ethically produced meat...

In the bigger picture? Sure? Maybe? I don't know but cattle isn't exactly wild game. We raise these animals to feed us. That's the bigger issue. Just don't eat it or like me, cut way back.

i hear you on your point about them not being wild animals. i have cut back a fair bit on red meat and almost never have dairy either.

from an energy perspective chicken is a great meat source, but from an ehtical pov in north america anyway the way chickens are raised/processed is pretty abysmal and why i've cut way back on chicken too. personally i'd like to be able to buy ethically raised/processed chicken and turkey and it looks like some of the suggestions in this thread provide that option.

it totally matters whether it's factory corn-fed or grassfed both for the quality of the meat and the environmental footprint.

Yeah, lol…..

Grass-Fed Beef Has Bigger Carbon Footprint

http://extension.psu.edu/animals/beef/grass-fed-beef/articles/telling-the-grass-fed-beef-story

We split a cow with another couple once a year.

I dub thee cow-splitter.

Not all animals create meat equally. Through a technique called Life Cycle Analysis scientists have been able to put figures on the environmental impact of different meats (exact figures vary depending on the farming systems, but the following figures are broadly true of the meat you can buy in British supermarkets).

The worst offenders are the grass-eating, methane-producing animals. Cows release the equivalent of 16kg of carbon dioxide for every kilo of meat produced. Sheep are only slightly better producing 13kg of CO2 for every kilo of meat.

Pigs and chickens, which eat a more mixed diet, are much better. Pigs produce about half as much carbon dioxide, and chickens are responsible for only 4.4kg of CO2 per kilo of meat.

So if you are worried about your carbon footprint you are much better off eating chicken than beef. And, perhaps uncomfortably for some, the most eco-friendly chickens (in terms of carbon emissions) may not be organic or free-range, but those that are raised intensively in energy efficient indoor farms.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-28858289

So there you go. If there is a future in meat, factory-farmed chicken will save the planet.

The methane output is much worse than the CO2 output.

How is a cow humanely slaughtered? Is it, and all the cows that it shared it's life with all suddenly instantly killed at the same time? Do they get extra special grass and the fuck of their lives before being electrocuted and shot? Do the people who do the killing do 'house calls' to spare the cattle a potentially long journey in the back of a truck before lining up in a slaughterhouse listening to the cattle in front getting killed? Honestly I'm a bit lost on the whole 'humane' fad. As for giving cows grass - the stuff they naturally eat - OMG aren't we so humane! That's amazing!

I'm more incensed by the term "organic".

This is actually a good thread!!! I'm also cutting back on the flesh eating. It can be difficult though. Cutting out pork seems to be the hardest for me because I'm a breakfast guy. I'm leaning toward chicken and fish these days. Theres a great documentary called Conspiracy everyone should check out. Worth a watch. Someone also suggested to me the other day that people should have to kill the animal they are going to eat. interesting thought. I'm not a vegetarian (yet), but i'm pretty sure the only animals i could kill would be fish and maybe chicken. I seriously bet that 95% of our population would be vegetarian if they had to kill the animal before they ate it. Anyway, good thread

I'm more incensed by the term "organic".

Several European countries do not allow the use of the term 'organic' for various reasons. A few being: price gouging and some organic produce is actually worse for you unless you wash it significantly better (up to 10X more than regular produce).a

I'm not a vegetarian (yet), but i'm pretty sure the only animals i could kill would be fish and maybe chicken. I seriously bet that 95% of our population would be vegetarian if they had to kill the animal before they ate it.

And just 100 years ago, those numbers would be 360 degrees different, with vegetarians being almost unheard of at the time.

cost? source?

A friend organizes, and this year used Nicola Valley Meats (butcher in Merritt that sources from local ranchers). I think the whole cow was about 2500 this year. In the past, we've used a ranch near Williams Lake.

I dub thee cow-splitter.

:lol:

I've also heard it referred to as "cow-pooling"

And just 100 years ago, those numbers would be 360 degrees different, with vegetarians being almost unheard of at the time.

Ah the glory days! When (white) men were men! Slavery, women in their place (hell, no voting for them!), horrific working conditions for the poor, child labour, First Nations? Screw those guys! Everything's mine! Own! Kill! Destroy! ;)

Ah the glory days! When (white) men were men! Slavery, women in their place (hell, no voting for them!), horrific working conditions for the poor, child labour, First Nations? Screw those guys! Everything's mine! Own! Kill! Destroy! ;)

Yup - only the strong survived and now look down on their lineage with wonder, no doubt.

Ah the glory days! When (white) men were men! Slavery, women in their place (hell, no voting for them!), horrific working conditions for the poor, child labour, First Nations? Screw those guys! Everything's mine! Own! Kill! Destroy! ;)

I would love to feel guilty, but I have a pair of delicious prime grade ribeyes in the fridge, dry - brining in Montreal steak spice that I will be cooking on my pellet grill tonight. I'm thinking roasted asparagus, fried potatoes, and a cup of the lemon chicken noodle soup I made last night should round out the meal nicely.

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I seem to inadvertently fill my basket with Island produced stuff. Doesn't mean much but I'm glad locals benefit from my choices, even if the big corps probably have a hand in it in some cases.

As far as ethnically produced, who knows. I'm not all that concerned.