6 ms·

Don't eat meat.

by bbrian 8y ago

Don't eat meat.

chrisweekly 8y ago
I'd suggest instead: if you're going to eat meat, be picky about its provenance. Specifically, insist on grass-fed beef (as the corn-based diet of factory cattle is a major contributor to sick cows and the "need" for antibiotics). Voting with your wallet -- thus providing signal to the marketplace that how meat is sourced matters -- is more effective than opting out altogether. Not an option for everyone, but many omnivores could take this approach. Combined with options like "impossible burger" we might be on the verge of a tipping point towards a large and positive change.
- paulcole 8y ago
  Opting out altogether is the most powerful form of voting with your wallet.
  - chrisweekly 8y ago
    Not necessarily. By opting out, there's no signal at all that it matters how the meat is sourced.
    - paulcole 8y ago
      How does the factory farmer know whether: A) I buy my meat at the farmer's market. B) I buy tempeh instead of meat.
      - chrisweekly 8y ago
        It's not about one factory farmer being connected so directly to your specific choices, it's more like: restauranteers and grocers increasingly notice customers insisting on local, humanely raised, grass-fed beef, and thus they reduce their factory-meat order size and quantity. Factory farmer asks why, maybe gets an answer and thinks about improving conditions, or maybe doesn't in which case it's still a net win as the market share shifts in favor of the "good guys".
Valmar 8y ago
Useless advice. I could offer something just as useless: "don't eat plants". Meat and plants can both be infected with bacteria. And both require freezing and refrigeration to avoid spoiling.
- askvictor 8y ago
  The meat industry is a major reason for antibiotic resistant bacteria.
  - DiabloD3 8y ago
    A major reason, but not the only major reason, and not the largest among major reasons. Doctors constantly prescribing antibiotics for literally anything (even viruses, which would require an antiviral not an antibiotic), and then patients not taking all of their pills (giving you a double whammy of dumb) is just as bad, or even worse, than meat. Also, the beef industry in the US has stopped the practice of subtherapeutic antibiotics used for growth. Antibiotics can only be given to beef strictly by on-label usage, thus closing one of the possible routes. Pro-vegan propaganda does not belong on HN.
    - richardw 8y ago
      It seems a bit less cut and dry, and still unsolved. > is just as bad, or even worse, than meat. "By 2011, a total of 13.6 million kg (30 million lb) of antimicrobials were sold for use in food-producing animals in the United States,[53] which represented 80% of all antibiotics sold or distributed in the United States" > Antibiotics can only be given to beef strictly by on-label usage, thus closing one of the possible routes. "The FDA has asked drug companies to voluntarily edit its labels to exclude growth promotion as an indication for antibiotic usage." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic_use_in_livestock https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic_use_in_livestock Even if the US comes down hard if there is are countries that still allows it, the risk remains. Resistance doesn't care about borders. > Pro-vegan propaganda does not belong on HN. Sure. But it seems an important issue and the facts seem to indicate it's not solved yet.

Don't eat meat.

by bbrian 8y ago

Don't eat meat.

I'd suggest instead: if you're going to eat meat, be picky about its provenance. Specifically, insist on grass-fed beef (as the corn-based diet of factory cattle is a major contributor to sick cows and the "need" for antibiotics). Voting with your wallet -- thus providing signal to the marketplace that how meat is sourced matters -- is more effective than opting out altogether. Not an option for everyone, but many omnivores could take this approach. Combined with options like "impossible burger" we might be on the verge of a tipping point towards a large and positive change.

paulcole 8y ago
Opting out altogether is the most powerful form of voting with your wallet.
- chrisweekly 8y ago
  Not necessarily. By opting out, there's no signal at all that it matters how the meat is sourced.
  - paulcole 8y ago
    How does the factory farmer know whether: A) I buy my meat at the farmer's market. B) I buy tempeh instead of meat.
    - chrisweekly 8y ago
      It's not about one factory farmer being connected so directly to your specific choices, it's more like: restauranteers and grocers increasingly notice customers insisting on local, humanely raised, grass-fed beef, and thus they reduce their factory-meat order size and quantity. Factory farmer asks why, maybe gets an answer and thinks about improving conditions, or maybe doesn't in which case it's still a net win as the market share shifts in favor of the "good guys".

Valmar 8y ago

Useless advice. I could offer something just as useless: "don't eat plants". Meat and plants can both be infected with bacteria. And both require freezing and refrigeration to avoid spoiling.

askvictor 8y ago
The meat industry is a major reason for antibiotic resistant bacteria.
- DiabloD3 8y ago
  A major reason, but not the only major reason, and not the largest among major reasons. Doctors constantly prescribing antibiotics for literally anything (even viruses, which would require an antiviral not an antibiotic), and then patients not taking all of their pills (giving you a double whammy of dumb) is just as bad, or even worse, than meat. Also, the beef industry in the US has stopped the practice of subtherapeutic antibiotics used for growth. Antibiotics can only be given to beef strictly by on-label usage, thus closing one of the possible routes. Pro-vegan propaganda does not belong on HN.
  - richardw 8y ago
    It seems a bit less cut and dry, and still unsolved. > is just as bad, or even worse, than meat. "By 2011, a total of 13.6 million kg (30 million lb) of antimicrobials were sold for use in food-producing animals in the United States,[53] which represented 80% of all antibiotics sold or distributed in the United States" > Antibiotics can only be given to beef strictly by on-label usage, thus closing one of the possible routes. "The FDA has asked drug companies to voluntarily edit its labels to exclude growth promotion as an indication for antibiotic usage." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic_use_in_livestock https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic_use_in_livestock Even if the US comes down hard if there is are countries that still allows it, the risk remains. Resistance doesn't care about borders. > Pro-vegan propaganda does not belong on HN. Sure. But it seems an important issue and the facts seem to indicate it's not solved yet.