I’m typically not a cause-oriented person. Outside of my family and the principles enveloped by the catch-all term “tolerance,” there aren’t many matters that raise my ire to a point that I feel compelled to rise up, grab a rifle, and take a stand. Perhaps that reflects a flaw in my character, but I think the more likely reason for my general aloofness with regard to the “issues” is that acknowledging them and engaging them intellectually would require that I actually commit to taking action. And I must say this: as I begin to consider the matter on my mind today, that same fear of commitment pulses through me. But the notion of living my life as a hypocrite is even more ominous, so I’m jumping in.

I don’t know why I have been drawn to this subject, but I have sporadically throughout my adult life been drawn to books about how and what and why we eat. Fast Food Nation. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. And I’m currently reading Eating Animals. I’ve managed to summon the requisite level of disgust with each of these books—acknowledging that I eat meat from cows drunk on chemicals and chicken fingers made from chickens that eat their own excrement and products made with the big business, genetically modified corn that has put the vast majority of real farmers completely out of business. But with each of these books and each new horror revealed therein, my outrage has vanished immediately after I finished reading. I still eat meat. I still eat corn-based foods. I still know (but choose not to actually understand) that the food I eat is more an amalgamation of chemicals and fillers and bullshit (literally?) than it is the actual food I bought or the food shown on the menu.

What has finally repulsed me to the point of action is what I’ve read of the behavior of the enterprises involved in so-called “factory farming.”

There is no need to mince words on this: these businesses are inhumane, immoral, and irresponsible because it pays well.

I cannot separate in my mind what I have read about the business of food from what I read about Michael Vick’s dog-fighting ring. Cruelty for cash. Their businesses are so bloated with profit, so drunk with power, that in order to meet the high demand we Americans create they have actually gone so far as to fuck nature in the ass (and that is the proper tone to take, in my opinion because that is the attitude of these companies). I urge you, as strongly as I can, to read one or all of the books I mentioned above. I’m certain you will be shocked.

I do not wish to fire all kinds of gory details at you; there are plenty in the books. But imagine an industry where lobbyists fight to have laws rewritten so as to allow animal cruelty (therefore maintaining profitability). Imagine an industry that allows you package of eggs to be sold with the words “cage-free”, which sounds like the chickens are out running and pecking in a big expanse of land, but in reality means the chickens are stacked on top of each other in a small, dark, indoor box, shitting on each other, biting each other’s heads off, suffocating. I don’t want to support that crap in any way. Not with my wallet. Not with my appetite. Not with anything I have or own or control.

I assure you, I do not belong to PETA. I no longer have a dog, but when I did, I did not buy it sweaters or take glamor shots with it or have it cremated so its ashes could live with me forever. I’m just a guy who looks at the world in an average way, and I’m telling you I think this is wrong. Wrong on an existential level. 

There. I took a stand.

Now what?

Ugh. Am I really, seriously contemplating giving up animal products? I would never have predicted this for myself. I hate vegetables. They are a distraction to me—more of a garnish on the plate than fair game for my fork. Few things make me as happy as a plate of Buffalo wings and a cold beer. I love steak. Spicy tuna rolls speak to my soul. But lately, all I taste is shit. All I think when I’m eating is that I’m part of some big machine that feeds the big corporations that perpetuate this whole big orgy of cruelty, disrespect, obesity, environmental damage, disease, greed, and on and on and on.

The alternative—dare I say it aloud…(gulp)…”vegetarianism”—scares the piss out of me. I don’t want to change the way I eat. I don’t want to be that guy at the party who, when looking at a perfectly grilled chicken breast, says, “I’ll just have salad.” I despise that guy. I revile him. But more than ever, I understand him. And there’s this part of me that thinks I need to become him.

Because I don’t like to be fucked with.

Comments

I think it is possible to be a humane part of the food chain. I buy my beef (a whole cow at a time, split between four families) from a local farmer who pastures his animals and doesn't fill them full of hormones. I also buy my eggs, pork and milk locally. I think, at least for me, that's the solution. I can't see myself going full on vegan but I think I can make a difference with my wallet when I support the farmers that are still doing it right.

There are ways around this, you know. In today's economy, more people are raising meat animals themselves and making their lives perfectly enviable. Until the last part. But they probably hypnotize them or something first.

Can you not find a happy medium?

We go to a ranch and get all of our beef from there - No hormones, no cruel treatment and the meat is 100 times tastier than what you buy in the store.

We have chickens (Yes, really) and use them for eggs. We buy our chicken meat from a neighbor who raises them for that purpose. There are always people selling organic eggs (and chickens) - could you buy that instead?

I couldn't live without meat (Take that as you may) and so we've opted to buy/raise what we want to incorporate (ethically) into our diet.

See? This is a wake up call I can identify with. Perhaps the next book will be "The Reluctant Vegetarian?"

I totally get what you're saying. The knowledge about where I food comes from is pretty gruesome.

