#vegan vegetarian pet diet

[lone-gunwoman-of-the-week]

[mywitchcultblr]

I have to say this

Might lose followers, but whatever. I was lurking around on reddit and saw some posts that made me scratch my head

First, I have no problem with people who are vegans, do whatever the hell you want with your health and personal choice for yourself.

Edit: And I understand not all people who following plant based diet are doing this but still But I don't get people who insist on feeding their dog vegan food??

Doing it for the environment? You are already contributing to minimizing the harm that is done to the environment by choosing a different diet. Why dragged the dog into this?

The pups are not involved, nor they understand the complexity of human diet, politics, morality, and the slow decay of the environment that is caused by human civilization.

Dogs doesn't have to make a penance for the environment.

Minimizing animal exploitation in huge farm? You can buy eggs from a free-range chicken source, catch your own fish, or buy meat from a local hunter or sustainable local farm

Still feeling uncomfortable to feed animal product to your dog? Maybe you should get a different pet? Like a rabbit? Or I don't know let your dog hunt on their own and let nature takes it course, it's not your fault. It's just nature doing its own thing.

Yeah, there's argument that you can give them supplement or vegan kibble for dog? But animal product is already there, just cut off the middle man and give your dog the real thing...

I mean yeah dog is omnivorous, but their diet is still more on the meat side, not to mention they came from wolves, they evolved to eat meat. Setting the argument of manufactured vegan dog food aside, why go out of your way preventing your dog from eating the meat that they like and beneficial for the pup because of your own personal politics/morality, it is just odd. Dogs likes meat/egg/fishes, why take away their food preference?

What would you do if doggie sees a chicken breast lying on their floor? Take away the chicken?

Reminded me of those parents who hardcore banned their kids from eating sweets. But it's even worse because in this case animal products are good for dogs and an important part of their diet unlike candies for humans, Dogs evolved to eat animal product, they cannot comprehend your reasoning for not allowing them to eat meat nor they care anyway. I have the same thoughts about dog race or dog beauty contest. Airbud doesn't care about medals, maaan...

Sounds pretty selfish to insist that a golden retriever cannot have chicken because of the owner personal morality/politics

Bonus:

I'm sorry, but this is delusional, you mean by YOUR own choice

[pedestrianversee]

i think vegans would find people would hate them less if 1. their movement wasn't overrun with ecofascists and 2. if they all didnt have such a cult like mentality.

[wolficake]

vegans will tell you youre evil for eating meat and then go home and call themselves alphas online, ive witnessed this firsthand and its the funniest thing

why should you have the right to end an animal's life for a meal that lasts you minutes that you will inevitably forget about

[phoenixyfriend]

If you want your pet to follow a certain ethical diet: get a pet that naturally follows such a diet.

Vegetarian? Vegan? Just get a hamster. A guinea pig. A rabbit. Birds you keep indoors, like a parakeet. Even a horse or a goat if you want to go big! So many rodents and birds and livestock that are naturally herbivores.

Just don't get a cat. Preferably not a dog, either. Please.

(You can try it with chickens, I guess, but I think they're much more likely to hunt out insects and worms etc than a horse if you keep it outdoors, and not as easy to keep inside as a rabbit or parakeet.)

[rypnami]

mc ask/tag game!

my turn to do an mc ask! answer as you please <3 30 questions wow!

1) if your mc was an animagus, what would their form be? if they are, what is their form?

2) if they could choose what animagus form they would take, would it be the same? or would they want to have a different animal form?

3) does your mc have a favourite colour? why is it their favourite?

4) in a modern au, would your mc use social media? what would their preferred platform be? why is if their preferred one?

5) did you consult wand lore when choosing their wand? if so, why did you pick what you did? if not, would you ever change wand details to match your mc?

6) what is your mc’s diet? are they vegan, vegetarian, do they eat whatever? why?

7) what is your mc’s backstory as to why they didn’t join hogwarts until 5th year? or did you retcon that part of the story when creating them?

8) what house is your mc in? why are they in that house?

9) were you inspired by characters from other media when making your mc? if so, which characters? and how did they influence your mc?

