, we raise our own meat. That way I know they were treated humanely and had a good life until they are butchered. I also know what went "in" as far as growth hormones and antibiotics, etc.

    Even though my family is highly carnivorous, I'm not adverse to meatless Mondays. But can somebody post some recipes? I'm not very good at vegetarian dishes. They never seem to have much flavor with just vegetables. My husband has to watch his salt intake so I can't use most broths, and the kids don't like onions or mushrooms. Thanks!
  • ActuarialChef
    ActuarialChef Posts: 1,413 Member
    I would think the energy used to grow additional non meat food would impact those numbers... Veggies beans fruits pasta etc all take water, energy, time and resources to grow, harvest and turn into something edible.

    Since it takes a lot of grain to produce a pound of meat, it is more efficient for us to eat the grain or vegetable directly.

    It does take energy to grow and harvest plants. We can eat those plants or we can feed them to animals and eat the animals. If we eat the plants, it requires much less energy.

    True, but there are some animals that can make use of plant matter in areas that are not compatible with farming, so in theory eating those animals is actually more economical than eating the plants. However, that situation is pretty rare. I have no issues with eating meat or the energy it takes to raise animals for meat, but I do have a problem with the "standard" practices in today's factory farms, practices that would be considered animal abuse if normal people were the perpetrators. Farm animals have no protection under animal abuse laws, at least in the U.S. So, we raise our own meat. That way I know they were treated humanely and had a good life until they are butchered. I also know what went "in" as far as growth hormones and antibiotics, etc.

    Even though my family is highly carnivorous, I'm not adverse to meatless Mondays. But can somebody post some recipes? I'm not very good at vegetarian dishes. They never seem to have much flavor with just vegetables. My husband has to watch his salt intake so I can't use most broths, and the kids don't like onions or mushrooms. Thanks!

    A suggestion I read about once is to start slow with going meatless, even if it's just one meal or one day. I started with a chickpea-chicken curry recipe - I made it half chicken, half chickpeas the first time, mostly chickpeas the next time, and have been making it with only chickpeas ever since.

    My go-to black bean burger recipe is from skinnytaste.com - search for "spicy black bean burger with chipotle mayo" on her site. It is such a good recipe!! I think the black bean burgers are attempting to copy Morningstar Farms' spicy black bean burgers. The homemade ones have much less sodium, if I recall correctly (as expected!).

    One last suggestion. Beans are a staple in many vegetarian diets, and can be used in place of meat in a lot of recipes. Instead of ground beef for tacos or sloppy joes, try half beef and half lentils or black beans. Or use only lentils or black beans and no meat! There are lots of small changes you can make to reduce your meat intake, if that's something you're interested in.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    I would think the energy used to grow additional non meat food would impact those numbers... Veggies beans fruits pasta etc all take water, energy, time and resources to grow, harvest and turn into something edible.

    Since it takes a lot of grain to produce a pound of meat, it is more efficient for us to eat the grain or vegetable directly.

    It does take energy to grow and harvest plants. We can eat those plants or we can feed them to animals and eat the animals. If we eat the plants, it requires much less energy.

    True, but there are some animals that can make use of plant matter in areas that are not compatible with farming, so in theory eating those animals is actually more economical than eating the plants. However, that situation is pretty rare. I have no issues with eating meat or the energy it takes to raise animals for meat, but I do have a problem with the "standard" practices in today's factory farms, practices that would be considered animal abuse if normal people were the perpetrators. Farm animals have no protection under animal abuse laws, at least in the U.S. So, we raise our own meat. That way I know they were treated humanely and had a good life until they are butchered. I also know what went "in" as far as growth hormones and antibiotics, etc.

    Even though my family is highly carnivorous, I'm not adverse to meatless Mondays. But can somebody post some recipes? I'm not very good at vegetarian dishes. They never seem to have much flavor with just vegetables. My husband has to watch his salt intake so I can't use most broths, and the kids don't like onions or mushrooms. Thanks!


