So today is the beginning of one month without meat.
I have been quite nervous in the lead up to this, wondering how I will manage this in a practical sense. What has made me the most nervous has been lunch.
A lot of what I have for lunch involves animal in some way - sushi, sandwiches, that sort of thing. I think I'm going to have to be quite prepared in order to manage this. Thankfully there are things like blue cheese and pumpkin risotto from Wishbone, falafel kebabs, and mushroom, basil and mozzarella bagels. Those are what I have managed to scout out in the weeks leading up to this.
What do you suggest?
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Vege Market
In Wellington there are several weekend farmers' markets. The one that I usually go to is held on Sunday mornings by Waitangi Park, near the waterfront. Market gardeners have stalls alongside a French baker, a pizza chef and a Cantonese food vendor among several others. It is really busy and I almost always see people I know. It's funny, when I was a student the vege markets were the place to go to get cheap produce but they have become a lot more gentrified recently. They seem to be just as much a fun weekend activity or event as they are a way of getting your groceries.
This is the haul I managed to carry home on Sunday. I suppose that once we get into the swing of vegetarian eating they will become a really important part of our weekend routine.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Food miles and why they're crap
Several days ago I tried to convince my boyfriend, who studied economics at university, that he should write some blog posts on food and economics. Specifically, I suggested food miles, which I think is a pretty misleading concept. The conversation went something like this.
'I don't want to,' said he. 'Why?' said I.
'Because it's so obvious to me that transport makes up such a small part of the cost of producing food,' he replied.
But not obvious to that many people, evidently.
When you live literally at the ends of the earth, an awful lot of the stuff that you consume is very likely to have been imported. In particular, non-meat sources of protein such as kidney beans just aren't that widely produced in New Zealand. So, if you were to take food miles seriously, it could present a practical dilemma for your average thoughtful vegetarian. As a colleague of mine put it, it's a bit ironic to substitute Taranaki produced beef for Indian grown lentils.
Except, it's not. My boyfriend is dead right when he says that transport makes up a very small amount of the total cost of producing food. International research has shown that 80% of the carbon costs of food production are incurred before the food even gets to the farm gate. Think about it. What goes into producing a kilo of beef? The average cow gets through an awful lot of food. Then there is all the things that go into producing that food, such as fertilizer, water, machinery and associated fuel. It's a bit of a cycle.
Then there are the moral implications of taking food miles too seriously. As someone in an exporting nation, it's a bit rich to pass up on similarly exported good. Especially something that comes from a developing nation, that might not have the sort of internal markets to sustain an industry. I doubt that the demand for coffee in Kenya could ever meet its own supply, but it does other, less coffee laden countries a huge favour when it exports to them.
A lot of this comes down to the concept of comparative advantage. If it's that much more efficient to produce something over the other side of the world, then the other side of the world should probably keep doing what they're doing. A crazy example of this is the fact that Londoners choosing between British or New Zealand produced lamb are much better off choosing the Kiwi stuff, as it is four times more energy efficient than the local equivalent, even taking into account the large distance it has traveled. This difference is mostly allowing to the clover-rich pasture in New Zealand that allows beef farmers to use much less grain feed than their British counterparts.
How can you tell if imported food is efficient? Well, the price for a start. If Chilean grapes aren't prohibitively expensive, then the cost of carbon and whatnot probably isn't off the scale. After all, would a producer keep supplying something if it was really expensive to make? Things like fuel and fertilizer cost an awful lot, and if it's cheaper to grow things where the soil doesn't require as much chemicals, then this could off-set any extra shipping.
But really, the real kicker as some have argued, is the method of transport used to get your groceries from the supermarket to your own kitchen. Flying several ton of bananas into Auckland is efficient; driving to the dairy to pick up a loaf of bread is not.
Although it's a simple way of measuring the environmental cost of food production, it is by no means a complete one. I for one will be eating my kidney beans with a clear conscience.
'I don't want to,' said he. 'Why?' said I.
'Because it's so obvious to me that transport makes up such a small part of the cost of producing food,' he replied.