10) does your mc have any special abilities? (legilimens, parsletongue, metamorphagus, etc) how do they choose to use these powers? did you give them powers for fun, or does it relate to their backstory/plot?

11) what is your mc’s blood status? how does it affect their time at hogwarts? how does it affect their home life?

12) did your mc open the repository? why or why not?

13) if your mc opened the repository, how did absorbing all that power affect them, if it did at all?

14) what does your mc think of the keepers? do they trust them? why or why not?

15) how does your mc’s story continue after 5th year? how do they cope with everything that happened with ranrok, sebastian, etc?

16) did your mc learn the unforgivables? why or why not?

17) did your mc turn in sebastian? why or why not?

18) what is your mc’s family like? do they have siblings? do they still have parents?

19) does your mc have a love interest? who is it? why did your mc fall for that character, if they do have a love interest?

20) does your mc have a favourite spell? if so, what is it and why do they like it the most?

21) if you could change anything that the mc does in the game, what would it be? why would you change it? how would you change it? (ie; a line they say, an event of a quest, things of that nature)

22) does your mc have any pets? if so, why do they have the pets they have? and for fun, what are their pets’ names?

23) when designing your mc, why did you choose the appearance you did? has it changed at all since you first made them? would you change anything now?

24) where is your mc from? where is their family from?

25) what is your mc’s favourite season? why is it their favourite?

26) how about your mc’s favourite holiday? what makes it special to them?

27) if your mc wasn’t in their current house, where would they have been sorted? why do you think they’d be there?

28) does your mc have a favourite childhood toy? if so, what was it? do they still have it with them?

29) what kind of music would your mc like? is there a reason?

30) last but not least, just tell us something you love about your mc!

[youngbounty]

I think we can all agree that Damian has always canonly been a vegetarian. However, there seems to be this misconception that it automatically means he’s vegan. Before getting into the reason why this isn’t the case, let me explain the difference between a vegetarian and vegan.

Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet where you abstain yourself from consuming any or from animals. Vegetarian is a broad kind of diet where you avoid meat in general, but can make exceptions to dairy, eggs, fish or insects. There are different types of vegetarians with the most familiar type being Lacto-ovo-Vegetarian.

I could be mean and point out the foods he’s seen eating that could be a vegan or veggie variety. However, I will use evidence that confirms that the products he’s eating or drinking are NOT the vegan variety.

When Branden offers milk to the Kent’s, notice how he says, “I have my own cow.” He’s not saying he doesn’t drink milk. He clarifies he only gets milk from his own cow, Bat Cow.

Considering Bat Cow willingly gives her milk to strangers, this makes sense. Why wouldn’t Bat Cow give Damian her milk?

The next is this. Look what Damian specifically asks for: a glutton free veggie pizza. I decided to look up the ingredients to this kind of pizza and these are the ingredients. Keep in mind these are the ingredients to the pizza Damian specifically ASKS for that cater to his vegetarian diet. So, any ingredients that would NOT apply to the vegan diet do apply.

The only vegan part of the pizza that’s called for is the crust. Most of the ingredients calls for diary such as cream cheese and sour cream. Others call for yogurt, ranch and cheddar cheese. This is why pizzas with vegan friendly ingredients are called Vegan Pizzas and not just Veggie Pizza. Why Damian asked for the pizza to be glutton free could be due to possibly being self-conscious about his weight or not wanting his siblings to eat his entire pizza since he’s more restricted than him. Either way, Damian is certainly not ordering a vegan pizza.

Why is this important to Damian’s character to be a vegetarian and not a vegan? It all comes down to Bat Cow. His mortal obligation to became a vegetarian is much more personal than others that become vegans or some form of vegetarian. To understand this, we need to go back to the story that led to Damian’s change in diet.

The illegal slaughterhouse Damian ransacked with his father was an illegal one ran by the Leviathans. The Leviathans placed a target on Damian, being a bounty was set on him at the time. This is what led to the slaughterhouse. This same man, who targeted and almost killed Damian, was about to run off with Bat Cow when Batman and Robin stop him. From then, Damian decided to keep the cow, change his diet and call her Bat Cow.