    Re flavor: Make beef broth without the salt. Use the broth for liquid to cook beans, lentils, or chic peas in the vegan or vegetarian recipes you have.
  • rlbrue
    rlbrue Posts: 14 Member
    My go to is usually a good Caesar salad or some pasta.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I use more water with veggies because I wash those pretty thoroughly. Meat just gets slapped in a pan.

    I like the idea of MM, but if the meat just gets moved from Monday to Tuesday, I'm not sure that I make any big effort toward helping the animals.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited November 2015
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I use more water with veggies because I wash those pretty thoroughly. Meat just gets slapped in a pan.

    I like the idea of MM, but if the meat just gets moved from Monday to Tuesday, I'm not sure that I make any big effort toward helping the animals.

    The water savings isn't referring to the water used during food preparation, but the water that is consumed by the animal prior to slaughter (and the water used to grow the grains fed to the animals).

    I have never seen anything to back this up, but I find it hard to imagine that most people doing meatless Monday are eating double-portions of meat on Tuesdays to make up for it. Lots of my co-workers seem to use it as a chance to learn new vegetarian recipes. Overall, it does seem like it would lead to a reduction in meat consumption over time.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I guess when you BELIEVE in what you do, its Easy.
    And when you Educate yourself on how Factor Farms operate, how could you Not
    Become vegan?

    You don't have to become vegan to not support factory farms. If you've actually educated yourself, you know meat is available from sources other than factory farms.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I use more water with veggies because I wash those pretty thoroughly. Meat just gets slapped in a pan.

    It's about the amount of water needed to raise a lb of beef vs a lb of vegetables. Not about the amount of water used in preparing a meal.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I use more water with veggies because I wash those pretty thoroughly. Meat just gets slapped in a pan.

    I like the idea of MM, but if the meat just gets moved from Monday to Tuesday, I'm not sure that I make any big effort toward helping the animals.

    The water savings isn't referring to the water used during food preparation, but the water that is consumed by the animal prior to slaughter (and the water used to grow the grains fed to the animals).

    I have never seen anything to back this up, but I find it hard to imagine that most people doing meatless Monday are eating double-portions of meat on Tuesdays to make up for it. Lots of my co-workers seem to use it as a chance to learn new vegetarian recipes. Overall, it does seem like it would lead to a reduction in meat consumption over time.

    I guess if you eat meat every day and cut Monday out, you've done your bit. Personally, I don't eat meat every day, so I'd just be making one of those days Monday, lol. No big contribution on my part. The doubling-up on meat...that's not at all what I meant, lol.

    If people are using MM to work in more veggies, it's a very positive thing. Most people don't get enough veggies and get more protein than they need, so yay all of that!

    The water thing - veggies need water, too. They need water wile growing, some need mist and cooling systems during transport and storage, then people wash them at home. People who boil or steam them use water for that.

    Are we really sure that cows use more water than veggies?

    I'm really on board with MM (even if it means no change for me, lol). I'm just wondering if it's really saving what those logos suggest.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I use more water with veggies because I wash those pretty thoroughly. Meat just gets slapped in a pan.

    I like the idea of MM, but if the meat just gets moved from Monday to Tuesday, I'm not sure that I make any big effort toward helping the animals.

    The water savings isn't referring to the water used during food preparation, but the water that is consumed by the animal prior to slaughter (and the water used to grow the grains fed to the animals).

    I have never seen anything to back this up, but I find it hard to imagine that most people doing meatless Monday are eating double-portions of meat on Tuesdays to make up for it. Lots of my co-workers seem to use it as a chance to learn new vegetarian recipes. Overall, it does seem like it would lead to a reduction in meat consumption over time.

    I guess if you eat meat every day and cut Monday out, you've done your bit. Personally, I don't eat meat every day, so I'd just be making one of those days Monday, lol. No big contribution on my part. The doubling-up on meat...that's not at all what I meant, lol.

    If people are using MM to work in more veggies, it's a very positive thing. Most people don't get enough veggies and get more protein than they need, so yay all of that!