But not obvious to that many people, evidently.
When you live literally at the ends of the earth, an awful lot of the stuff that you consume is very likely to have been imported. In particular, non-meat sources of protein such as kidney beans just aren't that widely produced in New Zealand. So, if you were to take food miles seriously, it could present a practical dilemma for your average thoughtful vegetarian. As a colleague of mine put it, it's a bit ironic to substitute Taranaki produced beef for Indian grown lentils.
Except, it's not. My boyfriend is dead right when he says that transport makes up a very small amount of the total cost of producing food. International research has shown that 80% of the carbon costs of food production are incurred before the food even gets to the farm gate. Think about it. What goes into producing a kilo of beef? The average cow gets through an awful lot of food. Then there is all the things that go into producing that food, such as fertilizer, water, machinery and associated fuel. It's a bit of a cycle.
Then there are the moral implications of taking food miles too seriously. As someone in an exporting nation, it's a bit rich to pass up on similarly exported good. Especially something that comes from a developing nation, that might not have the sort of internal markets to sustain an industry. I doubt that the demand for coffee in Kenya could ever meet its own supply, but it does other, less coffee laden countries a huge favour when it exports to them.
A lot of this comes down to the concept of comparative advantage. If it's that much more efficient to produce something over the other side of the world, then the other side of the world should probably keep doing what they're doing. A crazy example of this is the fact that Londoners choosing between British or New Zealand produced lamb are much better off choosing the Kiwi stuff, as it is four times more energy efficient than the local equivalent, even taking into account the large distance it has traveled. This difference is mostly allowing to the clover-rich pasture in New Zealand that allows beef farmers to use much less grain feed than their British counterparts.
How can you tell if imported food is efficient? Well, the price for a start. If Chilean grapes aren't prohibitively expensive, then the cost of carbon and whatnot probably isn't off the scale. After all, would a producer keep supplying something if it was really expensive to make? Things like fuel and fertilizer cost an awful lot, and if it's cheaper to grow things where the soil doesn't require as much chemicals, then this could off-set any extra shipping.
But really, the real kicker as some have argued, is the method of transport used to get your groceries from the supermarket to your own kitchen. Flying several ton of bananas into Auckland is efficient; driving to the dairy to pick up a loaf of bread is not.
Although it's a simple way of measuring the environmental cost of food production, it is by no means a complete one. I for one will be eating my kidney beans with a clear conscience.
Reactions to our food experiment
Phil's dad: What will we have for dinner on Sunday? A whole month of Sundays and just vegetables?
Phil's mum: One of Sharon's friends has a vegetarian girl staying at her house and she thinks that it's going to cost her a whole lot more at the supermarket now. So it will probably be very expensive.
Phil's brother: You know you probably won't lose any weight, in fact, you will probably just put on weight because you'll eat heaps of cheese.
My friend Traci's mum: If you can give up meat for a month then I can give up wine gums for a month.
Alana: Why?
Jarrod: That's really good. I used to be a vegetarian because I thought it was immoral to eat meat. But then I decided to just be immoral and eat meat.
Alex: You know you're not going to want to eat meat after this.
Baby Lily: I prefer breast milk. Jarrod: I prefer a flan.
Phil's mum: One of Sharon's friends has a vegetarian girl staying at her house and she thinks that it's going to cost her a whole lot more at the supermarket now. So it will probably be very expensive.
Phil's brother: You know you probably won't lose any weight, in fact, you will probably just put on weight because you'll eat heaps of cheese.
My friend Traci's mum: If you can give up meat for a month then I can give up wine gums for a month.
Alana: Why?
Jarrod: That's really good. I used to be a vegetarian because I thought it was immoral to eat meat. But then I decided to just be immoral and eat meat.
Alex: You know you're not going to want to eat meat after this.
