How Much Water do you Really Use?

We’ve been warned that, as climate changes across the world, water will soon become a very scarce, precious resource – one that wars may be fought over. So, naturally, it’s incredibly important that we conserve as much as we can. But even if you take Navy showers and are otherwise super frugal with water use, you may be surprised by the real amount of water you need to get by on a daily basis. This chart by Good Magazine shows the real water cost of a number of food and beverage items, as well as the amount saved by low-flow toilets, shower heads and faucets. (Click image above to see full chart)

According to the chart, you can save 23.2 gallons of water per day by making the low-flow switch. Tea requires 28 fewer gallons of water to produce than coffee, and you can save over 32 gallons by choosing a glass of water instead of soda. It’s an eye-opener – especially when you see that it takes a whopping 1,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef. Add that to the long list of reasons to go vegetarian or cut back on the amount of meat you eat.

Link [Good Magazine]

Meat-Eating Environmentalist: A Contradiction in Terms?

So, you’re an ardent environmentalist. You wear organic clothing, live in a small energy-efficient home, ride your bike to work and always remember your reusable bags when shopping. But for all of your efforts, your carbon footprint is still huge – thanks to your diet, which is full of hamburgers, steaks and ham sandwiches.

Nobody’s perfect – we’ve all got our little slip-ups and areas in our lives where we know we could improve. For some people it’s taking long hot showers in winter, or using paper towels. But, meat eating is a biggie. It has a much greater impact on the environment than using a little more energy than you should every now and then or occasionally wasting paper. Then there are the impacts on human health and animal welfare.

Consider these facts:

• The livestock sector is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions globally.  Cows emit vast amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere – and the impact of these emissions is greater than that of CO2 from cars.
• Animals raised for food in the U.S. produce 130 times more excrement than the human population.
• Each and every year, factory farms dump 220 billion gallons of hormone-, antibiotic- and bacteria-laden animal waste onto farmland and into waterways.
• Pfiesteria, a microscopic organism that feeds off the phosphorus and nitrogen found in manure, is a lethal toxin harmful to both humans and fish. In 1991 alone, 1,000,000,000,000 (one billion) fish were killed by pfiesteria in the Neuse River in North Carolina.
• Since 1995, an additional one billion fish have been killed from manure runoff in estuaries and coastal areas in North Carolina, and the Maryland and Virginia tributaries leading into the Chesapeake Bay.
• Overuse of antibiotics in animals is causing more strains of drug-resistant bacteria, which is affecting the treatment of various life-threatening diseases in humans.
• Raising animals for food consumes more than half of all the water used in the U.S. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat, but only 25 gallons for a pound of wheat.
• Raising animals for food is the number one cause of deforestation around the world, thanks to the huge amounts of land needed for grazing and growing animal feed.
• Animal feed is grown by intensive farming operations that use massive quantities of pesticides while producing problems such as pesticide resistance in insects and weeds, and pollution of nearby water supplies with toxic chemicals. Those pesticide residues also accumulate in animals’ fatty tissue.
• 20 times more land is required to feed a meat-eater than to feed a vegetarian.
• Overgrazing has turned a fifth of all pastures and ranges into desert.

All of this leads to a simple question: can you be an environmentalist and still eat meat?

In response to facts about the meat industry’s impact on the earth, meat-eating greenies have responses that range from “it’s too tasty to give up” to the evasive “it’s my choice”. You’ve got to admit, these excuses sound an awful lot like the ones given by so many Americans to explain away their all of their environmentally harmful choices. You might scoff at a Hummer owner saying “it’s too fun and cool to give up” and “it’s my choice and I’m entitled to it”, but aren’t you effectively doing the same thing?

Eating meat isn’t inherently un-green or unnatural. Yes, humans have been eating meat for centuries, yadda yadda yadda. But it’s been a long time since we raised and slaughtered our own food animals on our own land, which had a far smaller carbon footprint. People in industrialized countries (especially the U.S.) eat way more meat than they used to, as well. Demand is growing, so the number of factory farms is growing, too. Does mean that free-range, grass-fed, organic meat is necessarily the answer to all of these pressing problems? Not exactly.

If you do raise and kill your food animals yourself, congratulations. That’s just about the greenest way you could possibly remain a meat eater. Purchasing meat from a nearby small farm that offers grass-fed meat that travels a mere handful of miles to your door is a close second. But that ‘free-range’ meat from the grocery store isn’t necessarily the same thing.