Some things come to mind when I read what you say, though:

There are ways to eat meat that don't propagate the inhumane treatment of animals. Look into buying your meat directly from the source - I don't know where you live, but it's not very hard here in Oregon to find small scale livestock ranchers who raise their animals free range, grass fed, no antibiotics/steroids/etc.

Same goes for eggs - you can find local eggs that come from small scale chicken farmers who let their chickens roost and roam and live generally happy lives. It's harder to find, yes. It's more expensive, definitely. But it isn't impossible. Or raise your own chickens for eggs! In Portland, you can have up to 4 hens inside the city limits. It's great!

One often overlooked angle for this type of discussion includes seafood - overfishing and aquaculture are having huge effects on fish populations...it just means we, as consumers, should be educating ourselves about our food and putting the ol' adage, "vote with your wallet" into action.

Thank you so much for writing this. The question I always ask is "is death in any form humane?" I don't think it is.
Also, even if an animal is raised in "humane" conditions it is still a huge burden on the environment- the methane, the waste produced, the water and land used.
I know people will jump all over me for saying this, but I don't believe you can be a true environmentalist and eat meat.

Again, thank you Danny for writing about this.

Grab your crossbow and embrace your inner Ted Nugent! You still get to eat your tasty animals, and then you know where it came from.

You're so right. I don't eat meat often, as I only started eating meat about 10 years ago as a matter of convenience when veg options weren't available. I hate the meat industry, I think it's disgusting and inhumane. I did not know about the cage-free loophole for chickens. That's absolutely horrible.

Vegetarianism can be just as satisfying, when done properly. Don't replace everything with soy though, have very little soy. And as for animal products - buy local, directly from local farms, as much as you can. It will be cheaper, without the grocery store markup, and you will know exactly how those products ended up in your house. Tastes better too! At the very least, do so for eggs and milk. These do not have to be cruel industries, even if you cut out all other meat.

I like the thought of buying animal products that are organic, raised in an environment that you can actually visit and see with your own eyes and grown in such a way that is healthy for both the animal and the eventual consumer. It is possible but very expensive to eat this way but I think with adopting these habits and greatly reducing the amount of animal products you consume you will not only feel better both physically and mentally, save money, help the environment but come to enjoy and appreciate the meat meals you do have even more because it is better quality and no longer a daily expectation but a real treat.

And I couldn't agree more about hunting your meat as only then do you really experience and respect what it is to be part of the food chain in a very real way.

Saying that, I am presently a vegetarian working on adopting a mostly vegan diet. I still eat the occasional sushi and buy leather now and then when the fashion bug gets me. I tend to eat cheese if it is offered and try not to think about the eggs in that piece of birthday cake at somebody's party. But overall I know in some small way I am reducing my negative impact on most days. I figure you can do the best you can plus a little bit more.

Thanks so much for writing this post as I believe that even just becoming truly conscious of the whole picture is such a great start.

Read it, lived it. Part of me still wishes I was oblivious. We have started buying a cow from a local farm or going with wild game (elk, deer etc) Here's hoping you find a balance that works for you

you don't have to give up meat, just mass produced meat. I'll bet there is some kind of collective/co-op, etc... that you could be part of in which you purchase a cow or sheep, etc...I have a friend who runs one of these & she started a program in which not only do you purchase shares of the animal, but they a couple dates a year to visit her farm (she primarily a sheep cheese maker; girls get names & produce milk for cheese. Boys (except for the lucky few) get named lunch ;-) She provides pictures of the sheep (a milk producing one) w/information about the animals habits & temperament. It's really pretty cool. I know she didn't come up w/this idea, but knew of other farms that participated in something similar.
This practice might cost you more per pound of meat, but you know that the animals are well cared for and that you're getting a great product. Because it's not cheap, and the money is due in a lump sum people often split an animal. You are also reducing the carbon footprint associated b/c these are often from an area closer than the mass produced animals are coming from.
There are similar programs for veggies (up here in the South Bay Area I know we have several, but I'm specifically familiar w/one called Vegetable Box.) It's a weekly drop box of seasonal veggies w/recipes for the less popular ones. Of course, there's also the local Farmer's Market.
I'm not usually a get on the soapbox kind of person, but I just know a little about these. It's hard to make a changes, but if enough of us takes a small step it will add up to a big change, right?

Bravo for even thinking the thought of vegetarianism. I think the easiest way to do it is to ease your way into it gradually. That way, you can start to rethink your cooking habits and get more into the habit of cooking meatless dinners, but it won't be a huge change that happens all of a sudden. And by the time you get used to cooking lentils and beans and casseroles and crazy sauces and whatnot, the whole thing won't seem like a very big deal, and you will be able to take the plunge pretty easily. Vegetarian cookbooks help quite a bit with that pursuit, and so does allrecipes.com. At first it feels a bit weird, but after a while, as backwards as this sounds, you actually expand your repertoire of what you can eat, and it feels pretty damn good. Just my 2 cents.