Baby Lily: I prefer breast milk. Jarrod: I prefer a flan.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Interview - A Real Live One
Nimish Gautam is a friend of mine from my days in a first year university hostel. Being the token American exchange student, he would often get a bit overwhelmed at the possibilities of being in a country where the drinking age was 18 and absinthe was easy to get hold of. We would often wake up on Sunday mornings to several incomprehensible text messages and voicemails from a very drunk Nimish, who, having attempted to walk home from one bar or another, had got himself lost and ended up sleeping at the waterfront. He is one of the funniest people I have ever met.
Once upon a time, many eons ago when I was a wee little Nimish (so maybe when I was 13 or so), I realized animals were cute and furry. I thought they were so cute and furry that I shouldn't eat them, because that would cause so much pain and suffering on the cute furry creatures. So I abstained from eating meat. Also, it helped that my mom was a vegetarian, so the only real meat I'd ever had was school cafeteria meat. Most would argue that means I've never actually eaten meat in my life.
Anyways, the transition was pretty easy. Later, as I grew up, I revisited my original rationale. I thought about it and realized that if I were on a desert island and there was a squirrel and me, and that squirrel was 30x my size, he'd probably not think I was so cute and furry. He'd probably eat me. I decided then and there that if it ever came down to me and a squirrel in a life-or-death situation, that squirrel is going down. Strangely enough, for this reason I genuinely respect people who hunt their own food. I feel like that's honorable, and because it's so much effort, it discourages you from wastefully or needlessly hunting things. Besides, we have the ability to process meat, so why not use it, right?
Thing is, I don't have that ability so much anymore. The same way people become lactose intolerant after staying away from dairy for too long, your body can become 'heavy meat' intolerant. A few years back I accidentally had a bite of ham, and the results weren't pretty. I don't really have motive to go back because I get my protein and iron from the rest of my diet.
Honestly though, I haven't totally precluded meat from my diet. For instance, a few years back I realized I've never had shrimp. What if it turns out shrimp is like this amazing delicious wonderful food that people spend years perfecting and dedicating their lives to, and I missed out on it because 13-year-old me mistakenly thought it was cute and furry? (Apparently, *good* shrimp isn't cute *or* furry) So I tried it. Didn't like it. But now I know. Same with other random 'exotic' foods when they're presented. If I'm genuinely curious, I'll go for it, but I really haven't found anything I like much, except sushi on occasion. So I guess I'm a vegetarian with a little star(fish) disclaimer =)
What are people's reactions like when you tell them about your dietary restrictions?
Well, if they don't know any better, they think I'm being snooty or just too picky, like I'm saying "oh, I only eat food grown on the northern part of the field in the shade of fresh mango trees picked at midnight" Sometimes they think I just won't notice. When I put it more in terms of a food allergy or lactose intolerance, they get the picture and are more understanding.
How easy or difficult is it for you when you eat out?
It's really strange, I've gotten used to going to restaurants and looking for the 1 or 2 vegetarian options and choosing from that. Usually they can make certain dishes without the meat, especially in Mexican restaurants where beans can be substituted for beef in most foods.
When I go to vegetarian restaurants, it actually takes me much longer to figure out what I want b/c I'm not used to the choice. It's a little weird, but enh, I've gotten used to it.
Would you or have you ever actively encouraged others to adopt your dietary restrictions? Why or why not?
Only if the person seems to have unhealthy eating habits to begin with. All of our bodies are different, and what works for me probably won't work for other people. If you're taking care of yourself, feel good and healthy, stick with what you're doing. If not, maybe watch what you put in there and see if that makes it better.
What is your favourite food?
Mostly, I like Italian food, like pizza and pasta, especially covered in cheese!
Once upon a time, many eons ago when I was a wee little Nimish (so maybe when I was 13 or so), I realized animals were cute and furry. I thought they were so cute and furry that I shouldn't eat them, because that would cause so much pain and suffering on the cute furry creatures. So I abstained from eating meat. Also, it helped that my mom was a vegetarian, so the only real meat I'd ever had was school cafeteria meat. Most would argue that means I've never actually eaten meat in my life.
