What tends to go along with this notion is the
polarization of different choices and a singular focus on
extremes. Sure, someone who eats only organic veggies
from their own backyard is going to be healthier and
have a smaller carbon footprint than someone who eats
only rare, imported animal products from across the
globe. But the reality is that most of us are somewhere
in the middle of those two extremes. And none of our
choices are perfect.
Even for those who don’t eat animal products at the
moment, for example, eating tropical fruits that are flown
in from other countries certainly contributes to climate
change. And buying lots of foods and supplements
online, no matter what they’re made of, adds up to
a hefty carbon footprint. So who am I to judge my
neighbor who never buys anything online but eats meat
from a family ranch just a few miles down the road?
Back when I went vegan for the first time, I was a
huge jerk about it. Oh yes. I was one of those super-
judgmental, holier-than-thou vegans who picked fights
with people and constantly talked about how terrible the
meat and dairy industries are. Meanwhile, I was chowing
down on grains, soy, wheat, and packaged foods that
were no doubt mono-cropped, sprayed with chemicals
probably patented by Monsanto, and making huge
corporations rich. Monocropping, by the way, is one of
the most agriculturally destructive practices out there,
much more so than a truly biodynamic farm that raises
cows, pigs, and other livestock.^6
Our ecosystem evolved to be in balance, in harmony
with both plants and animals. Slashing down diverse,
native forests or grasslands to put in CAFOs or
mono-cropped fields of GMO grains is not a smart or
sustainable idea. Hopefully, this is a statement that all
of us can agree on.7, 8 The planet is supposed to support
fluctuating communities of flora and fauna, for optimal
diversity and soil health; but the way our current system
is set up, with its monolithic, one-crop fields or giant
chicken houses crammed with thousands of birds, is
destroying us. Not only does this system erode the
planet, but it also results in poorer-quality food, higher
rates of disease, and poorer quality of life for everyone
(including our farmers and ranchers).^9
My point is this: The argument doesn’t have to be
about whether you eat meat or not. We can all do better.
But doing better requires that we get off our high horses
and stop wasting our energy fighting each other. Instead,
let’s band together and look at ways we can all contribute
to a better world.Check your plastic pollution
Whether you’re strictly Paleo, vegan, or somewhere
in between, you probably consume food that is swathed
in plastic: berries in plastic clamshells, bacon in plastic
wrapping. Our environment is drowning in plasticpollution.^10 We should all choose lower-waste options
when we can. Refuse single-use plastics like straws and
takeaway containers. Bring your own bags to the grocery
store. Choose foods packed in paper or cardboard instead
of plastic. Buy some things in bulk. You get the idea.Go as local as possible
Most of us probably can’t get a wide variety of fresh
fruits, veggies, or animal products within 100 miles of
our homes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try. If you
eat meat, try to find local ranchers who let their animals
run wild and free. If you’re looking for plant foods,
check around your area for CSAs, especially those that
use biodynamic farming practices. There are tons of
delicious, Paleo-approved foods out there, but some come
with a hefty carbon footprint, so try to save them for
special occasions.Use your political power
Society has placed too much blame for climate change
on the shoulders of individuals, leading to the kind of
infighting and anger that we see today. But the truth
is that the largest polluters and contributors to climate
change are giant corporations, governments, and
militaries. We need to start holding them accountable
instead of getting distracted by attacking one another.
Start or join campaigns to leverage your consumer power.
Vote for candidates who put people before profits. Invest
in small, minority-owned businesses. The powers-that-
be want us to continue tearing each other down, because
this keeps the attention off their role in the problem. It’s
time to take the fight to where it really matters.
In the end, we all get to share this earthly home. All
of us—the Paleo peeps, the vegans, the vegetarians, the
raw foodists, the fruitarians, the omnivores—have a
responsibility to ourselves, to each other, and to future
generations to stop pointing fingers and focus on how we
can do better. There is no dietary choice that is free from
blame, that is zero-waste, that is completely “humane.”
Instead of pouring fuel on the meat-eaters-versus-
vegans flame, let’s douse it with water. Scientists say we
only have about 11 years left before we reach the point of
no return, before total climate destruction (and therefore
the extinction of our own race) becomes inevitable.^11
It’s time to cool things down, come together, and start
changing the system at large.MEL ANI SCHWEDER IS A PR IMAL BLUEPR INT
CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH.64 August/September 2019
see article
referencespage
136