Both Damian and Bat Cow were both being targeted to be killed when they first met. This is how Damian is able to reach out to Bat Cow. Damian is making this choice with the understanding that Bat Cow will see any human that consumes meat no differently than those that slaughtered her family. By changing his diet, Damian is becoming someone Bat Cow can trust won’t hurt her like in the slaughterhouse.

Understanding this, we can then understand why consuming milk, eggs or dairy doesn’t apply here. This picture is what Damian does not want to be seen as in Bat Cow’s eyes. Nowhere do we see milk, diary or eggs being eaten here. Therefore, eating diary and eggs do not apply to Damian’s diet. So long as those things are freely given and no lives are taken, Damian will not restrict himself from consuming milk, eggs or any eatable products from the animal itself.

Now, I don’t mind Damian being any type of vegetarian that eats/drinks diary from Bat Cow only and eats eggs from Jerry (if female) or Wiggles only. I only have a pet peeve over claiming Damian’s Vegan or a type of Vegetarian that restricts himself from anything his pets willingly give him. The reason is because by restricting Damian as Vegan, it restricts his relationship with Bat Cow, who willingly gives her milk to those who need it. By providing milk for Damian, she’s helping and providing for the one who saved her and gave her a better life.

Most Vegans live in the city where they depend on food from the grocery store. Veganism started around the 20th century when factories and grocery stores began growing and monopolizing their products. However, Vegetarianism has been around for thousands of years. At the time, everyone raised their own livestock. If anyone became a Vegetarian for religious or moral obligations, there was no point in abstaining diary or eggs, being they milked their own milk and gathered their own eggs or else their neighbor’s. There was no concern over how the cows, goats, chickens, quail or turkeys were treated because the Vegetarian was caring and were responsible for their own animals.

If Damian is raising Bat Cow, he has no reason to avoid milk. Same with getting eggs. If Damian gets his eggs from Jerry or the Kent farm, those eggs are not provided through inhuman ways. He might be paranoid enough to only eat foods with dairy ingredients he provides from Bat Cow, but I can’t see Damian completely restricting himself from anything that could be provided to him more humanely. If we truly believe Damian restricts himself to Veganism, aren’t we claiming he can’t get his own milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. from his own cow or eggs from his turkey more humanely? I think Damian would be insulted by us and say…

[rwby-encrusted-blog]

Jaune: Okay Guys, Ready to head out?

Ruby: Head out where?

Jaune: To that new Vegetarian place.

Blake: Oh, We can't go.

Jaune: What? Get kicked out of it Already?

Ruby: No, It doesn't match our Dietary needs.

Jaune: What?

Blake: We need meat to survive Jaune.

Jaune: ... You could just say you don't want to go. You don't Need to lie to me. *He Leaves*

Ruby: Jauen We aren't- Jaune, Wait!

Fun Fact! Canines and Felines are Obligate carnivores. This means they cannot get proper nutrition from plant based products. They need real, Actual MEAT to survive, even if that meat is processed, it must be MEAT. Feeding either animal a vegetarian or vegan diet means they will starve without going hungry, which is arguably crueler as they get weaker for no reason.

Feed your Dogs and Cat proper food that comes from animals, and if you won't, Give your pets to someone who will.

[saint-ambrosef]

PSA: the vast majority of commercial dog food is terrible for your dog, and you cannot feed a dog a "vegan" (or vegetarian) diet.

Dogs are what is called facultative carnivores, meaning they can and will eat food that is not part of their typical, ideal diet if circumstances call for it. This is why they are often called omnivores (the line between facultative carnivores and omnivores is debated). Comparatively, obligate carnivores, like cats, cannot process non-carnivorous food at all.

This means that although the primary and default diet of domesticated dogs is other animals, dogs' digestive systems are capable of digesting other food sources like plants if a carnivorous option is not available: in other words, if they're hungry enough, they can "get by" on less ideal food sources.