    The water thing - veggies need water, too. They need water wile growing, some need mist and cooling systems during transport and storage, then people wash them at home. People who boil or steam them use water for that.

    Are we really sure that cows use more water than veggies?

    I'm really on board with MM (even if it means no change for me, lol). I'm just wondering if it's really saving what those logos suggest.

    I haven't done the math, but to me it makes sense, as cows have to eat something plant-based (whether grass or corn or whatever), so cows are then eating a huge amount of vegetables which required water to grow. Know what I mean? I think the idea is that those vegetables could go a lot further feeding people if we ate them directly rather than feeding them to a cow first.

    I have read a couple articles on this which seem to support this (that meat requires a lot more resources to produce because each cow requires so much feed from birth to slaughter), but I'm no expert and I'm very much aware that data can be manipulated, so I'm not prepared to argue this or anything...just wanted to explain what the reasoning is.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    peleroja wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I use more water with veggies because I wash those pretty thoroughly. Meat just gets slapped in a pan.

    I like the idea of MM, but if the meat just gets moved from Monday to Tuesday, I'm not sure that I make any big effort toward helping the animals.

    The water savings isn't referring to the water used during food preparation, but the water that is consumed by the animal prior to slaughter (and the water used to grow the grains fed to the animals).

    I have never seen anything to back this up, but I find it hard to imagine that most people doing meatless Monday are eating double-portions of meat on Tuesdays to make up for it. Lots of my co-workers seem to use it as a chance to learn new vegetarian recipes. Overall, it does seem like it would lead to a reduction in meat consumption over time.

    I guess if you eat meat every day and cut Monday out, you've done your bit. Personally, I don't eat meat every day, so I'd just be making one of those days Monday, lol. No big contribution on my part. The doubling-up on meat...that's not at all what I meant, lol.

    If people are using MM to work in more veggies, it's a very positive thing. Most people don't get enough veggies and get more protein than they need, so yay all of that!

    The water thing - veggies need water, too. They need water wile growing, some need mist and cooling systems during transport and storage, then people wash them at home. People who boil or steam them use water for that.

    Are we really sure that cows use more water than veggies?

    I'm really on board with MM (even if it means no change for me, lol). I'm just wondering if it's really saving what those logos suggest.

    I haven't done the math, but to me it makes sense, as cows have to eat something plant-based (whether grass or corn or whatever), so cows are then eating a huge amount of vegetables which required water to grow. Know what I mean? I think the idea is that those vegetables could go a lot further feeding people if we ate them directly rather than feeding them to a cow first.

    I have read a couple articles on this which seem to support this (that meat requires a lot more resources to produce because each cow requires so much feed from birth to slaughter), but I'm no expert and I'm very much aware that data can be manipulated, so I'm not prepared to argue this or anything...just wanted to explain what the reasoning is.
    I'm not trying to have a big fight over it. I'm just honestly curious.

    I kind of doubt that skipping one burger saves as much water as 2.5 months of showing, you know? But then I really don't know. Seems wrong, but could be right! Hence, the questions. Not an "I'm right and you're wrong because I'm smart and you're dumb!" thing. I really don't know! :)
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    http://foodtank.com/news/2013/12/why-meat-eats-resources
    Surprise and disbelief. That’s what often follows when people learn about the large water footprint of many meat products.
    Common responses include: “Really?” “That can’t be right.” “That’s ridiculous.”
    Shock is reasonable after discovering that the global average water footprint – or the total amount of water needed – to produce one pound of beef is 1,799 gallons of water; one pound of pork takes 576 gallons of water. As a comparison, the water footprint of soybeans is 216 gallons; corn is 108 gallons.
    The first has to do with an animal's efficiency to turn its food into body mass known as feed conversion ratios (FCR) (i.e., identical units of feed to meat, so feed: meat). The range of FCRs is based on the type of animal, and according to Dr. Robert Lawrence of Johns Hopkins University, the ratios are approximately 7:1 for beef, 5:1 for pork and 2.5:1 for poultry. The larger the animal, the larger the percentage of that animal’s body mass is inedible material like bone, skin and tissue. This is why beef conversion ratios are the highest and it takes exponentially less water and energy inputs to produce grains, beans and vegetables than meat. To be clear, raising a beef cow takes more resources because a typical beef cow in the US eats thousands of pounds of the above-listed corn and soybeans during its lifetime.