Part of the problem with ‘free-range’ meat is that these animals require even more land than conventionally raised livestock. As Friends of Animals explains, space for animal agribusiness doesn’t need to be expanded. It needs to be phased out. Deforestation and desertification is a major problem, as is taking up so much land that could be used to grow more efficient, calorie-dense food for more people. If demand for free-range meat increased, these problems would get even worse.

From Friends of Animals:

Already, most of the landmass of the contiguous United States is taken up by agriculture — primarily for resource-guzzling animal processing. Worldwide, the demand of six billion humans for physical space is vastly expanded as animals are bred into existence to be food commodities. These domestic animals now outnumber us by an estimated factor of three to one. There is nothing sustainable, let alone kind, about animal agribusiness.

Plus, never underestimate the greed of corporations eager to cash in on your concern.  The USDA doesn’t regulate “free-range” or “free-roaming” beef products (nor do they effectively regulate the quality of meat in general).  While you might want to believe that the expensive free-range steaks you’re buying from Whole Foods came from happy cows that spent their lives outdoors enjoying sunshine and fresh air, that’s not necessarily the case. The USDA does require “free-range” animals to have access to outdoor areas, but doesn’t specify how long they spend out there or how much room they get.

True grass-fed beef may be healthier, but the term ‘grass-fed’ isn’t regulated by the USDA, either. That means companies can claim that their animals are grass-fed even if grains still make up the majority of their diets.

Don’t confuse “free-range” and “organic” on meat labels. Certified organic meat must be free of antibiotics and growth hormones. And, if you’re concerned about the treatment of animals, be aware that animals raised organically aren’t necessarily treated any better than those raised at big conventional factory farms.

That leads us to the unpleasant reality of livestock mistreatment. Even if you’re not a bleeding heart, animal-rights kind of person, you can’t deny that locking animals into tiny crates to wallow in their own excrement, mutilating them and then slaughtering them in inhumane ways is shockingly cruel. PETA is oft maligned, and they certainly have their faults, but their videos don’t lie. Just because you choose to be ignorant of these things doesn’t mean they aren’t happening.

I can hear you already: “I’m not going to stop eating meat, no matter what you say.” When it comes down to it, whether or not you eat meat is still a personal choice. But, if you’re at all concerned about the environment, at least cut back on the amount of meat you eat – and buy it from a local source if you can (if that’s not possible, check out meat CSAs and delivery services). Seek out truly grass-fed, free-range and hormone-free meat and eat it only a few times a week, and you’ll at least be taking an important step forward.

Grass-Fed Beef Resources:

West Coast sources
East Coast sources
Midwest sources

Vegetarianism Resources:

Protein in the Vegan Diet
Go Veg: Vegetarian and Vegan Information
VegWeb.com: Vegan Recipes and Cooking Tips

Factory Farming Facts and Information:

OrganicConsumers.org Disturbing Facts on Factory Farming and Food Safety
Vegan Outreach: Animal Mistreatment at Factory Farms

Photo credit: Flickr user dogfrog + Cornucopia.org

Hamburgers are the Hummers of Food

When it comes to global warming, hamburgers are the Hummers of food. The reason? In a word, beef. It’s incredibly inefficient to produce and cows release insane amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. The more demand there is for beef, the more cows will be bred across the world. So, every time you take a bite out of a burger, you’re contributing to global warming in a way that’s almost as bad as driving one of those monstrous “I’m attempting to compensate for a small penis” mobiles.

Nathan Pelletier of Dalhousie University in Canada is one of a growing number of scientists studying the environmental costs of food, from the field to your plate, and he’s got a message for you: go veg, at least a few days a week.

From Yahoo News:

By looking at everything from how much grain a cow eats before it is ready for slaughter to the emissions released by manure, they are getting a clearer idea of the true costs of food.

The livestock sector is estimated to account for 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and beef is the biggest culprit.

Even though beef only accounts for 30 percent of meat consumption in the developed world it’s responsible for 78 percent of the emissions, Pelletier said Sunday at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

That’s because a single kilogram of beef produces 16 kilograms carbon dioxide equivalent emissions: four times higher than pork and more than ten times as much as a kilogram of poultry, Pelletier said.

People are also eating way more meat than they used to. Meat was once a luxury in our diet, and now – particularly in America – it has taken center stage in most meals. Because of growing demand, meat production is projected to double by 2050, so we’ll have to cut meat consumption nearly in half just to maintain current emissions levels. That’s simply not enough.