Although dogs' systems can tolerate some plant material in their diet, they will not thrive on a long-term diet high in carbohydrates. This is because while dogs' pancreases do produce amylase (the enzyme that breaks down carbs), it's not nearly as much as true omnivores like humans, and can even vary quite a bit from dog-to-dog. They also don't produce cellulase at all. So a diet high in plant material for too long can be hard on their systems and lead to long-term serious health affects that will shorten their lifespan, such as early organ failure and heart disease - yes, even if they "seem great" on the day-to-day.

Ideally, a dog's diet should not be more than 15% plant material. However, the vast majority of commercial dog food is only 30% animal-derived ingredients, because 30% is the industry required minimum in order to be commercially sold. Even a lot of brands that boast about having "high animal protein" are often only hitting the 60% benchmark. Why? Because plant foods like legumes, sweet potatoes, and grains are a much, much cheaper way to "bulk up" the dog food than using 85-95% animal products. And then they artificially add in a ton of vitamins and nutrients to make them "nutritionally complete" (because plant nutrients are less bioavailable to carnivores), whereas a dog would easily get them from a diet with correctly proportioned inclusions of organs and bones.

Don't even get me started on ""vegan"" dog foods. A diet that is 100% plant based is straight up animal cruelty for a facultative carnivore like dogs and you cannot change my mind. You're literally taking years off your pet's lifespan in the name of your ideology. If you want a pet you can feed a completely plant-based diet without consequence, get a rabbit.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an easy or cheap pet, and dogs aren't an exception. I understand that feeding a dog a proper diet is an expensive venture. The best dog food you can buy at the pet store will still be below the ideal, and it will cost $$$. Just do the best you can for your circumstances. Even occasionally swapping commercial food for a little raw animal supplementation can help. Avoid kibble with legumes or potatoes.

And if you're thinking of getting a dog... I mean this gently, but you need to seriously consider whether you can actually afford to feed them. Don't get pets unless you can afford all the care they require.

[zofi-persson-quotes]

Hi! How are ur headcanons for red?

Ohhh, Red hc's! I don't have that many for him, but I thin that they're enough!

Red, as we have seen in the Rainstorm short, still goes to Monster School! His relationship with the other students is way better than the one they had at the start, and he's actually friends with many of the students (the fact that he helped save Minecraft played a part in this)

Red has some minor side effects from Herobrine’s possessions. There are two physical ones (his left eye is white from the first possession, and there are some white crack-like scars around it from the second one), but he can also see spirits and is very talented with magic. Plus, he's able now to read perfectly the Enchantment language.

The others sometimes ask him to help when they have to enchant something due to his knowledge regarding Enchantment language

He's extremely good at fighting in hand-to-hand combat, and knows the most technics out of the whole group. He can also use weapons, but he prefers to juat... deck someone in the face.

About weapons: he rarely uses them, but his favourites are a pair of brass knuckles and a giant claymore, which are both gifts from the others

Red sometimes sneaks in random websites to pet animals of any kind, both real or fantasy/mythical. There isn't a creature that doesn't enjoy his pets, not even the dangerous ones

He's vegetarian, but not vegan: this is due to his very active lifestyle, so he knows that he has to have a balanced diet to fight well enough. Still, he doesn't consume meat and dislike salmon (that is due to the fact that he was turned into one in the Witch episode)

He and Herobrine are on neutral terms now: they talked a lot about the whole "possession" things, and Red is a lot calmer around him, but sometimes he still have some minor anxiety attacks especially of he's alone with Herobrine

His team (Endie, Spider, and Skelly) all know about the first possession and greatly support him

He's the youngest of his twins (Yellow, Green and Blue), but never underestimate him

As I said once, he's extremely good at listening to any conversation around him and often goes around the Outernet to gather information for the others. After all, he looks like a young teen, and he sometimes acts like a dumb person to let others' guard down

Red was, surprisingly enough, one of the first ones that accepted Dark after they found out that he was basically possessed by his mission code. This is due to the fact that Red fully knows how it feels to be a spectator in your own mind while something else moves your body to do cruel deeds, and you're unable to do anything. Still, it obviously toom some time because of trauma

Aaand I think that I'm done! Hope you enjoy!

[acti-veg]

Why is t being vegetarian enough?