I've read those books as well as other great books like 'Good Calories Bad Calories' by Gary Taubes, 'The Diabetes Solution' by Richard Bernstein and 'Protein Power' by the Michael and Mary Eades to name just a few. What I've learnt is that the healthiest diet for humans includes meat and animal products and there vegan, but you are compromising your health for your ideals. About three years ago my family started buying all our meat grass-fed from farmers who raise their own cattle, kill them and butcher them on their property and sell them at local markets. The meat is delicious, superior in nutrients to animals raised on grain and more humane right up until the inevitable kill.

*I somehow deleted a line from the previous comment.*

I've read those books as well as other great books like 'Good Calories Bad Calories' by Gary Taubes, 'The Diabetes Solution' by Richard Bernstein and 'Protein Power' by the Michael and Mary Eades to name just a few. What I've learnt is that the healthiest diet for humans includes meat and animal products and you can still eat vegetarian or vegan, but you are compromising your health for your ideals. About three years ago my family started buying all our meat grass-fed from farmers who raise their own cattle, kill them and butcher them on their property and sell them at local markets. The meat is delicious, superior in nutrients to animals raised on grain and more humane right up until the inevitable kill.

I know you were one of us all along.
Peace and lentils.
By the way, salad is for girls.

I agree with a lot of the others, find a farmer. Then maybe see if you can take the meat out of a meal or two during the week.

I was veg for about three years, I did it well but it didn't meet my bodies needs. So now I eat meat and my husband is vegan and we are both happy and healthy.

Not to get into a big debate, but Reservoir Dad, vegetarians/vegans have lower rates of pretty much every type of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc, so how is that "compromising your health"?

We're switching to buying whole cows and pigs, splitting them with family members and putting the deep freeze to good use. It gives you infinitely more control. With a little inquiry and leg work it's becoming slightly easier to disengage from some of the food machine.

But I'm with you on the vegetables... it's a battle to get them into my diet.

You might want to look at the California Certified Organic Food website - http://www.ccof.org/ - They'll surely have local farms listed you could purchase from.

Vegetarianism is hardly the only answer. I buy eggs from a man who attends my church and keeps them in his backyard. I buy produce at a local market (grown locally). I am buying a side of beef from one of those vendors I've gotten to know. Someone else there sells sausage and bacon. I don't, but could, get unprocessed milk there. There are degrees to which I can and will go, but eating healthy for me and healthy for the environment takes money. Honestly, I'll take one baby step at a time, but I can't afford to buy organic at the grocery all the time.

I've read those same books and come out with the opinion that we need to start taking steps. I began by attempting to cook every night and we've now done away with processed, easy foods. Then we tried to eliminate meat once a week. That became a kid-pasta night which was not my intent. So we added a truly veggie-based night each week. That's where we are now. I supplement the farmer's market at Kroger, I still buy chicken there from the horrid big conglomerates and I don't get organic foods when my market is closed in the winter. But, I've come a long way and I'm aware of how we can continue to improve.

Don't overwhelm yourself. Take one step now and see if you can take another in a few months.

I went vegetarian about a year ago and I can honestly say that I feel great. I haven't gotten sick with even so much as the sniffles. Yes, it can be a bit awkward when you're at a gathering and there's not really anything to eat. That's about the only negative thing I can think of to say about it. In that situation, I'll usually offer to bring a dish of my own or eat larger portions of the vegetable side items or salad (come on, salad with nuts on top is the shiz). I haven't made the full switch to being vegan because I still love cheese so much. I don't eat/drink soy because I can't stand the taste and I just haven't been brave enough to try tofu in anything other than a miso soup. A great milk alternative is almond milk. I was REALLY shocked at how great it tastes. I can barely tell the difference between that and regular skim milk - it just has a very slight nutty taste. When I first made the switch, my two daughters tried it with me. The oldest quickly caved because she missed her chicken, but the youngest kept at it until just recently. If you can get your whole family on board, that really helps to keep you motivated. If you're still not sure, why not give it a sincere effort with a "30-day trial"? Then, after giving it your best shot, you're free to go back to your old eating habits and you've lost nothing but gained some valuable experience. And if you DO like it, well then you just keep right on going. I did a 30-day trial at first and went back to eating meat for about a week after that before making the permanent switch. The meat just tasted bland and lifeless to me after that... I hope this helps! Let us know how it goes!

I haven't read the books you listed above but I have read Skinny Bitch, it changed my out look on food. Intially I picked it up because I thought the cover was funny, but the more I read, the more reviled I became with the food industry, the FDA, the government...just about everything that has to do with putting food in my mouth.

I can't say that I've become a vegetarian but I look at my food purchases in a whole new way. How can we not be more outraged? I think it's because the food industry does a fab job of hiding what they do. 10 years ago it would never have occured to me what kind of eggs I bought or what kind of preservatives was in canned soup. Now I read the labels on everything!

