The Veganism Thread

[Chris_]

What is a viable alternative?

 

Education first, just knowing where your plate of food comes from I think is a good start. Thereafter reduction. I think most of us on this thread agree that even a reduction in meat eating is a positive move for the environment and animal welfare, the health side which I thought was the easiest debate - well thats up to you.

[GrahamS2]

The standard vegan reply to this question actually makes sense to me.

 

Vit B12 comes from bacteria, (the best source is actually feces...) Those many years ago when humans were picking fruit off the ground, pulling vegetables out the ground, bulbs whatever out and off the ground, the earth back then had a very rich and bacteria-ful surface. With (poorly) washed foods one would be able to eat enough B12 from the bits and bobs within the soil.

 

Today though our food is excessively washed and polished, together with increasingly infertile and overtilled farms in our mass producing system, you can see where the balance has been lost.

Many years ago humans would have all the B12 they needed from eating organ meat. 10 grams of liver gives you more B12 than you need for the day.

[Chris_]

From an evolutionary perspective the answer is simple - humans would be extinct were it not for eating meat. Heck, even a 100 years ago a plant based diet would have resulted in B12 deficiency and probably death. There were no supplements back then.

 

You brought this point up. I explained how I think it could have been resolved. 

 

Many years ago humans would have all the B12 they needed from eating organ meat. 10 grams of liver gives you more B12 than you need for the day.

[GrahamS2]

Jainism?  Buddhism?  There were vegetarians 2500 years ago.

Um, not all Buddhists are vegetarians. Many eat pork and chicken 

[Goodbadugly]

Calcium.

https://www.pezcyclingnews.com/toolbox/calcium-intake-for-cyclists/

[Patchelicious]

I don't care much for fad diets but I think that all of us vegans and meat eaters should agree that the hell on earth that is factory farming should stop.

I think all us humans need to acknowledge that you can't solve a human pollution problem with a dietary solution based on ethics.

Edited January 31, 2019 by Patchelicious

[Goodbadugly]

Jainism?  Buddhism?  There were vegetarians 2500 years ago.

These were vegetarians. Not vegan. As far as I am concerned they only share some foods. 

Worlds apart. Vegetarians? I get that. And understand.

Radical vegans? Nope.

[_David_]

I think all us humans need to acknowledge that you can't solve a human pollution problem with a dietary solution based on ethics.

 

There are 40 tonnes of insects per person in the world... just saying :-)

[Patchelicious]

There are 40 tonnes of insects per person in the world... just saying :-)

Again, that dietary choice will not solve the core population issue. 

[Patchelicious]

There are 40 tonnes of insects per person in the world... just saying :-)

But on that point, where do insects fall on sentient spectrum for the vegans participating in this thread? Would you eat them?

[_David_]

Again, that dietary choice will not solve the core population issue. 

 

So factory farming is the answer?

[Odinson]

Many years ago humans would have all the B12 they needed from eating organ meat. 10 grams of liver gives you more B12 than you need for the day.

 

Unfiltered water and unwashed plant foods - rich source of B12. 

[Patchelicious]

So factory farming is the answer?

Thats the kind of answer snark I would expect from a teenager.

[Odinson]

But on that point, where do insects fall on sentient spectrum for the vegans participating in this thread? Would you eat them?

 

Why would anyone need to eat insects? 

[Odinson]

I think all us humans need to acknowledge that you can't solve a human pollution problem with a dietary solution based on ethics.

 

And then what?

[_David_]

Thats the kind of answer snark I would expect from a teenager.

 

So in you opinion what is the solution?