First off, I want to quality by saying that between being a meat eater and a vegetarian, a vegetarian is massively better by just about every metric. It’s more sustainable, it causes less harm to animals and at least represents a conscious decision to try and do better. That is unequivocally a positive thing and should be recognised as such. I’ve absolutely no interest in the ‘vegans vs vegetarians’ thing because it’s completely unhelpful.

When we’re talking about someone who makes an ethical decision to go vegetarian instead of vegan though, there is really no ethical justification for that. There are practical justifications, I don’t want to give up cheese, I’d find it too hard to get enough calories, I have a restrictive diet already etc. but these aren’t ethical arguments. There is really no way to maintain a consistent ethical position that involved boycotting beef but not dairy, for example, since they’re practically the same industry built on the same exploitation.

The issue is that if you oppose animal exploitation or killing animals for food, vegetarianism directly funds both of those things. Calves taken from their mothers and killed by the dairy industry, their mothers killed and sold for meat or pet food when their profitability declines, lambs killed for meat every year as part of the wool industry , male chicks ground up alive and hens slaughtered once they’re spent as part of egg production. There is just no morally consistent way to justify objecting to killing an animal for food while also being fine with exploiting and then killing those same animals a bit later on for different food.

Vegetarians are making a positive decision and I encourage that, what I’d discourage is stopping your journey there. Once you are comfortable with meat-free meals, take a look into the egg industry and ask yourself if this goes against your existing values. If it does, try swapping out eggs and see how you feel. When you’re comfortable with that, look into the dairy in industry and how inextricably linked it is to both beef and veal production. I promise you won’t struggle to give up cheese as much as you think you will.

Take it one step at a time, if you’ve managed to go vegetarian then that is genuinely great, and you should feel proud of that. But maybe now you’ve got that down, it might be time to look at how you can do even more to live your values through what you put on your plate, what you buy and what you wear. You’re already half way there, and my inbox is always open for advice.

[vegautistic]

Ways I’ve incidentally offended meat-eaters, even before I stopped eating meat ✨

Using the term meat eaters, to differentiate them from vegans/vegetarians. Apparently I should’ve just said “normal people”… lol

Asking them to not talking about cooking and eating my pet rabbit. Apparently it’s snowflake behavior to not want people enthusiastically talking about murdering your beloved pet.

Being vegetarian in Minecraft… most happened when I was like 7-9, grown adults throwing tantrums about what a child eats in a video game.

Referring to meat as “animal flesh” and using the word “slaughter”. Got a lot of hate explaining that “humans need to eat meat, you stupid vegan”. It was meant to be a neutral descriptor of how meat is obtained.

Getting excited seeing pigs. Apparently I’m supposed to see a living, beautiful creature and think about bacon.

Picking the meat out of my meal and giving it to my brother. Imagine grown adults being mad a kid wants to eat vegetables?

Literally just eating a meatless meal.

Saying I don’t want any ribs. Apparently I must want them always 24/7… this has happened multiple times throughout my life, btw. “Are you some kinda vegan? You on a diet? Just take some ribs man”

[femmefatalevibe]

Hi, I've been following your account for a while now and I love it, and i'm sure you can help me . What can I talk about with the guy I'm texting? (WhatsApp, Instagram, like) but also when we see ?

Hi love! Thank you so much <3

First, I would make sure you discuss the type of relationship you're looking for and what you're intentions are while dating. Once this conversation is out of the way, I think there are some levels to this depending on how casual/serious of a relationship you're looking for.

I think it's always nice/thoughtful to break the ice and ask how someone's day is going. It's both considerate and a great way to steer the conversation into an effortless dialogue. Otherwise, here are some general topics you'll likely want to discuss:

Dealbreakers: Wanting or not wanting commitment, seeking an FWB vs. looking for someone he would marry, wanting or not wanting kids/pets, political or religious beliefs, smoker vs. non-smoker, and for some people, things like drinking or not drinking alcohol, his social battery (someone who likes to go out clubbing every weekend might not be compatible with a homebody, for example) or dietary restrictions (like for religious reasons, vegetarian/vegan, self-imposed gluten-free/dairy-free diets, etc. – not allergies or anything like that)

Ask about work, what he does, whether he likes it, what he's passionate about, career goals/path