This is EXACTLY the reason I stopped eating meat! It's really not that difficult, if you take it in small steps and never FORBID yourself from eating something you absolutely want--at the beginning, if I told myself I could have chicken if I wanted, it was a lot easier to go for the veggies. Plus they make fake bacon that tastes better than the real thing. Vegetarianism is not about dogma, it's about choice--so good luck if you go for it, and at least you're aware if you don't!

Hi Danny,

I got into the same mood after reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma". But found myself more inspired than anything after I read Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle." It's less of the herbivore encouragement, more of the locavore movement. It is great. My husband and I joined a CSA and get all our produce and most of our meat and dairy products from local farms in the region. The part that sucks: the meat and dairy are SUBSTANTIALLY more expensive... but when you consider the quality and ethics of what goes into making these food items over what goes into making the mass-produced crap that lives in supermarket freezers, it's worth it. Living in California, I'm sure you have tons of local options and you can even search for a CSA here: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ . HAPPY eating!!!

I read and really appreciated The Omnivore's Dilemma. Could you consider cutting way back on animal products, and then only buy from humane, small farms?

Danny, I read those same books that you are reading now and like Werbie, I also read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle". It's a must read to help you work through your feelings and thoughts before you make a final decision. We are very lucky here in California to have access to quality food through ethical, sustainable farming. If you truly don't want to give up animal protein, you can adjust your eating habits so that you can go to sleep each night with a clean conscience.

I suggest you get Vegetarianism for dummies, seriously there are many different forms of it and its actually a very useful book. I *was* a vegetarian for about 11 years. for reasons, I started eating meat again, but I buy locally, and Ive done research on where my food comes from, my Milk and eggs, local and organic. My family has completely 100% boycotted KFC, for their un-real cruelty toward animals not even a drink is bought from them. My family doesnt eat red meat constantly, we eat fish, and chicken mostly but will have red beef maybe once a week or pork. we're italian so we eat a lot of pasta. I understand the getting grossed out while eating meat. You dont have to be a PETA fanatic for this to bother you, you just need to love an animal, any animal and come across something that has tugged at your heart strings

It shows how good of a person you truly are. Just do some research on where your food comes from, go to local farmers markets, here in New Jersey we have a lot of Amish "stands" and they sell their produce and meats local, and organic sometimes a bit more money, usually cheaper either way its better for you.

But the dummies book, very useful... like.. most people dont know that Ecoli is mostly on and Eggs shell, and not IN the egg itself :D Thanks you Dummies lol

DONT BUY TYSON! lol abuse should be their middle name. They also help supply KFC. go to PETAS website, there is useful information there, avoid videos... trust me.

Oh and try Cascadian Farms (mostly frozen) foods for alternatives. they have "false ground meat" it looks like ground meat, and has a very similar taste, I make tacos, and use it in sauce... the hubs... has NO CLUE! and their grillen "burgers" are damn good lol. and their Chik'n nuggets, pretty good too. FYI for ya. Substitute meat with something else, once a week.. then twice a week... you dont HAVE to knock it completely out of your diet if you do not want to, but make healthier, EDUCATED choices and you'll be good to go.

http://cascadianfarm.com/
http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.vegcooking.com/
http://www.veggieblogs.com/

Hi Danny,

I am very fortunate to live in a rural area in Minnesota. My family raises beef cattle, and we know what they've been fed and how they've been raised. We buy our eggs from nearby neighbors whose chickens actually roam free and are not subject to chemicals and cages. Our farmer's markets provide small-farmer's organic vegetables and fruits. It's a down-home lifestyle and I'm lucky to be living it. The problem is gigantic "farms" that mass produce animals/food. In addition to the horrific actions to animals and the chemicals poured into the animals and grain, they are weaning out the small farms like my family's and so many neighbors and close friends -- the wonderful, clean, healthful providers of food to our country. It's a chain-link tragedy.

I don't know that the alternative is necessarily vegetarianism. There are plenty of unsustainable practices going on with industrial farming of crops, as well. Case in point: the enormous amount of nitrogen fertilizer dumped onto the soil in Iowa to squeeze as much corn out of every acre as the farmers can get washes off into the river, causing algae blooms downstream, and ultimately down into the Gulf, where there are huge dead patches where no fish can live because the algae has consumed all the oxygen. You could switch to vegetarianism and still be "fucking nature in the ass".

Personally, I think the alternative is to vote with your dollars and choose those farmers who are engaging in responsible practices, and make sure they get your money to keep doing what they're doing, rather than lining the pockets of some enormous multinational corporation. Shop at farmer's markets when you can, small grocers, etc. Probably easier for me to do up here in Portland than it is in Orange County, but it can be done.

No glamor shots? *deletes from contacts*

Seriously, get some hens. They don't need much room, you can have the kids chase them when they are hyper (they'll never catch them; see: Rocky), and you get fresh eggs all the dang time. And nothing says home made like a basket of colorful eggs for the neighbors at the holidays.