Chris Weber, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, says switching to no red meat and no dairy products is the equivalent of cutting out 8,100 miles driven in a car that gets 25 miles to the gallon.

So, that begs the question of you meat eaters… is that burger really worth it?

Link [Yahoo News]
Photo credit: Big-Limos.com

Are Frogs Being Eaten to Extinction?

Put down that fried frog leg! Demand for the delicacy is depleting regional populations to the point of no return, according to conservationists. Culinary use is even more of a threat to amphibians than climate change, disease and habitat degradation.

The National University of Singapore is calling for more regulation and monitoring to prevent frogs from being eaten into extinction.

From New Scientist:

Statistics on imports and exports of frog legs are sparse as few countries keep track of the amount of meat harvested and consumed domestically.

According to UN figures, global trade has increased in the past 20 years. France – not surprisingly – and the US are the two largest importers; with France importing between 2500 and 4000 tonnes of frog meat each year since 1995.

But although frog legs are often thought of in the West as a quintessentially French dish, they are also very popular in Asia.

Bickford estimates that between 180 million to over a billion frogs are harvested each year. “That is based on both sound data and an estimate of local consumption for just Indonesia and China,” he says. “The actual number I suspect is quite a bit larger and my 180 million bare minimum is almost laughably conservative.”

According to David Bickford of the National University of Singapore, European kitchens used to source frog meat locally, but the fact that they’re now importing it from Indonesia suggests that local populations have been overharvested. As many frogs as Indonesia sends to other countries, some studies suggest the amount of frog meat consumed within the country’s borders could be between two and seven times what is exported.

I am disgusted to admit (especially as a vegetarian) that my grandmother fed me frog legs as a child and didn’t tell me what they were. Innocent that I was, it never crossed my mind that the little wing-looking things on my plate were actually frogs – I didn’t find out until my father told me years later. And yes, they do in fact taste like chicken.

Link [New Scientist]
Photo credit: Flickr user jmagnusphoto

Fox News Belittles Animal Rights, Slams Kids Trying to Go Green

There’s not much that Fox News can do to surprise me. We can pretty well expect anything that comes from this so-called ‘news’ organization to be ignorant, narrow-minded and self-serving despite their ‘fair and balanced’ claims. Yet, a roomful of Fox talking heads eating KFC while insulting people who actually give a shit about things other than themselves seems so self-parodying I wonder why SNL didn’t think of it first. Watch it for yourself:

I can’t say it much better than Michael over at Ecorazzi did:

“The greatest thing about this story,” said Gutfeld commenting on two women in bikinis protesting outside a KFC, “is that they claim to be PETA members. I’m sure that if any of us went to an actual PETA meeting, we would not find anybody remotely attractive. They are a bunch of lowly people.”

While passing around a bucket of KFC chicken, Gutfeld responded as to why PETA was protesting saying, “The weird thing about making fried chicken? Chickens die in the process. It’s really hard to keep them alive while you eat them.” Really, Greg? Is that the reason? That’s some fine balanced reporting.

Not content to take his dick out of his mouth just yet, Gutfeld then went on to slam kids that are going green and trying to educate their parents as well. “This makes me wish that I could have kids,” he said, “so I could punish them.”

As I’ve said before here on EarthFirst, I’m not the biggest fan of PETA’s tactics, simply because they sometimes do more harm than good and end up making all vegetarians and animal rights advocates look like kooks. But, PETA does a lot of important work on behalf of creatures in this world that can’t speak up for themselves, and the conditions at the factory farms where KFC get their chickens from really are appalling.

But, it’s really the part where they ridicule kids trying to be environmentally responsible that gets me. God forbid that there are children in America who care about important things instead of just toys and television.

Then there’s his comment about us crazy environmentalists who “think the environment is more important than humanity”. What Greg Gutfeld and the other smug assholes sitting around this table don’t seem to get is the fact that, without a healthy environment, there can be no humanity.

Link [Ecorazzi]

Eva Mendes Wants to Get Naked with Morrissey for PETA

Actress Eva Mendes appeared in a ‘I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur’ ad for PETA last winter, and she’s eager to do it again – as long as Morrissey will do it with her.  Eva is apparently a big fan of the singer, who fronted The Smiths before embarking on a solo career in the ‘90s. Morrissey is a vocal animal rights activist and vegan and The Smiths album ‘Meat is Murder’ inspired thousands of mopey college kids around the globe to follow in his footsteps.