Mundane highlights: Weekend plans, favorite neighborhood spots, what he likes to do after work/on the weekends, great books he's read or TV shows he watched lately, opinions on news highlights/culture moments

General interests: Favorite TV shows, movies, books, types of food, leisure activities

What his daily life looks like: How he approaches/lives out his workdays, weekends, downtime, errands, etc. gives you a good insight into your prospect

Personality type: how social/introverted is he, is he an athletic or more intellectual type, what strong opinions does he hold (they can be lighthearted or more serious), how type A or B is he (more organized/laid-back)

Life highlights: Favorite vacations, funny stories from growing up, greatest achievements, life-changing experiences, etc.

Aspirations: What destinations are on his bucket list? What would his ideal life look like in 10 years? What languages does he want to learn, skills he wants to develop?

[orcinus-veterinarius]

I just stumbled across this page and at first i thought it was more clueless ara stuff but it seems like the people behind it are veterinarians

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6FhSNAPN2u/?igsh=ZmE5OGpnY2hscXhu (this has protests outside Miami seaquarium and they tagged peta)

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4Iv9svJ92g/?igsh=MWdoNzh1bHNpN2psdQ== (this post brings up valid concerns with Miami Seaquarium that seem like management issues and the business not listening to the vet staff)

Some of their posts seem reasonable (criticizing bad business practices or welfare policies) and some seem ridiculous. They advertised a class about plant based diets for cats (and idk what they said here but that is a weird way for a veterinary organization to advertise a class on diets for an obligate carnivore).

I’m wondering what you think since you have more experience with cetaceans and whatnot

Oh yeah, that's Our Honor. They're a group of ARA-type vegan veterinarians (I know plenty of vegan and vegetarian veterinarians who are not like this). I appreciate them for defending the Seaquarium's vet and staff, and they're a lot more reasonable in their demands than some other animal rights organizations (per their website, they want the Seaquarium's animals transferred to AZA facilities rather than non-existent sea pens like PETA does). I also agree with them that ventilation shut-downs are horribly cruel, and that pork and poultry farming are in need of major reform. Unfortuantely, some of their stances (like promoting vegan pet food) make it hard to take them seriously on other issues.

Veterinarians are not a monolith, and there are few outliers that go against the rest of our colleagues. There are vets who are anti-vaccination, vets who work for PETA, and vets who oppose all animal products, regardless of how the animals are raised. Like the 1 out of 10 dentists who don't recommend the toothpaste.

[undeadorion]

I will never understand the people who are super hard core anti-animal product. They will act like it's about protecting animals, but like with so many other things it's hardcore black and white no nuance no exceptions no context.

These are the people who insist you can't even have honey because you're stealing it from bees. Or worse, think it's made FROM bees. Or that you have to kill sheep to harvest wool, ignoring there's a difference between wool and sheepskin. Or worse, the people who insist on feeding carnivore pets a vegan diet.

Yes, there are a LOT of areas where animal products are genuinely evil. Luxury fur, for instance. Entire coats made from chinchilla fur. That shit's evil.

Yes, there are issues with the meat industry with how animals are treated. But not everyone is capable of just giving up meat, be it for dietary or financial reasons. It's frankly ableist to expect that. Just a vegetarian diet can be difficult to maintain sometimes, and a vegan diet is especially difficult. Due to my particular health situation I need absurd amounts of protein every day. I can get there easily with meat or eggs and dairy. But not with beans and vegetables alone. That's just not how my body works.

Then there's the human toll that they get REAL mad if you question. If they're so concerned about the treatment of animals in the production of food, why aren't they concerned with the treatment of field workers who help produce all those vegetables? Even their precious organic products have a human cost. If they got their dream of the entire world suddenly going vegan, what happens to all of those employees and farmers in the meat and animal product industries? Someone who's been running a generations long diary farm can't suddenly switch to producing corn. That's just not how things work.

Okay, so you don't want to think about that aspect. What about the human cost in literally every industry? The damage to the very earth and eco system to produce the oil that becomes the plastic that is the replacement for leather. Or of the workers in the fields to produce cotton? The sheer amount of waste created because you think leather is the devil, but a good pair of leather boots will last someone decades where any alternative will last a few years at most, if not merely a few months.