Wait, you live in L.A. Sorry.

We raise our own meat (Rabbits) and hunt (venison and wild hog). We also fish and crab out of local lakes and bays, grow our own veges, and have a friend that we buy eggs from. We still have to buy some meat from the grocery, but at least I feel like we make some kind of impact on what we are feeding our kids.

There are co-ops you can join if you don't see yourself out in a deer stand at 5AM with a rifle in your hands. It costs more than a slab of unknown beef at the grocery, but it is worth it.

I have read some of these books as well, and find myself reacting similarly. However, there are alternatives to vegetarianism. I highly recommending reading "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral" by Barbara Kingsolver. It describes a year her family lived locally; that is, eating food grown and raised either by themselves or people in their immediate area. It's well written, fascinating, and inspiring.

I buy my beef from a local farmer who grows and slaughters his own beef. In the summer, you see the cows standing out behind the store. They also have locally-grown and sourced veggies, fruit, honey, dairy, etc. I get pork from them occasionally.

I get my chickens and eggs from a farm that is SPCA certified for the humane treatment of food animals. At least up until they become dinner. They are happy chickens.

I buy fish straight off the boats, throw it in a cooler with ice and bring it home.

Is it more expensive? Yes. Is it better meat? Hell, yes.

Read the Time magazine article "The High Price of Cheap Food." (I think that's the title.) Also, start eating all kinds of nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachios) in place of processed snacks like Pringles and pretzels. The packaged crap leaves you wanting more junk in the first place. Salads are hearty if you know what to put in them. No iceberg lettuce. Use spinach, romaine, collard greens. Top it with healthy fat: avocados, olives, nuts. Use garbanzo beans, black beans, navy beans. Other fresh veggies: onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers. No salad dressing; use olive oil and vinegar or lime juice.

I've been a vegetarian for 8 years at this point and what you're talking about is one of the main reasons I became one, in addition to the fact that the stress put on the planet itself for such massive operations as the ones that put meat on most Americans plates is somewhat inconceivable but very very dangerous. If I were to start eating meat again I would do exactly what Rosie mentioned a few posts ago. There are so many ways to still eat meat that is produced in a more humane way that is also better for the planet itself. It may be a bit more expensive but I assure you it is well worth it.

Read this excellent entry while eating my curried lentil soup for lunch.

Go on the 100-mile diet -- try to eat food (including meat) that comes from within a 100-mile radius from where you live. (Which may be tough - I think you are in SoCal?) Sometimes, changing the way a family eats means that more food must be made from scratch. You and Hot Wife (and the kids too) might have lots of fun learning how to cook such things together. Buy local. Eat organic. Visit farmers markets. (Ours sell beef, pork, lobster - it's nice to know the person who is growing your meat!) It is a shame that healthy food is often more costly, but that has to do with government subsidies as much as anything.

take a drive out to chino or other cities that have livestock being raised and purchase a portion of a cow and chicken for your family. I live now in oklahoma and purchase all of my meat from farmers i know and better yet i can harvest my own during deer season. Yes i know its hard living in southern california to be a red-neck and the popular thing to do is drive to the store for your meat... but there are alternatives. Think of eating bovine as doing your part to save the ozone! ha.

Ah yes...for so very long, food and I have had a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. But I totally get it, and the things I've seen and heard lately have made me second guess my policy. But alas, I can not become a vegetarian or a vegan as I love meat and dairy too much. I think the key is, like others before me have been saying, to find a happy medium...be informed. Buy directly from the source if possible, and get to know the people you buy from...this could also be said for veggies as well. I'm totally in support of buying local and making sure that the food is ethically sourced...or anything for that matter...my engagement ring came from a company that is both ethically and ecologically sound, as that was important to me.

But yeah, I can understand giving up things like the McGriddle...but before you go completely herbivore on us, consider the local market or a direct source...unless, of course, you truly want to go veggie...which, I'm sure Hot Wife would not object to :)

love this post. going to link to it on my blog. have been vegbo for years, but recently started eating meat again due to a sickness called pregnancy. you can still eat meat and not feed the pieces of shit who do this to animals. buy local. you'll love it.

I also have issues with this, but throw it all out the door when I see a nice filet at Mastro's steak house. I do however, by free range chicken and try to purchase more organic and pure foods. According the bible, we were actually meant to be vegetarians.

hmm.. I understand your point. not sure if I have a bigger problems with how we raise our meat or how we process it for marketing.

but the problem actually lies at the foot of the american consumer. if they didn't accept the meat they were buying--and in such huge quantities, this way of meat would never have become the way.

glad you are seeing the way. and as plenty of others have proffered--you don't have to give up meat, just spend your meat dollars differently.

What you talk about is the reason I became a vegetarian about 20 years ago (it was actually the movie City Slickers that did it for me). But, my family eats meat and in the last couple of years, I've loosened up a bit. One thing that helped was that I found a farm, a real honest-to-goodness farm, where the animals live outdoors and are cared for by people who treat them like living creatures. I can even go to this farm and "meet my meat". It seems weird to some, but it's also weird for people to not even think about how their food is raised, to eat whatever is put in front of them.