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    edited November 2015
    peleroja wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I use more water with veggies because I wash those pretty thoroughly. Meat just gets slapped in a pan.

    I like the idea of MM, but if the meat just gets moved from Monday to Tuesday, I'm not sure that I make any big effort toward helping the animals.

    The water savings isn't referring to the water used during food preparation, but the water that is consumed by the animal prior to slaughter (and the water used to grow the grains fed to the animals).

    I have never seen anything to back this up, but I find it hard to imagine that most people doing meatless Monday are eating double-portions of meat on Tuesdays to make up for it. Lots of my co-workers seem to use it as a chance to learn new vegetarian recipes. Overall, it does seem like it would lead to a reduction in meat consumption over time.

    I guess if you eat meat every day and cut Monday out, you've done your bit. Personally, I don't eat meat every day, so I'd just be making one of those days Monday, lol. No big contribution on my part. The doubling-up on meat...that's not at all what I meant, lol.

    If people are using MM to work in more veggies, it's a very positive thing. Most people don't get enough veggies and get more protein than they need, so yay all of that!

    The water thing - veggies need water, too. They need water wile growing, some need mist and cooling systems during transport and storage, then people wash them at home. People who boil or steam them use water for that.

    Are we really sure that cows use more water than veggies?

    I'm really on board with MM (even if it means no change for me, lol). I'm just wondering if it's really saving what those logos suggest.

    I haven't done the math, but to me it makes sense, as cows have to eat something plant-based (whether grass or corn or whatever), so cows are then eating a huge amount of vegetables which required water to grow. Know what I mean? I think the idea is that those vegetables could go a lot further feeding people if we ate them directly rather than feeding them to a cow first.

    I have read a couple articles on this which seem to support this (that meat requires a lot more resources to produce because each cow requires so much feed from birth to slaughter), but I'm no expert and I'm very much aware that data can be manipulated, so I'm not prepared to argue this or anything...just wanted to explain what the reasoning is.

    That doesn't seem right to me. Grass and feed corn are not normally foods humans eat. That may be part of it, but I think they are also talking about water consumed by the cow and used during processing of the meat.

    It's silly anyway since humans eat a lot of meat that is not beef.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    edited November 2015
    peleroja wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I use more water with veggies because I wash those pretty thoroughly. Meat just gets slapped in a pan.

    I like the idea of MM, but if the meat just gets moved from Monday to Tuesday, I'm not sure that I make any big effort toward helping the animals.

    The water savings isn't referring to the water used during food preparation, but the water that is consumed by the animal prior to slaughter (and the water used to grow the grains fed to the animals).

    I have never seen anything to back this up, but I find it hard to imagine that most people doing meatless Monday are eating double-portions of meat on Tuesdays to make up for it. Lots of my co-workers seem to use it as a chance to learn new vegetarian recipes. Overall, it does seem like it would lead to a reduction in meat consumption over time.

    I guess if you eat meat every day and cut Monday out, you've done your bit. Personally, I don't eat meat every day, so I'd just be making one of those days Monday, lol. No big contribution on my part. The doubling-up on meat...that's not at all what I meant, lol.

    If people are using MM to work in more veggies, it's a very positive thing. Most people don't get enough veggies and get more protein than they need, so yay all of that!

    The water thing - veggies need water, too. They need water wile growing, some need mist and cooling systems during transport and storage, then people wash them at home. People who boil or steam them use water for that.

    Are we really sure that cows use more water than veggies?

    I'm really on board with MM (even if it means no change for me, lol). I'm just wondering if it's really saving what those logos suggest.

