How can we reduce our footprint when it comes to eating meat from animals?

This week of class, my eyes were open to the cruel reality of what animals go through. I have heard horror stories of what laughter houses are like, but put those thoughts in the back of my head and did not give them much thought. I personally believe that everyone should be knowledgeable of what happens in this country in regards to where our meat that we consume comes from and how the animals are treated in the process. It does not matter if you are a vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or meat lover, it is important to know what is going on in the food industry in the country we live in.

Dr. Emmerman, guest speaker that we were so lucky to have in class for a day last week brought to light on what goes on in the food industry, especially with chicken farms. I was not surprised with the facts that I heard. I knew that Americans consumed a lot of chicken, but I did not realize that out of the 10 billion animals slaughtered, 9 billion of those were chickens. There were other ridiculous laws and treatment that the animals get (or lack of).

After this week of class, I am not a full-blown vegetarian, but I will consider consuming less meat. Katie made a great point in class. Athletes get a good amount of protein and energy from meat. I could not sustain my lifestyle on just vegetables with how active I am. We need meat as a source of protein in order for us to perform at the best of our ability. Although we made consume meat for an energy source, we can also consume other sources of energy and carbohydrates to sustain our bodies. We can consume a little less meat and add other means such as pasta. Katie suggested spaghetti with a little bit of red meat sauce. Meat was not that dominant part of the meal, it complimented it. That way, we are not just eating whole steaks and calling it good. You can do that, but you’re leaving a bigger footprint by doing so. Meat is good in moderation, but if you make it the main course, then it not only can be unhealthy, but you’re consuming more than you need to.

I also learned that the workers at slaughterhouses have some of the most dangerous jobs in America. I thought that it was mostly machines that did the cutting of the meat, but its actual people and the work conditions are very unsafe. Not only re they unsafe, but they lack health benefits. Not only is it cruel for the animals, it is also cruel for the workers involved in the line of work. Someone brought up an excellent point in class where instead of humans making the cuts, we have machines do the dirty work while the workers are behind glass pushing buttons and pulling levers. Of course this idea is a work in progress and is not likely to happen because it is costly to have these machines and to generate them.

“No animals were born farm animals. They were born and farmed.” – Karen S. Emmerman, PhD

This quote speaks volumes to me because all of my life I had this misconception of farm animals. The statement that they were born farm animals is false. They were born wild and meant to be free but are immediately broken of their free will and raised on a farm.

I could relate to the girl in the movie “Okja’ because of the similarity with my family raising chickens. In the movie, the girl and her father were given this super pig to raise for ten years. After ten years was up, the pig’s destiny was to be killed and made into food. When the girl heard the news that they took her beloved pet that she had build this friendship over her childhood with, she had to save her friend. I thought the whole movie was interesting in the fact that it had made the pig very personable. They gave it a personality, made the eyes humanlike, and gave it intelligence and emotion. It could understand the girl and found ways to communicate with her. This made it easier for the audience to become attached to the character as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAypEVbgP10

This is the scene where Okja realizes that the girl is about to plunge to her death when she slips off a ledge. The pig has to think fast and does so, risking its life for her as the pig slingshots her back to safety. In doing so, a sacrifice had to be made and the pig falls to the forest floor. Oddly enough, it survives and all is well. This scene shows the depth of the relationship between the girl and the pig is.

Even though the pig was raised to eventually be eaten by others, the family who raised it would never consider consuming their beloved pet. My parents have 4 chickens that they have raised to produce eggs. They are strictly for eggs, not meat. Our family would never consider eating them for dinner, or even killing them. Last winter, it rained a tremendous amount and their coup got water inside, leaving the chickens to become cold and damp. Unfortunately, three of them got sick and kicked the bucket. We never considered eating them, even though they were dead. We gave them a proper burial instead. These chickens have become part of th family and are considered to be a value to us.

These hens have a good life in comparison to the 9 billion chickens that are stuck in confined areas with poor living conditions. We let our chickens roam around the yard in the summer and have built a giant fenced area for them to roam around that also keeps predators out.

In answer to my question on how to lower or footprint in regards to consuming meat, there are several ways to do so. One way is to understand what it takes to raise a farm animal, such as out four chickens, or Okja the super pig. That way one can fully understand what it takes to make sure the animals are properly fed, hydrated, and living spaces are clean and have an adequate amount of space. Another way to reduce the amount of meat we consume is to alter your diet. This does not mean you have to make a drastic change, but to slowly change your palette to not crave or consume a lot of meat. I believe eating the right kind of meat is good in moderation, but it does not have to be the main course or main source of energy and protein. Supplement other sources of protein such as legumes and nuts.

Everyone has his or her own opinion on whether we should eat meat or not. There are pros in cons to either side. Whatever choice you make should not change the fact that you should be informed on what goes on in the food industry in America. No matter what one’s belief is, having the knowledge of where your food comes from and what goes into getting it to your plate is important.

Julia Berenson

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