Enviromentalists and Global Warming

Dear Lori, I have heard this before, it is quite well known and publicised, years back already in a book called 'diet for a small planet' (Denis Kucinic is a vegan!) and there are lot of less cynical and polarizing sources of info on this. It is a shame that this man abuses this topic for his own agenda, it's too serious for that. Thanks for posting it! (There are ways now being looked into to grow meat in a lab from single cells - maybe this is the way of the future!?)

That was pretty funny.  At least the cows looked happy.. ;)

Although- I think it is a little extreme to say no meat…  I am sure there are ways of  raising animals that would be more green than the worst case scenario examples peta loves to give.  If we eat free range meat here and there, for example- is that really as bad?  And what about birds + fish– I eat meat- but rarely cows. ;)

Baby steps, Peta, baby steps.. ;)

Hi All,

As always thanks Lori.

This is the 1st time I have heard this story … wow … it seems Gore can't win for loosing.

But taking the 10,000 foot look at the whole thing … the 1st thought no make that a question that comes to mind is “Has our population on planet earth outpaced the evolution of man's full spiritual potential to handle it?” It seems the more members of the species called human that live here .. the more problems seem to pop up … tough problems with good solutions … but with no plans by our leaders.

But now taking the 100,000 foot look … our planet has evolved many times … warming cooling … cooling warming and so on. What is the true course of evolution planet earth and the people living here are going to reach in a 1,000 or even a 1,000,000 years from today … or is our immediate concern only  the here and now (now being the next 100 years)?  :)

Lori, I think what Gandhi meant by that quote is that we should eat human beings too.  ;)  ;)

I have never heard about this before and am glad I watched it.  I do agree with Ninja, that PETA takes a strong stance in their beliefs, but want people to make progress in one leap.  More realisticly, the collective human population makes progress slowly with the guidance of radicals strongly pulling in their extreme positions.  PETA is neccesary, and shows enormous efforts in positive change.  However, I think they should also focus on ways that lower income people can help the cause.  They are the least informed and contribute the most to this ecological problem.  Lower income families, dominate the population.  Higher income citizens can afford to shop at whole foods, but what can the lower class do, when all they've ever known is to buy what is on sale at fiesta, kroger, and HEB?  If a sensible message can reach the uninformed, then we may see a change in greater numbers.  I'm currently reading a book by Muhammad Yunus, “Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism”.  It talks about creating businesses that operate like a profit maximizing business, but all profits are reinvested into the company, with the investors making their money back, but never seeing profits in their pockets.  Instead, they gain the satisfaction of helping the world through an altruistic love and compassion for what is right.  Could this be a way to create a company that has the funds to miinimize the greenhouse gases emmited by raising animals for food?  And can this company not also use the recycled profits to promote a more aware ecological progress for us all?

Adam

One thing is for sure, food is definitely an emotionally charged subject! Some of my friends and I have started an experiment a few weeks ago, eating very simply and a lot of raw food and are discovering amazing things - like needing a lot less protein than I ever thought and feeling incredible. Someone very inspiring, strong as an ox and totally raw vegan is Peter Ragnar. It is quite something to suddenly discover that all the things I craved and thought I need and want suddenly don't seem appealing anymore, because they seem to burden the system. I am sure there are differences in people's body types and what is good for one really does not apply for all, there is a cultural context here too. The challenge is to find out beyond all the ideas I have about what I already know I want or need, and see what really nourishes the body and being awake.
Imagine we find out we only need a third or a quarter of what we thought we did - that would release quite a bit of money, time, energy.
There is another great blog about consciousness and food here: http://flametamer.gaia.com/blog

now that is a very objective, diplomatic & informative comment Uli……well said!:)


& I will check out your link…;)

Haha- you guys, you guys… ;)

I actually liked Tumbleweed's perspective.  (As a hunter of organic meat).  I think he probably retracted his comments because he realized it was just going to turn into an argument- and he seems pretty with it in realizing resisting the stance on this blog would lead to a verbal beating eventually by some animal lover. ;)

Personally, first and foremost- I think our bodies can handle just about anything.  I mean, look at the crap we eat- yet we still live till we're 80. ;)  So it seems this movement over food is about a few things.  1) ethics.  Is it right to kill animals and eat them  2) The method of raising animals and killing them (if it is indeed ok by whoevers standards) and 3) Is it the healthiest option for me- given what foods make me feel good, my bloodtype, etc

Its just not a black and white issue.  Its a very personal decision.  As tumbleweedperson said, like religion. ;) 

If it were so simple that anyone could eat a certain food and be healthy and feel good- we could just have 'human food'- then perhaps trying to sit down for dinner wouldn't be so painful for the human race. ;)

In the interest of getting this blog some attention, i'll stir the pot a little bit further. :)

1) Over ethics- if killing an animal is wrong- it implies death is wrong.  It is my understanding that humans and animals alike come forth into being physical as an choice of free will.  And to my understanding- we aren't just some floaty energy balls looking for a body- it is a very deliberate choice being made by a individual (animal, human, plants, etc) to come forth- meaning, they know what they are getting themselves into.  In my mind- this means animals do not mind coming here to be eaten, and unlike most humans, they do not fear death or see it as something to avoid.