    I haven't done the math, but to me it makes sense, as cows have to eat something plant-based (whether grass or corn or whatever), so cows are then eating a huge amount of vegetables which required water to grow. Know what I mean? I think the idea is that those vegetables could go a lot further feeding people if we ate them directly rather than feeding them to a cow first.

    I have read a couple articles on this which seem to support this (that meat requires a lot more resources to produce because each cow requires so much feed from birth to slaughter), but I'm no expert and I'm very much aware that data can be manipulated, so I'm not prepared to argue this or anything...just wanted to explain what the reasoning is.

    That doesn't seem right to me. Grass and feed corn are not normally foods humans eat. That may be part of it, but I think they are also talking about water consumed by the cow and used during processing of the meat.

    It's silly anyway since humans eat a lot of meat that is not beef.

    I think the idea is that instead of raising feed corn with those resources, we could be raising things that people do eat. Not that people would be eating exactly what the cows eat.
    RodaRose wrote: »
    http://foodtank.com/news/2013/12/why-meat-eats-resources
    Surprise and disbelief. That’s what often follows when people learn about the large water footprint of many meat products.
    Common responses include: “Really?” “That can’t be right.” “That’s ridiculous.”
    Shock is reasonable after discovering that the global average water footprint – or the total amount of water needed – to produce one pound of beef is 1,799 gallons of water; one pound of pork takes 576 gallons of water. As a comparison, the water footprint of soybeans is 216 gallons; corn is 108 gallons.

    The first has to do with an animal's efficiency to turn its food into body mass known as feed conversion ratios (FCR) (i.e., identical units of feed to meat, so feed: meat). The range of FCRs is based on the type of animal, and according to Dr. Robert Lawrence of Johns Hopkins University, the ratios are approximately 7:1 for beef, 5:1 for pork and 2.5:1 for poultry. The larger the animal, the larger the percentage of that animal’s body mass is inedible material like bone, skin and tissue. This is why beef conversion ratios are the highest and it takes exponentially less water and energy inputs to produce grains, beans and vegetables than meat. To be clear, raising a beef cow takes more resources because a typical beef cow in the US eats thousands of pounds of the above-listed corn and soybeans during its lifetime.

    ^That is more or less what I'd recalled reading before.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I use more water with veggies because I wash those pretty thoroughly. Meat just gets slapped in a pan.

    I like the idea of MM, but if the meat just gets moved from Monday to Tuesday, I'm not sure that I make any big effort toward helping the animals.

    The water savings isn't referring to the water used during food preparation, but the water that is consumed by the animal prior to slaughter (and the water used to grow the grains fed to the animals).

    I have never seen anything to back this up, but I find it hard to imagine that most people doing meatless Monday are eating double-portions of meat on Tuesdays to make up for it. Lots of my co-workers seem to use it as a chance to learn new vegetarian recipes. Overall, it does seem like it would lead to a reduction in meat consumption over time.

    I guess if you eat meat every day and cut Monday out, you've done your bit. Personally, I don't eat meat every day, so I'd just be making one of those days Monday, lol. No big contribution on my part. The doubling-up on meat...that's not at all what I meant, lol.

    If people are using MM to work in more veggies, it's a very positive thing. Most people don't get enough veggies and get more protein than they need, so yay all of that!

    The water thing - veggies need water, too. They need water wile growing, some need mist and cooling systems during transport and storage, then people wash them at home. People who boil or steam them use water for that.

    Are we really sure that cows use more water than veggies?

    I'm really on board with MM (even if it means no change for me, lol). I'm just wondering if it's really saving what those logos suggest.

    It takes almost 1,900 gallons of water to create a pound of beef. Broccoli? 24 gallons for a pound. Asparagus, which requires more than most, still only needs about 250 gallons.

    Keep in mind that meat doesn't spring from nothing. Animals have to eat in order to gain weight and growing what they eat consumes water. In virtually all cases, it would be more water efficient for us to consume that food directly instead of "filtering" it through animals.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/13/food-water-footprint_n_5952862.html
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