The High Cost of Meat

There was a pretty amazing piece in Sunday's New York Times on the incredible amount of pollution that results from meat production and consumption. I'm a confirmed omnivore but I certainly vowed to eat less meat when I read that "if Americans were to reduce meat consumption by just 20 percent it would be as if we all switched from a standard sedan — a Camry, say — to the ultra-efficient Prius."

For the meat that one still consumes, grass fed results in far less collateral damage than grain fed.

I'm not ready to completely give up meat or ask others to do that. But a 20% reduction is relatively easy to accomplish.

Factory farming is at the center of this waste and pollution. It is unfortunate that we are so disconnected from our food production because I think that seeing the process that gives us abundant food at low prices would make more people willing to pay a bit more for humanely raised food.

So take away that cheeseburger and give me a plate of grilled vegetables.