I hate factory farming, especially what happens to chickens so we can have cheap eggs. I'm actually considering getting my own chickens since I pay a lot to get REAL cage free eggs. I'm so glad to hear I'm not alone. It may not happen soon, but I do think times are changing.

I've read the books you listed, and more, and my initial reaction was vegetarianism. Until I got faint-y and realized that maybe some protein would be good in my life. That doesn't mean I went out the next day and ate a burger from McDonald's. I eat a lot of seafood, and I try to stick to stuff that's been OK'd by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, so I know I'm doing as little damage to the ocean and the general environment as possible. When I do eat meat, I make sure that its humane, sustainably raised meat (or "happy meat" as my family calls it). The best way to get this is to go to a farmer's market and talk directly with the farmer about how they raise their animals. Yes, the meat is definitely more expensive. However, raising animals and consuming them all the time is also pretty bad for the environment, so I just resign myself to eating less meat, knowing that I'm doing something good for myself and the environment. I would say the most important thing you can do is to support those businesses that have chosen to sell humanely raised meat, and to tell other places that you would prefer to see that kind of meat sold there. Chipotle is one of my go-to places when I want meat- I know its good, and I know that I'm not going to hate myself for eating it.

It's all about balance.

Animals eat what they need because that's what they do. Humans have a tendency to eat all they can, not all they need. For the very reasons you cite.

From a certain angle, LIFE is all about born/eat/grow/die/be eaten. Eating animals does not automatically equate with being cruel or thoughtless (are chimpanzees thoughtless? Sharks? Tigers?. Eating only vegetables does not automatically equate with virtue (I seem to recall that Hitler was a vegetarian). Remember that no matter what you eat, something has to die to keep you fed.

It would help if more people stopped viewing "meat" as a commodity, and treat it with the respect it deserves. How many people think of the cow when they hear the name "McDonalds"? Probably not many. "Hamburger" (to use beef as a highly visible example) is starting to become a word like kleenex or xerox or coke: a specific label that is now synonymous with a broad class of essentially undifferentiated entities. And that is dangerous when applied to food, be it animal or vegetable.

Join a CSA! You can get all types of food from a local grower by joining others who wanna see animals treated fairly. I share your disgust and anger. It is justified!

My friends raise chickens and keep me in eggs. The chickens live and eat well.

Good for you bro. Well said. Just give it a try and see what happens. It seems to be coming from the right place. Whatever feels right...

I have been a vegetarian for 20 years now. 3 years ago I came home from work and my husband was watching a documentary on the meat industry; he has been veg ever since. We are raising a happy hormone free vegetarian toddler and while I don't think this is the answer to everything, I do think it is a step in the right direction. What these so called "companies" are doing to our "food" is a disgrace. The fact that the government sits by and allows this ($$) to happen is an even bigger disgrace. I think it's fine to eat meat. Do what you like. But please fortheloveofgod buy from your local farmer. Or your local farmers market. Or drive 3 hours to find one. Buy from someone who respects animals as the living, breathing, food giving creatures that they are. Not like dollar bills. Hormone and anitbiotic injected dollar bills.

You don't have to love vegetables to be a vegetarian. Frankly, I don't like all veggies. The FDA tells you you need all this protein, all this stuff in order to be healthy. To this I say HA! If you feel it, do it. When you don't feel it anymore, let it go. Just eat meat and poultry that is organic, free range and antibiotic free and we don't really have a problem. The end.

Many of the comments above show both balance and wisdom. As an Alaskan, I understand two things better than most: most purists don't last long. Those who say they'll not use anything invented before 1850, and those who say I'll not use a single animal product of any kind tend to flame out. And what Alaskans call "subsistence" is a way to live better while supporting factory farms less. We get 30+ king salmon from the river, we take one moose a year, we pick all the berries we can, we hunt mushrooms for fun, and belong to farm coops for our vegetables. We also shop at the grocery and buy Cheerios and Oreos. It's about balance, and doing better.

I gave up meat about 4 years ago for similar reasons. A holiday to the US was my trigger.... there was NO WAY I was going to eat meat "produced" that way. A week of meatless eating was so easy, I just stuck with it.
Overall it's been easier than I had expected. The downsides of meatless eating (no bacon, limited choice in restaurants) have been outweighed by the benefits (thinking more about what I eat, healthier meals).

I have found surprising peace from acting in accordance with my values.

Danny,

If you're looking for guidance, check out What to Eat by Marion Nestle. She takes you through every aisle of the grocery store, providing up-to-date accurate, very well-researched information on how dairy products, vegetables, meats, etc. get from Point A to Point B-Z; and, best of all, she suggests (at the conclusion of every chapter) how consumers can make alternative choices that support farming practices NOT infected by the corrupt, unethical standards of the tyrannical Food Industry (just another Big Brother in my opinion). Finally, Nestle recommends ways that people--from mildly annoyed to outraged--can "get involved" at individual, local and national levels.

