The other day I had an interesting conversation with a woman at the farmers market. We sold her some Organic, 100% Grass-fed and finished beef. We drove 2 1/2 hours to get there. We got up at 5:30am. It took 2 years for this beef to be produced into it’s a 1lb package of ground beef. Then, she says to me, “You know! I really hate this plastic packing! Plastic is destroying the planet and we need less of it. I want the number of your processor (slaughter house)!” I partly agree with her. Plastic is a problem, but she was buying this incredible organic, soil-building beef. I attempted to explain to her that no one uses butcher paper anymore. The paper that some processors use today is coated in polyethylene. Meat wrapped in butcher paper would develop freezer burn quickly. She didn’t want to listen to my “argument” and bought her meat and went about her business. Adios.
This lady puts on the facade that she is an environmentalist. I used to be an environmentalist too. Then I realized that a lot of the things that environmentalists push on people are STUPID. For example vegetarianism, or riding a bike. Let’s start with the veg. Eating only veggies is bad for your health first of all. I eat a lot of veggies, but I also eat meat. I won’t go into this health issue right now. However, people don’t realize this but most vegetables consumed in the United States today are grown in monocultures. Monocultures are awful. Where in nature do you see 300 acres of onions or potatoes or peppers? Nowhere. Once the crop is taken from the field, the soil is left uncovered. So, the soil blows away or washes down stream. How is that better for the earth than eating meat!? When I say meat, I mean 100% grass-fed and finished beef raised on lush pastures with 30+ species of plants. They fail to look deeper and accept that maybe they might be wrong. I’ve come to realize this recently, and I’m sad that it took me 26 years. People, no matter what their education level, rich or poor, liberal or conservative are indoctrinated. Myself included. Indoctrinated by what they believe is the truth. I believe that ranching is sustainable, and not even sustainable but regenerative. Some people, no matter what evidence I provide them with, will remain vehemently opposed to me. Why are people like this? I don’t know. But I know that it’s easier to buy CFL light bulbs and drive a Prius than question your belief system.
Now the bike issue. I don’t think riding bikes are bad. I just think that riding bicycles for transportation is not the panacea to all of our environmental problems. Last time I checked bikes don’t; sequester carbon, provide high quality food, build soil, feed billions of soil critters, harvest free sunlight, retain water, prevent erosion, feed birds, increase biological diversity, etc , etc. I could go on and on. What is one thing that does all of this? Grass-fed beef. The stuff that environmentalist-statists hate more than anything.
Looking at this reminds me of what I’ve learned about Permaculture. “The problem is the solution.”
I’m really sick of people telling other people what to do. I present my ideas to you, and you can make your own choices. If you want to be a vegan and ride your bike 100% of the time, I say good for you. In case you didn’t realize it by now, I’m a Libertarian. I don’t care what you do, as long as it doesn’t infringe with my unalienable rights. I will continue to help people, and solve some of our biggest problems.
