To Ve… or Not to Ve-gan…
That is the question! I have been doing a lot of research lately on veganism. I feel so disheartened about what is happening to our planet and am looking for real ways to make a difference!
This was sparked by the watching of Cowspiracy on Netflix and being bombarded with facts that agriculture alone was responsible for over 50% of the worlds carbon emissions - I mean how can you hear that and not immediately start reducing your meat consumption? Truth be told, while I did watch Cowspiracy just this weekend - it was the second time I watched it, having watched it before in 2019. Back in 2019 I immediately decided to no longer eat meat - and for about 4 weeks I struggled to find anything I liked to eat. I genuinely feel like I was turning grey relying on mostly processed vegan products to survive which is neither healthy nor probably that good for the environment! So I relented. I have massively reduced my meat intake but I still eat meat and it still bothers me.
I have since completely given up fish having watched enough documentaries to indicate that there is no such thing as sustainable fishing, and knowing that fish are responsible for some filtration of the water (and knowing the shit we are pumping into the ocean)! But I decided to do more research into the film and whether or not, veganism would really make any sort of significant difference.
And the truth is surprisingly not that easy. While it is clear that the claims in the film of 51% are definitely not true - it is very difficult to get an accurate figure with most of the citations I haven seen been anything from 14.5% to 18% - still a significant figure. I found an interesting article by Nicholas Blundell at Indiana University which debunks alot of the facts used in this particular documentary - for instance the 51% figure is derived from a report done by advisors for World Bank, not actual environmental science academics. And the report was neither peer-reviewed nor published in an academic journal. Instead, the Worldwatch Institute published it on their own. Links associated with the report are dead links, so Worldwatch has since likely deleted or retracted that report. And so any credibility associated with this film starts to dwindle - at least in my eyes. He also references a more recent report that is seen to be (at least then) more scientifically sound which puts the figure at closer to 15%.
What is also interesting to me is that the official Cowspiracy site is putting the number around 18% but a figure derived from a study in 2006 - and despite the website advising that the film has been updated it is clear that more recent studies are not being taken into account with no explanation as to why they have chosen a study from 2006 rather than a study from 2015! All in all it is a bit of a headfuck - and it is very difficult to know what is right or wrong.
One of the other key takeaways from the article by Nicholas is that some of the comparisons made in the movie are not comparing like for like. So when discussing projections for the next 30 years and how industry versus agricultur’s carbon emissions will grow - the data being used is from 2 seperate studies. How can we be sure that it is even appropriate to compare these 2 figures? What variables are being used in each study for instance. And the more I look into this the more harm than good I think this sort of biased documentary has done for both vegans, and for people who truly care about the environment and want to make a different. It is hard not to feel duped - and no one enjoys feeling as though they have been made a fool of!
For myself, I have decided to take a more paired down approach. I already have quit dairy (mostly because despite eating and drinking it for years it no longer seems to agree with me - and while I miss cheese, the fact it makes me feel like shit, means I have gone off it), and I no longer eat fish. I am doing further research into shellfish but so far it is not looking good! My next aim is to give up pork. Pigs seem to have a particularly raw deal (at least in Ireland) and they are especially clever, and wonderful animals - it seems very wrong to keep eating them. After that I plan to reduce my beef and finally chicken. Also I should note the idea isn’t to reduce fish and pork and replace those meals with beef and chicken - but to properly research and find good vegan/ vegetarian recipes and build my cooking skills while reducing the impact the food I do eat has on the environment!
Finally I have to go back and speak to all the people I raved to about this documentary and educate them on my mistakes! The truth is while giving up meat and animal products of course makes a difference - and still significant and worth considering, based on all scientific studies and research it is nowhere close to the 51% quoted in this documentary!
Would love to know your thoughts below, if you had watched the documentary and if you had done your own research!
In the meantime, stay safe,
Sho xxx
Good Vegan/Vegetarian Recipe Books
So far I am really enjoying:
Eat Yourself Beautiful & Eat Yourself Fit - Rosanna Davidson
Deliciously Ella Every Day - Ella Woodward
I have linked Amazon to the books but I actually borrowed these from my local library! Would love to hear any other cookbook suggestions you might have.
Other good articles:
The trouble with meat - Irish Times
Cowspiracy: Stampeding in the wrong direction
Avoiding Meat & Dairy - The Guardian
References
Andersen, K., Keegan, K. (Producers), & Andersen, K., Keegan, K. (Directors). 2014. Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret [Motion Picture]. United States: Appian Way.
Andersen, K. (2017) The Facts. Retrieved from https://www.cowspiracy.com/facts
Hickman, M. (2009, November 1). Study claims meat creates half of all greenhouse gases. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/study-claims-meat-creates-half-of-all-greenhouse-gases-1812909.html
Veerasamy, S., Hyder, I., Ezeji, T., Lakritz, J., Bhatta, R., Ravindra, J.P., Prasad, C., Lal, R. (2015). Global Warming: Role of Livestock. Climate Change Impact on Livestock: Adaptation and Mitigation. New Delhi, India: Springer.