Anyways, the transition was pretty easy. Later, as I grew up, I revisited my original rationale. I thought about it and realized that if I were on a desert island and there was a squirrel and me, and that squirrel was 30x my size, he'd probably not think I was so cute and furry. He'd probably eat me. I decided then and there that if it ever came down to me and a squirrel in a life-or-death situation, that squirrel is going down. Strangely enough, for this reason I genuinely respect people who hunt their own food. I feel like that's honorable, and because it's so much effort, it discourages you from wastefully or needlessly hunting things. Besides, we have the ability to process meat, so why not use it, right?
Thing is, I don't have that ability so much anymore. The same way people become lactose intolerant after staying away from dairy for too long, your body can become 'heavy meat' intolerant. A few years back I accidentally had a bite of ham, and the results weren't pretty. I don't really have motive to go back because I get my protein and iron from the rest of my diet.
Honestly though, I haven't totally precluded meat from my diet. For instance, a few years back I realized I've never had shrimp. What if it turns out shrimp is like this amazing delicious wonderful food that people spend years perfecting and dedicating their lives to, and I missed out on it because 13-year-old me mistakenly thought it was cute and furry? (Apparently, *good* shrimp isn't cute *or* furry) So I tried it. Didn't like it. But now I know. Same with other random 'exotic' foods when they're presented. If I'm genuinely curious, I'll go for it, but I really haven't found anything I like much, except sushi on occasion. So I guess I'm a vegetarian with a little star(fish) disclaimer =)
What are people's reactions like when you tell them about your dietary restrictions?
Well, if they don't know any better, they think I'm being snooty or just too picky, like I'm saying "oh, I only eat food grown on the northern part of the field in the shade of fresh mango trees picked at midnight" Sometimes they think I just won't notice. When I put it more in terms of a food allergy or lactose intolerance, they get the picture and are more understanding.
How easy or difficult is it for you when you eat out?
It's really strange, I've gotten used to going to restaurants and looking for the 1 or 2 vegetarian options and choosing from that. Usually they can make certain dishes without the meat, especially in Mexican restaurants where beans can be substituted for beef in most foods.
When I go to vegetarian restaurants, it actually takes me much longer to figure out what I want b/c I'm not used to the choice. It's a little weird, but enh, I've gotten used to it.
Would you or have you ever actively encouraged others to adopt your dietary restrictions? Why or why not?
Only if the person seems to have unhealthy eating habits to begin with. All of our bodies are different, and what works for me probably won't work for other people. If you're taking care of yourself, feel good and healthy, stick with what you're doing. If not, maybe watch what you put in there and see if that makes it better.
What is your favourite food?
Mostly, I like Italian food, like pizza and pasta, especially covered in cheese!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Background
I love meat. So does my family. I grew up in a tiny town in the central North Island of New Zealand. When I mention rural New Zealand, what immediately springs to mind? SHEEP.
Yes, sheep. One of my most annoying memories of childhood is of this woman at a Palmerston North inter-school debating tournaments asking my team-mates and me if we had had to get up really early in order to milk the cows before coming to the competition. As if you could farm cows up there. Cows need flat land, not hill country. This is why most of the farmers in the district run sheep on their land.
Although I grew up on a section in the township, my childhood was still pretty rural. My father killed virtually all the meat that we ate. He is the only person I know who takes annual leave from his real job in order to go and spend a few weeks doing hard physical labour at his friends' farms. As a result of this, we had a never-ending supply of mutton and hogget.
It was only when I left home to go to university that I started to realise that it's not typical to come home from school to see several sheep carcases strung up in the garage dripping blood all over the concrete. Or to walk into the kitchen and find my dad butchering half a mutton into chops and roasts with a saw. Meals were roast mutton on a Monday, stewed mutton in the crockpot on Tuesday, homemade mutton sausages with sage and garlic from Dad's garden on Wednesdays. Fish and chips on Sundays when it was Dad's turn to cook. I can't remember what we had on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, but you can be sure that it wasn't meat free.