I joked around on an earlier post about the Ghandi quote- saying he meant it was ok to eat humans…  I was partially joking (human isn't my thing personally)- but I also think an interpretation of that could mean to honor the animal you are killing as if it was a human being,  Of course their life is precious- and anyone who is truly connected to life who kills an animal for food understands this bond and interconnectedness better than most vegetarians I talk to.  Dare I say (not in Lori's case, but in others I've talked to) they have decided to stop eating meat purely out of fear and lack of understanding of the stuff life is based on.

2) How to raise animals?  I'd like to say with love + kindness.  In a way that allows them to live a happy life till I'm hungry. ;)  I think there are certainly green ways to raise animals, and again- a loving person will give a nice life to an animal who is being raised for food or other uses.  Its not something to take for granted- but certainly notthing inherriantly evil or bad for the environment.

3) If it is a matter of health and doing what makes your individual, completely unique body feel at its best- then by all means- eat frutis and veggies all day!!  And i know athletes that go veggie too, just cause they aren't really into the meat thing- and thats ok too.  But there is just no reason to start large fear mongering campaigns to try and get others to eat differently.  Feel free to control what you put in your own mouth tho. ;)  As I said, its a personal preference, nothing more.

I think what most will find as they go is all that exist on earth is here for a reason.  And the reason is never to spur you into trying to change another.  Changing yourself (being the change) is another issue, and I think Lori does that part well. :)

Take it easy,

NMD

wow, there is a lot coming out here, it is amazing. I think it's true, we don't need to be afraid of controversy - if we can't disagree and keep going, who should?!
I think what we eat can be an exploration - I think it is more than just personal preference, since what we do always occurs in a larger cultural, ecological, social context, we don't each live in a bubble. What I find interesting to look at is what these preferences are based on. Anything objective? My emotional state (give me that dark chocolate!!)?Something someone else has told me I should be doing? Or my own conscious deeper deliberation based on my own experience and experimentation. And what's the goal and purpose of eating right anyway? What's the context for that? It's cool we are talking about all this.

Haha, nice, MA.  To 125!

Personally- I may do something to that effect too- since I am having such a blast in this life, but who knows.  I don't really care when I die, but I do plan on making it a conscious choice to retract my consciousness from this time-space reality.  Can you imagine people croaking in that fashion?  Sounds exciting to me. :)  The life/death barrier is one  i plan on breaking thru- but all in all, its not really 'breaking thru it', as much as raising your vibration to be on the same wave length as those who are in non-physical.  Basically, just being really happy more of the time- turns out that's how everyone always is there.

Anyway- I do feel a misconception around death is at the heart of a lot of hindering beliefs related to vegetarianism.  Again, I don't see vegetarianism as wrong, or even silly- I think its a marvelous option for those who prefer not to eat meat- and its so cool that nowadays its pretty easy to pick up with all of the expertise out there! 

I was a vegetarian for 3 years, mostly because I had one too many peta videos shoved in my face- and couldn't eat meat without feeling sorry for the animals.  Then I had a survival skills teacher over here in Boulder, at Naropa who set me straight (incredibly wise guy with native american roots).  I feel more connected with life than ever, after coming to terms with the death thing- and yeah- my body wasn't responding well to all of the soy I was eating.  (one too many boca burgers)

Uli- I'm with you- I feel this sort of conversation is part of the fun of life.  Just a pleasant intermingling of happy people. ;)  Its just important to remember not to attack anyone elses beliefs- after all, a belief is only a thought that has been thought over and over.  Nothing to get upset about.  I see your point about the personal preference thing, and I too believe we are all connected, and everything we do effects the whole.  This is another concept you hear often, especially in the self-development community, but again, I feel it is still not fully understood by most.

I think life is so perfect, and well-being is so dominate in life that we could do anything we wanted to in our personal life- and it is all orchestrated perfectly with the whole.  I consider it a given, and part of the wonder of life.  So, no, I don't think we live in bubbles (except for me, since I'm in Boulder, CO- ever hear of the 'boulder bubble'?) ;) ;)

But really tho- I think so much is taken care of for us at a source energy level to make life easy to enjoy- and I like to focus on that a lot.  Looking at our bodies, and all of the organisms that make it up and do their jobs well, 24/7 365 just so we can enjoy our lives and focus on other things.  I think its a similar case with the earth and our resources.  I also think, when we are really lifted and seeing things on this source energy level that we start to see ourselves as eternal beings + and the earth as a living organism that is constantly maintaining balance- and don't worry so much about things.  I believe things like global warming and what not are part of larger cycles that most are not aware of due to their limited scope and experience on earth.  Anyone who has ever tasted the core of their being knows (KNOWS!!)  all is well.  In other words, catatrosphic world events aren't something I worry about too much. ;)  (but used to!) ;)

In the example you used, Uli, about the chocolate- we are always seeking well-being and happiness- and sometimes in order to feel relief, or to give ourselves a distraction, we eat some chocolate.  In my eyes that's no big deal.  I think if you keep eating the chocolate to give yourself a feeling of relief- you may want to take some time to align your vibration a bit- since what is happening is stress/chocolate/choose the same stressful thought/chocolate/choose same stressful thought/ chocolate– same thing with cigarettes and all of that stuff.  And in that equation- dare I say its not the chocolate thats doing damage to your body as much as the repetition of the resistant thought.  But really, who doesn't eat chocolate or something if they need a distraction? ;)  So, again, I think if the chocolate gives you a sense of relief- that is what you are doing there.  If the choice is between stress and chocolate, i'd take chocolate. ;)

Anyway- I am just glad you guys are open to talk, and enjoy this sort of conversation.  :)

Hugs and highfives,

NMD