Oh, and if you want to become a vegetarian overnight, read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. That did it for me!

Suerte,
Marisa

Danny, I've been a vegetarian since 1985--it's very doable. Even at parties. I feel I'm doing a teeny part to rid the planet of that kind of cruelty and damage. It's easier to be a vegetarian in some circles than in others, that's true. I do think that some people cringe at the idea of having to deal with vegetarian guests, and as a result I think we get fewer invitations than most people. But it's a "sacrifice" I'm willing to make. (We do still eat egg and dairy products, and I don't know exactly how we would survive in our community if we didn't.) There's really not much good about eating meat. And you've just explained why in your post. Good luck as you process this. And thanks for putting it out there. It's important.

I don't really have anything to add -- but thanks. This articulates almost exactly where I am vis-à-vis the vegetarianism issue. My 7-year-old already embraces the lifestyle (and lectures others about it), but I love me a good plate of wings. But there just comes a point at which cruel is cruel, and you can't really choose not to understand.

I want to be more conscious and compassionate with my consumption, but I'm not so good at being the militant vegetarian/environmentalist/etc. It's refreshing to know nuance might be more the norm than the exception.

I am loving these comments, because, I love meat and eggs, DO NOT love vegetables, beans, tofu, or anything remotely healthy. Okay, I'll admit to a good salad once in a while, but it is even BETTER when it has ham, turkey, bacon, etc. on it. My first question after reading the post was going to be, "But Danny, that's admirable, but what's a person who doesn't LIKE vegetables and practically drools at the sight of a sausage mcmuffin to do? And then your readers filled my mind with all the ways I can still eat the foods I love but organically and locally. My 90 year old grandma used to always tell me not to eat anything that she wouldn't recognize as food. Damn. There went the fruit roll ups. But I definitely think I can support our local farms. A quick funny with that - 4 of us friends 'went in' toegether on a cow a couple years ago. My friend butchered it and the whole she-bang himself. He then filled my freezer with steaks and chops and hamburger and meat sticks and all things yummy. It was full - a 1/4 of a cow, at a dollar a pound. We hit the jackpot.

And then, I? I forgot to shut the freezer door and didn't notice it until 3 days later.

CRAP!

Hey Danny,
A long time reader, but this is the first time I've commented. I loved your book, it changed my life.

I can't remember where you said you lived, but I was thinking it was Southern California, I googled farmer's markets in Southern California. Here is the link

http://www.orangecounty.net/html/shop-produce.html#ir

Maybe if you go there you can't talk to some of the other vendors about where to find fresh, local meat? Just a thought.

I love your writing, please keep it up.

I would totally be a vegetarian...if someone else did all the food prep. Vegetables are a lot of work.

We have bought meat from local farmers for years. We can see how the cows are raised and treated and my Thanksgiving turkey is coming from http://www.bowmanlandes.com/ where the turkeys are free-range, and fed no antibiotics. I think if you can visit the farms and see that the animals aren't being mistreated, it gives you a better perspective.

I am not sure if the County would let you raise your own chickens. Part of the problem with Suburbia. I would absoulutely go in with you buying meat and eggs from a local farmer. Have your lovely wife call me and we can work out the details.

I read Fast Food Nation two years ago and have been a vegetarian ever since. It is challenging at times, but the only thing I miss is the ease of going out to eat. I would consider picking up a copy of the magazine Vegetarian Times, they have great recipies and I do not eat tofu. And I guess you could consider me a "bad" vegetarian because I still love my leather shoes and car seats. Good luck in whatever you choose to do. Also I am in the middle of your book and I love it, great job and you are a truly brave man for sharing your story.

Shortly after I read this post, I came across a new post from my nutritional hero, Dr. Mike Eades, on his site, Protein Power. It is a review of a book he recently read that refutes many of the ideas that are espoused in the books you mentioned:

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/lipid-hypothesis/the-vegetarian-myth/

I'm a 42-year-old dude with two kids (4 and 7) with no interest in being a self-righteous loud-mouth. I've read you for years and was shocked to see you considering this issue. The question that pushed me over the edge was: do I NEED to eat meat? 15 years into my vegetarian experiment, the answer is no. Knowing all the inhumanity and environmental stress, how could I justify eating meat simply because I like it? I get all the nutrients I need to maintain 85-miles per week and three marathon finishes per year near the to of my age group.

It's never been easier to be a vegetarian. Fabulous fake meat abounds. Life-long vegetarians don't get the need for fake meat. But I do. It's delicious. Great veg dishes are everywhere. You don't need to go cold-turkey. It's not a religion. Just know that each time you choose to forego an animal product, it's a good thing. My kids have never had meat. It's amazing how strange the thought of it is to them.