So, meat played a certain role in my childhood and will probably always be quite nostalgic for me. I don't want to exaggerate, but it's hard to imagine a life without it. I'm not even sure if I will tell my parents about my experiment. I don't fancy their reaction if I ever became a proper vegetarian. That would be even more awkward than the Christmas they announced they were going to the cemetery to pick out a burial plot. At least I won't be offended if the rest of my family doesn't want to join in.
Yes, sheep. One of my most annoying memories of childhood is of this woman at a Palmerston North inter-school debating tournaments asking my team-mates and me if we had had to get up really early in order to milk the cows before coming to the competition. As if you could farm cows up there. Cows need flat land, not hill country. This is why most of the farmers in the district run sheep on their land.
Although I grew up on a section in the township, my childhood was still pretty rural. My father killed virtually all the meat that we ate. He is the only person I know who takes annual leave from his real job in order to go and spend a few weeks doing hard physical labour at his friends' farms. As a result of this, we had a never-ending supply of mutton and hogget.
It was only when I left home to go to university that I started to realise that it's not typical to come home from school to see several sheep carcases strung up in the garage dripping blood all over the concrete. Or to walk into the kitchen and find my dad butchering half a mutton into chops and roasts with a saw. Meals were roast mutton on a Monday, stewed mutton in the crockpot on Tuesday, homemade mutton sausages with sage and garlic from Dad's garden on Wednesdays. Fish and chips on Sundays when it was Dad's turn to cook. I can't remember what we had on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, but you can be sure that it wasn't meat free.
So, meat played a certain role in my childhood and will probably always be quite nostalgic for me. I don't want to exaggerate, but it's hard to imagine a life without it. I'm not even sure if I will tell my parents about my experiment. I don't fancy their reaction if I ever became a proper vegetarian. That would be even more awkward than the Christmas they announced they were going to the cemetery to pick out a burial plot. At least I won't be offended if the rest of my family doesn't want to join in.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Throwing down the gauntlet
Today in the kitchen at work I had a chat to a colleague, Alex, who I am hoping will let me interview him for this blog. He was at one point a vegetarian because his girlfriend was one too. I think it was a somewhat reluctant choice because every so often he would sneak off for a steak or something. Bad vege.
Anyway, when I told him about my plan to go vego for a month, he told me that if I make it without cheating, it would be very unlikely for me to go back, and that from hence-forth I would find meat 'yuck'.
Even though it's pretty hard for me to imagine myself really repulsed by meat, it has made me a bit scared. How would I manage eating out? Would my parents still talk to me? The latter might seem like a bit of an exaggeration, but wait until you hear a bit about my background.
Anyway, when I told him about my plan to go vego for a month, he told me that if I make it without cheating, it would be very unlikely for me to go back, and that from hence-forth I would find meat 'yuck'.
Even though it's pretty hard for me to imagine myself really repulsed by meat, it has made me a bit scared. How would I manage eating out? Would my parents still talk to me? The latter might seem like a bit of an exaggeration, but wait until you hear a bit about my background.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Introduction
My name is Evealyn O'Connor and one of my new year's resolutions is to abstain from eating meat for one month. I am going to do this during February 2010.
Like many over-educated soft urban dwellers, my personal health and the environment are two things that I think about quite a lot. I grant you it does seem like a strange combination, but certain things about my lifestyle make it not so unlikely. My job at a certain large government department involves sitting in front of a computer for approximately eight hours a day, five days a week. Hardly a natural state. Every day when I go to find lunch, or sort something out for my dinner, I have to think seriously about things like fat and cholesterol. How disappointing to have to prioritise these over exciting things like blue cheese or bacon.
At the same time, I have found myself considering the impact of my consumption on the environment. Originally this was mostly because, well, what university student doesn't feel compelled to save the world at some point? It's as much a rite of passage as lining up for dodgy bars and drinking flaming shots of liquor. Take my sister, a second year student at Victoria, who, when we buy a juice while out shopping, will take our empty glasses home with her to ensure that they are put out for recycling. God forbid they should end up in an ordinary rubbish bin! However, as I get older and hopefully wiser, I find it hard to deny the call to reduce and conserve. On a recent trip to China, I was shocked at the general dirtiness and rubbish that seemed to be everywhere. One hostel we stayed at in Shanghai shared an alleyway with a restaurant, whose bin (if you could call it that) would be literally overflowing with festering, rotting food scraps. I began to really miss trees and green spaces, which were very few and far between.