From Ecorazzi:

“I really want to do a PETA ad with Morrissey, I’d be happy to do it naked if need be,” she told the UK Sun. “I’ve done a lot of work with them and I know Morrissey is a big supported of PETA, so here’s hoping! Whether Morrissey would want to get naked with me is another question. Maybe he could come up with something more creative than out-and-out nudity.”

“When he sings it’s poetry in motion to me. It completely speaks to me. I love Morrissey, but I don’t think I’d want to marry him,” she added.

Sorry Eva, but um, somehow I don’t think you’re his type anyway.

You know, when I was in college, I was a huge fan of The Smiths and had the ‘Meat is Murder’ bumper sticker from PETA on my car. I can’t tell you how many times that bumper sticker got covered up, written on, smeared with dog shit and otherwise defaced. Then one time, I was going through the drive-thru at Burger King to get a veggie burger and a homeless dude that was standing by the window actually peed on it (the bumper sticker, not the veggie burger) and yelled ‘hypocrite’ at me. Turns out, people have strong reactions to the phrase ‘meat is murder’, especially when they think you’re about to eat some beef. Go figure.

Link [Ecorazzi]

Happy Thanksgiving from Gov. Sarah Palin

Who could forget this Thanksgiving classic? In one of the most bizarre press conferences ever- Governor Sarah Palin pardons a turkey and talks about how fun it was as turkeys right behind her are slaughtered. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

10 Tips for a Green Thanksgiving

Holidays are hardly known for being the easiest times to lead an environmentally friendly lifestyle. There’s all the travel, the trash, and of course, the mass consumerism, all of which rack up a big carbon footprint and add to the problem of waste management in this country. Thanksgiving isn’t quite as bad as that other holiday coming up, but still, it’s easy to make missteps.  However, careful planning can help ensure that your Thanksgiving celebration is just as green as any other day in your home. Here are 10 tips to make Thanksgiving as eco-friendly as possible.

Stay close to home, or take the train – Thanksgiving is traditionally a time when airports and highways are jam-packed with travelers trying to make it to Grandma’s house. Why not skip the headaches and save some carbon by sticking close to home? Make a new tradition with your friends and family that live in your area. Or, if you must travel, consider taking the train – it’s far better on the environment than air travel or personal vehicles.

Keep it simple – Don’t feel like you have to amaze your friends and family with a gourmet magazine-worthy spread rife with exotic ingredients flown in from around the world.  Nor is it necessary to provide a 6-course spread with choice of 14 side dishes. Most people aren’t looking for novel culinary fare on a day like this – they’ll be happy with traditional dishes that celebrate the bounty of the local harvest. Keeping it simple will also reduce the amount of electricity you use while cooking, which can be considerable on this holiday.

Buy local – Many of the veggies you need for your side dishes probably grow within 100 miles of your home. Check out your local farmer’s market for fall goodies like squash, greens, potatoes, yams, pumpkins and evergreen herbs like rosemary and sage. And don’t forget to check your local free-range farms for that centerpiece of the Thanksgiving piece, the turkey (unless you’re vegetarian, of course…).

Go vegetarian – If you’ve been thinking about trying out a vegetarian diet, Thanksgiving is actually a great time to do it. You’ll be amazed at how many options there are – you won’t even miss the turkey. Livestock put a huge strain on the planet, and factory farms do abominable things to those poor little animals before they end up on your plate. Check out vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes and meal ideas at VegWeb.com and The Veggie Table.

Serve organic beverages – Pick up some local libations if you’ve got nearby breweries and wineries, especially if you have guests coming into town – it’s a great way to show off regional specialties. If you don’t live near any craft beer or wine producers, pick up a few bottles of organic brew – there are dozens of varieties available at most health-food stores.

Use what you have – This is one of the easiest, cheapest ways to go green any day of the year, and it works on Thanksgiving, too. You don’t need fancy dishware – your regular tableware will do just fine. If you’re the Martha Stewart type and feel like everything must match perfectly, consider renting tableware, chairs and linens – it costs less than buying new.

Get extras at the thrift store – If you’re in need of a gravy boat, a vase for that organic bouquet centerpiece, a few extra glasses or a table runner, check your local thrift and consignment stores. Consignment stores in particular tend to stock up on things they think will be in demand during certain times of the year, so you might be surprise at the selection. It’s always better to buy secondhand!

