The Climate Reality Project

I see as usual the veggies are on a rampage for thew abolishment of all meat eaters. Unsavory cusses trhat deserve all the health problems they will encounter. NONSENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First and foremost let me state that in a minor way they're right but like all cultists they have taken a good idea and fallen off the brink of insanity into the abyss. YES, we eat way too much meat as a culture. YES, hormones in meat are a problem. YES, mad cow disease is horrible....(here's a weird thought.... QUIT FEEDING COWS OTHER COWS)! SIGH! Ok people lets try to get through this.... Look! The facts are that meat is not the only option and we dont need to eat meat with every meal (and I dont).but insted of just doing away with the jobs and economics of the meat industry and its by-products (like animal food, big hint: cats and dogs are CARNIVORES) why dont we look at it in a different light. Fast food chains are huge culprits. We should set higher regulations on how they raise their beefs (eg: let the cows develop to maturity without hormones, (the industry can afford to take the time to do this without raising prices they just want you to think that). We should require that the waste product (like POOP) is used to produce power( methane production could be used both for power and for running vehicles). Increase fines (and the power of the USDA) and introduce legislation that actually increases penalitiesfor animal cruelity to the point that these huge companies can't afford to treat animals inhumanly (eg: first offense huge fine, second offense = 75% of gross profit, third offense: you are out of business!) Institute policy whereby foriegn companies must comply with USDA regulations or they cannot import to us ( many other countries already have similar policy). America is not currently in an economic position to just destroy that many jobs. Further, Most doctors agree that while you can get protien from other sources there are other benefits to meat consumption that a vegan or even a vegetarian diet cannot supply....certian NATURALLY occuring hormones are nessessary to early childhood development (Scientific American, August 2005, New England Journal of Medicine, May 2006). This is a case where moderation in our consumption of a product could make a huge impact. Insisting on tough anti-cruelity laws and strict enforcment of them is the best option, especially in the case of Mad Cow disease where the cause is known and a simple solution is available; QUIT FEEDING COWS OTHER COWS. Take the time and effort to go to local farmers and buy your beef: I buy half a cow a year and get high end grass fed beef (ever get a grass fed steak in a resturant; pricey) that is tasty and I know exactly what its living conditions were.... The guy I deal with takes excellent care of all his livestock. This small and simple step takes approximatly 1 year to impliment (to grow the cow) and is a fantastic stimulant to local economy.... and I find a damn site cheeper. So long Wal-Mart world without end, sean