So, it seems that meat might be something of a culprit in terms of both of these evils. Meat is a convenient source of protein, but it often has a lot of fat, and in particular saturated fat. It's suggested that there is a link between red meat consumption and illnesses such as heart disease and cancer, although this probably hasn't been proved conclusively. The environmental impact is very serious. The production of meat accounts for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, even more so than transport. I find that really shocking, given the amount of people in the world driving cars and boarding aeroplanes every day. Even the UN has suggested reducing meat consumption as a realistic way of combating global warming.
I have flirted with the idea of going vege on and off for some time. Every so often I will announce that I am definitely going to reduce my meat intake and get into beans in a big way. The problem is though, that I bloody love meat. I can't deny that it is delicious. Lots of other people like it too.
But even I'm not silly enough to pretend that my one month sabbatical is anything special. In fact, it is pretty ridiculous. And insignificant. But you know what? Its something that I can realistically do, and so I'm going to do it.
Over the next wee while I am going to post a variety of things. I have plans to put up recipes, interviews with actual (not pretend like me) meat abstainers, and essays on meat and environmental related issues. At the very least, it will reduce my own meat intake, and perhaps even distract me from watching documentaries about David Hasselhoff on Sunday afternoons.
Like many over-educated soft urban dwellers, my personal health and the environment are two things that I think about quite a lot. I grant you it does seem like a strange combination, but certain things about my lifestyle make it not so unlikely. My job at a certain large government department involves sitting in front of a computer for approximately eight hours a day, five days a week. Hardly a natural state. Every day when I go to find lunch, or sort something out for my dinner, I have to think seriously about things like fat and cholesterol. How disappointing to have to prioritise these over exciting things like blue cheese or bacon.
At the same time, I have found myself considering the impact of my consumption on the environment. Originally this was mostly because, well, what university student doesn't feel compelled to save the world at some point? It's as much a rite of passage as lining up for dodgy bars and drinking flaming shots of liquor. Take my sister, a second year student at Victoria, who, when we buy a juice while out shopping, will take our empty glasses home with her to ensure that they are put out for recycling. God forbid they should end up in an ordinary rubbish bin! However, as I get older and hopefully wiser, I find it hard to deny the call to reduce and conserve. On a recent trip to China, I was shocked at the general dirtiness and rubbish that seemed to be everywhere. One hostel we stayed at in Shanghai shared an alleyway with a restaurant, whose bin (if you could call it that) would be literally overflowing with festering, rotting food scraps. I began to really miss trees and green spaces, which were very few and far between.
So, it seems that meat might be something of a culprit in terms of both of these evils. Meat is a convenient source of protein, but it often has a lot of fat, and in particular saturated fat. It's suggested that there is a link between red meat consumption and illnesses such as heart disease and cancer, although this probably hasn't been proved conclusively. The environmental impact is very serious. The production of meat accounts for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, even more so than transport. I find that really shocking, given the amount of people in the world driving cars and boarding aeroplanes every day. Even the UN has suggested reducing meat consumption as a realistic way of combating global warming.
I have flirted with the idea of going vege on and off for some time. Every so often I will announce that I am definitely going to reduce my meat intake and get into beans in a big way. The problem is though, that I bloody love meat. I can't deny that it is delicious. Lots of other people like it too.
But even I'm not silly enough to pretend that my one month sabbatical is anything special. In fact, it is pretty ridiculous. And insignificant. But you know what? Its something that I can realistically do, and so I'm going to do it.
Over the next wee while I am going to post a variety of things. I have plans to put up recipes, interviews with actual (not pretend like me) meat abstainers, and essays on meat and environmental related issues. At the very least, it will reduce my own meat intake, and perhaps even distract me from watching documentaries about David Hasselhoff on Sunday afternoons.
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