Decorate with natural materials – There’s absolutely no reason to run out to the mall and purchase a bunch of Thanksgiving-themed junk that was made in China and will fall apart by next year. Skip the cheesy seasonal décor and take a cue from nature.  Many people like to place pinecones in a bowl or basket as a centerpiece, or wind a string of white lights around some branches in a planter or tall vase. You could also purchase a living plant that can go into the garden next spring, or pick up a bouquet or organic blooms from your local independent florist.

Illuminate your home with beeswax or soy candles – No need to turn on every light in the house for your guests. Create a romantic atmosphere without adding to your electricity bill by placing beeswax or soy candles around your home. Avoid paraffin candles, though – they’re made from petroleum and emit nasty fumes into the air.

Compost your scraps –  Don’t toss those potato peels, celery tops and carrot ends into the trash! If you’re not the type to save them for soup broth, toss them in a bucket along with a handful of shredded paper, leaves or other carbonaceous material. If you don’t already have a compost pile or bin, now’s a great time to get a head start on next spring’s garden by creating free, fertile compost. Here’s how to easily start your own (non-stinky) indoor compost bin.

Tips On Being A Vegetarian At Thanksgiving

Have you ever seen the movie Pieces of April? In it, a cute and bubbly pre-Tom-Cruise Katie Holmes plays April, a vegetarian who attempts to create a grand Thanksgiving feast for her highly critical meat-eating family. Predictably, disaster ensues, especially since April has no idea how to cook anything, let alone a turkey. I’ve found myself in this position in the past when cooking Thanksgiving dinner for my in-laws, while my husband was working. I had no earthly clue how to tell if the thing was edible, much less worthy of being the centerpiece of such a huge holiday meal.

Luckily, my family is respectful of my choice to be a vegetarian and my mother even enthusiastically creates vegetarian dishes for me. But not all vegetarians find themselves surrounded by supporters during the holiday season – for some, family members see this choice as a temporary phase, an extreme rebellion or even a challenge to their own beliefs and preferences. In such a situation, holidays can get hairy.

As such, Treehugger has offered up some tips to help you get through the day:

1) If a relative is baiting you, don’t rise to it. Some wag once said “Of course your family can push your buttons, they installed them”. Chances are the uncle who is goading you is never going to see things from your point of view, and is just trying to get you going, so don’t bother arguing with him.

2) Offer to bring a vegetarian main course so that you aren’t making extra work for your parents. Make something that is ready to serve and doesn’t require precious oven or stove space.

3) Don’t cover old ground. Families have a way of endlessly reprising touchy topics. Keep in mind a list of things to talk about that will help you avoid the mobius strip of argument.

4) Before the big day, ask the cook to keep unnecessary meat additions out of the side dishes. Really, no one is going to miss bacon bits in the salad.

5) Be open to friendly discussion about your food choices if this is your first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian. Being a vegetarian is a normal, everyday thing for you and if you are matter of fact about it your family will see that it needn’t be a big deal.

6) If you’ve already had the friendly discussion and you don’t want to keep having it, it’s time to set some limits. Politely point out that there may be other topics more interesting than what you eat.

7) Don’t apologize to your family for your food choices, but also recognize that they have the right to their own choices as well.

Smile and be thankful.

Some good sources for vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes are In a Vegetarian Kitchen with Nava Atlas, The Veggie Table and VegWeb. Non-meaty main dishes abound, and they don’t necessarily have to be made from tofu. Thanksgiving, after all, isn’t about turkey – it’s about celebrating the harvest and being thankful for what we have.

Link [Treehugger]
Photo credit: Flickr user Greg Burkett

Vegetarian Paul McCartney’s Image Used by McDonald’s to Sell Hamburgers

Famed vegetarian, musician Paul McCartney, is less than pleased with McDonald’s after the meat-pushing fast food chain used his image in their Liverpool location.  Okay, so ‘less than pleased’ isn’t quite accurate: more like really, really pissed.  McCartney is a longtime vegetarian who has appeared in a slew of PETA ads and has worked for decades to educate people about the cruelty that food animals suffer.  So, naturally, he’s asking his fans to boycott McDonald’s.

From Ecorazzi:

A McDonald’s spokeswoman says the picture was to “acknowledge the outstanding contribution the Beatles made to both local and global culture”. But Paul’s spokesman Geoff Baker wants to know, “What sort of morons do McDonald’s think Beatles fans are? It’s ridiculous and insulting to use images to peddle hamburgers. Fans should boycott McDonald’s – and not just in Liverpool.”