I went to a school that lived by these principles. I ended up getting sick because meat was rarely offered in the cafeteria and things I thought were dairy weren't. We had a bedbug infestation because those little shits are immune to anything but the harshest chemicals, but the school refused to use anything that wasn't ultra gentle and natural. The infestation was so bad, my entire dorm floor was quarantined. We could only take a few days worth of clothes and had to shower under guard like fucking prisoners so we could hand off our dirty clothes to be sanitized. Then they sanitized everything in our rooms, damaging most of it in the process. Using heat so intense it melted anything made of fleece, for example. I failed several assignments because I wasn't allowed to take my homework and had limited computer access. But it was more important they didn't use harsh chemicals to treat the problem once. They had to put students through this ordeal EVERY YEAR.

If your reason for being vegetarian or vegan is purely an ethical one and it doesn't also encompass the human suffering brought on by related industries and practices to your own lifestyle, you're just doing it for the clout and may actually be a fucking asshole.

[growingupgreene]

An odd epiphany I had last night: part of the reason I don’t like most meat is because I don’t know where it comes from. Let me explain.

Tldr; growing up by a farm/ knowing hunters means I feel more comfortable eating meat that I know comes from local/ sustainable practices.

I was raised pretty much entirely vegetarian. My mom doesn’t allow meat cooked on her stove and was the primary cook, so that translated to my sister and I preferring a vegetarian diet. We did occasionally try meat at common meals with our neighbors, but we generally didn’t eat meat. Today my sister is a vegetarian, while I mostly describe myself as vegan for various reasons, but will try most things at least once (I’m not actually vegan but it’s easier than going on an at minimum five min rant). I’m not gonna insult my host by flat-out refusing to eat something unless it triggers a dietary issue for me.

Over the years I came to realize that I mostly like the various versions of pig and not cow or chicken. Now I tend to avoid eating pigs, since they’re highly intelligent and also my dream pet, so I end up not eating meat 99% of the time. I’ll eat it on special occasions though.

One of those special occasions is the farm End of Year Potluck. Every year one of the farm people makes venison. And it’s consistently the best meat I’ve ever had.

He kills the deer himself, often in the woods by my house. He prepares the meat, marinates it, and then finally slow cooks it to perfection.

I don’t eat a lot, since meat fills me up way faster than my regular diet. But I will always get at least one slice of the venison. I know exactly where it came from and that it was killed as part of the deer cull. The county has open season to keep the deer population down so they don’t overrun everything in suburbia. Part of the regulations is that you have to use a crossbow instead of a gun, since the places people are hunting are mostly residential.

When it comes to eating meat on other occasions, most of the time I don’t know where it came from. Sure, someone bought it in the supermarket, but where was it raised? In humane conditions? Who killed it? Were they fairly compensated? The lack of answers to questions like these, plus my knowledge of how the mass food industry works, is often a factor in whether I’m willing to eat the meat. Let alone whether it’s a type of meat of which I actually like the taste.

As mentioned previously, I didn’t have a lot of meat in my palate growing up. That’s my theory as to why I tend to not enjoy the taste of most meat now. And unless I have a fairly good idea of where it came from/ that it was raised and slaughtered humanely, I won’t go out of my way to eat it.

I have similar questions about my vegetables and other foods, though in those cases it’s almost entirely about the people farming them. I try to eat more organic and fair trade foods, as they have greater regulations and often have less toxins. And people tend to be treated better and paid more fairly. Not always, but it hopefully helps.

Of course it’s impossible to be constantly vigilant. All of the things I’ve said are broad generalizations. We live in a society where more and more often the food choices available to us have already been made for us. Like many industries, there is only the illusion of choice between companies. But I do believe that by consistently buying products that represent the world I want to see, there is a small difference made in the long run. After all, commercialist capitalism means that we vote with our purchases. After years of only seeing organic products in more expensive stores, they’ve become a staple in all grocery stores. And brands that started as niche health foods have become more mainstream. So maybe there’s hope