Awesome! I am SO HAPPY to read this. Good for you -- literally! I am 33 and have been a vegetarian for 14 years. It was hard at first. It is still a pain in the ass at times, but it has never been easier to be a vegetarian than no. Plus, whenever I hear about people getting Mad Cow Disease or mercury poisoning from sushi, I thank my 19-year old self for making the decision to Go Veg! There is a ton of info out there. The more info you put in your head, the less you will want to meat in your mouth.

You bought your kids Trix, Pop Tarts and Pringles yesterday. I'm willing to bet you'll be enjoying a burger or McNuggets by the end of the week.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of factory farming of anything, including corn, wheat and soybeans.

I spent, and still spend a good deal of my life close to my food. I've raised, grown, killed, butchered, harvested and preserved my own food since I was a little tiny Talon shaped thing. When possible we buy our eggs from the farmers market and our beef from local farmers when they do their butchering in their very NON factory farms. My family hunts (I have, but I hate it because it is BORING not because it is killing animals for food) and I reap the profits of their hunting as well.

All that being said, I no longer have the luxury of health to be picky about my food choices. Because of my disease, I've had to discard two thirds of my diet, and it isn't the crunchy, multi-colored plethora of vegetables that I grew up growing, eating, canning and freezing. My body can no longer process most vegetable matter. It sucks pretty badly. Because my immune system is so fucked, alot of time I do best on what is most processed...gross as it is...because processing it is well on its way to being already digested. Gross, yes. Fact of my life? Also yes.

I'm a farm girl. Despite now living in a city I always will be a farm girl. And factory farming of anything, particularly animals, particularly factory dairy operations, particularly growing non-sustainable crops for reasons that are not human consumption, are just not sustainable. It sucks.

My best suggestion if you don't truly want to go vegetarian is to really look around at local farms. Talk to the owners, do your research. If you can afford it, small, local farms are a great way to go. I can tell you right now, if you do decide to go vegetarian, expect your food bill to go WAY up.

Just a little practical advice. You have to worry a little bit about too many soy substitutes, like everything else too much of anything is a bad idea, but I know lots of veg/vegans who go far too nuts with the soy. Eating foods when you can, in their natural state will be your best bets. You don't need nearly as much protein as the FDA would have you believe, but it's really easy to go veg and NOT get a balanced diet. It's as easy to be a vegetarian junk food junky as it is to be an omnivorous junkfood junky.

Whatever you decide Danny, I wish you the best of health and the best of luck. :)

You cant be serious, I mean really? With all the crap in the world that is stunningly more important, you choose this to get upset about? How about swapping that "Corporate Farm" for the words A I G? Talk about getting rich off of suffering? Danny... I realize you dont care about losing a reader, but seriously I think your morals are ridiculously misguided, and I can no longer read your diary. This is *NOT* a meat vs vegetarian thing, this is about "there are a crap ton more important issues in the world" than this, and you along with everyone else who has raised their ire about animal rights in this period of history has not only contributed to the problems we are facing, you are helping to hide the real issues of the day. You can joke about my post here, delete it, or whatever, but inaction or "just shaking your head" about my point of view and the crap going is still the same thing as this entry. Blase about real issues. Peace.

I'm with you, in that I have done ALOT of reading, have become really disgusted, yet continue to just get mad and not do anything about it. I think you can't become a vegan overnight or just give things up cold turkey and expect long term success...at least that's what I'm telling myself :)

I did read this article the other day though, and found it to be a GREAT resource in making a change towards a more positive impact on what I am eating:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicolette-hahn-niman/avoiding-factory-farm-foo_b_353525.html

Hope you find it useful!

Factory farming did it for me finally a year and a half ago. I went vegetarian. It's not so hard. And while my family does not want to follow in my path, they are most of the time because I use fake meat in our meals and they don't know it. Tonight was "beef stew" which they all declared "really yummy." I love being a manipulative, sneaky vegi-mom!

Can't really add much that hasn't been said above already (many times in fact!). I think the key things are:
- to try and reduce unnecessary consumption of animal products (ie do you really have to eat it every single day?)
- buy ethically whenever possible. Be prepared to spend more on smaller but better quality meat/produce.
- ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS.

If enough people start asking their supermarkets the big questions (Where do you source your meat/eggs? Why don't you stock organic/free-range/cruelty free produce? Was this grown locally/within 100 km? Is it produced ethically?then things will change.

Here in NZ we've seen major change in the chain supermarkets over the last few years. More fresh produce, organic foods, locally grown produce. The introduction of full ingredient labelling and, although not legislated yet, most are now including 'country of origin' and 'local' labelling at the insistence of consumers.

You don't have to put up with it. And you don't have to go without either. It is possible to be an ethical consumer.

I also don't get why people are still into KFC though it has been published on the net about their cruelty on how they make their chickens. I don't understand myself. I am aware of the cruelty but sometimes I forget and still eat them anyway..especially when I'm so damn hungry.