What, did McDonald’s really think that was going to slide – especially in Paul’s hometown? Of course he’s mad.  Beatles fans might be all kinds of crazy, but most of them probably aren’t going to run out to McDonald’s and start buying hamburgers just because his photo is in the window.  Or are they? Hey, weirdo with the house full of Paul McCartney cardboard cutouts – I’m talking to you.

Link [Ecorazzi]

KFC to Offer Vegan Chicken in Canada

After years of dramatic protests outside KFC’s all over the world, the Canadian branch of the fast food giant has cut a deal with PETA to improve its chicken slaughter conditions and introduce vegan options on their menu. That’s right – vegan ‘chicken’, at KFC of all places.

From kypost.com:

“It means more choice for people who are vegetarian and more options for people thinking about it,” said David Alexander, director of operations for the Toronto Vegetarian Association.

PETA will now call off its Kentucky Fried Cruelty campaign in Canada, which was supported by many celebrities including Canadians Pamela Anderson and Ryan Gosling. KFC Canada pledged to buy from suppliers who gas their chickens, what PETA calls “the least cruel form of poultry slaughter ever developed.”

PETA will continue to press KFC in the United States and elsewhere to change its slaughter practices – and sell unchicken, as 461 KFC Canadian chain stores have agreed to do.

“KFC is sort of taking a bit of leadership on the issue,” said Alexander, a vegetarian for two years. “We’ve moved beyond the era of the veggie burger, I think.”

Interesting. Using more humane methods to slaughter their chickens is downright awesome, and a huge victory for PETA, who have practically waged war against KFC for decades. It’s awesome to see a big chain agree to rethink their slaughter practices, because, in case you’re ignorant of the issue (as many people go out of their way to remain), they really are disgusting and cruel in most cases.

It’s very surprising that KFC would be willing to offer vegan ‘chicken’, made mostly of soy, at their restaurants – but hey, it’s a good thing. Maybe some meat eaters will even make the switch, if it tastes good enough, and that would mean fewer animals being raised and slaughtered overall. And of course, vegetarians want fast food, too.

Link [kypost.com]
Photo credit: United Poultry Concerns

Lab Grown Meat: PETA’s Contest is Lame, Pointless

PETA is at it again, and if you didn’t groan at least internally when you heard that, perhaps they’ve pushed you past your give-a-shit limit. They put out a press release announcing that they’d give a $1 million reward to the first person who can successfully ‘grow’ chicken in a lab without harming animals. From PETA.org:

In vitro meat production would use animal stem cells that would be placed in a medium to grow and reproduce. The result would mimic flesh and could be cooked and eaten. Some promising steps have been made toward this technology, but we’re still several years away from having in vitro meat be available to the general public.

At first when I heard this, I thought it was just another one of PETA’s publicity stunts: putting out something shocking to draw attention to an issue. As a vegetarian since the age of 12 and someone who cares deeply about animal rights, I’ve never been a fan of PETA and this sort of thing is exactly why. PETA frustrates me because they have a noble goal but they’re turning the entire animal rights issue into a freak show replete with naked celebrities, buckets of blood and gross-out tactics that turn off the general public rather than achieving anything real.

Unfortunately, they’re serious. They really want someone to make this work. So, why is this lab-grown chicken contest a bad thing? You may wonder why a vegetarian would be anything less than thrilled about the idea of fewer animals being harmed on a daily basis (and, after all, livestock farms are certainly not good for the planet).

Basically, this contest isn’t going to accomplish anything. First of all, $1 million wouldn’t even cover the expenses required to pull this off. Not only would researchers have to spend literally years working on this project, the contest requires them to do near-impossible sales and marketing tasks beyond the scope of science. Daniel Engber of Slate describes it well:

…they need to move 2,000 pounds of the stuff at supermarkets and chain restaurants spread out across 10 states during a period of three months. And the Franken-meat can’t cost more than regular chicken…

To make matters worse, PETA’s commercial requirements saddle researchers with demands that have nothing to do with science. Any company that wants to sell artificial chicken for public consumption will probably face a lengthy government-review process.

In short, PETA is asking for the impossible. Any researcher who puts a serious amount of thought into this contest will most likely realize that they simply don’t have the time or funds to accomplish the lab-meat feat.

This ‘lab grown meat’ stunt is just another example of PETA making vegetarians look bad, in my opinion. I can’t imagine that ‘Franken-meat’ would be all that appetizing to meat-eaters anyway, but you tell me: would you eat it?

Link [PETA] + [Slate]

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons & Flickr user karindalziel