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Ayashe · 06-13-2010, 05:33 AM

There is a lot of focus on CAFOs and the harmful effects they have on the environment. While I do not disagree that CAFOs are rather disgusting I believe I would be doing a huge injustice to make a statement that CAFOs are the only aspect of industrial farming that negatively impact the environment. Toxic fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, all running off into our waterways polluting our in ground and surface waterways. Pollution which will generate damaging blooms of oxygen-depleting microorganisms that disrupt ecosystems and kill fish. Nitrogen compounds following the Mississippi from Midwestern farms degrading coastal fisheries and creating a large "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico where aquatic life cannot survive. And for what? Just like antibiotic overuse, these insecticides and herbicides have over time become less and less effective from overuse.

Of course, we could all increase our fish intake right? This is supposed to be healthier. Sadly, most of the fish in North American markets come from fisheries which are more or less cesspools of toxic sludge will produce the same issues of other farming techniques. Overcrowding, overuse of antibiotics and antimicrobials and other treatments to produce "healthier fish". Care to order a side of Mercury with your salmon? Eating as little as one fish sandwich could provide 40% of the safe maximum of mercury exposure. One Canadian study found that a single serving of farmed salmon contains three to six times the World Health Organization’s daily intake limit for dioxin and PCBs. Mmm, yum. Of course we could switch to wild caught, right? Wild caught fishing would be much better for the environment, trawling the bottom of the waterways, bringing up blooms of algae, choking out life of other creatures, damaging our coral reefs. Overfishing of certain species leading to the depletion of creatures dependent on them for survival.

Of course we could switch to all organic, right? I know one woman who has a daughter who is allergic to nearly everything. In hopes for better health, her mother has opted to purchase all organic for this one daughter. For that child alone, she spends over $400/month on groceries. Is this manageable for the average family? Of course even then, one must put on their thinking cap and plow through the many misleading phrases used in the Organic Movement. "Natural", "All Natural", "Made with Organic Ingredients", yes even "Free-range" and "Free-roaming" are misleading. Of course, is it really better for the environment having been shipped 2,000 miles?

Instead of meatless Mondays, I am led to believe that to truly make an impact it must be Meal-less Mondays. Or perhaps Anorexic August, or even Abortion April. There are too many people on this planet, consuming like locusts.

This is not limited to food, people. How many people take things to the repair shop these days? No, we throw it out instead. We need the latest and greatest in technology and instead of upgrading with a part or fixing what is broken, we toss out the entire object and get new. Do we really need to be plugged in to everything all the time? Do you really need that new cell-phone? Can't you walk the three blocks to the store when you only need butter? Do you really need a new car, or could you just take it in for a tune-up?

06-13-2010, 05:33 AM	#69 (permalink)
Ayashe Psycho	There is a lot of focus on CAFOs and the harmful effects they have on the environment. While I do not disagree that CAFOs are rather disgusting I believe I would be doing a huge injustice to make a statement that CAFOs are the only aspect of industrial farming that negatively impact the environment. Toxic fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, all running off into our waterways polluting our in ground and surface waterways. Pollution which will generate damaging blooms of oxygen-depleting microorganisms that disrupt ecosystems and kill fish. Nitrogen compounds following the Mississippi from Midwestern farms degrading coastal fisheries and creating a large "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico where aquatic life cannot survive. And for what? Just like antibiotic overuse, these insecticides and herbicides have over time become less and less effective from overuse. Of course, we could all increase our fish intake right? This is supposed to be healthier. Sadly, most of the fish in North American markets come from fisheries which are more or less cesspools of toxic sludge will produce the same issues of other farming techniques. Overcrowding, overuse of antibiotics and antimicrobials and other treatments to produce "healthier fish". Care to order a side of Mercury with your salmon? Eating as little as one fish sandwich could provide 40% of the safe maximum of mercury exposure. One Canadian study found that a single serving of farmed salmon contains three to six times the World Health Organization’s daily intake limit for dioxin and PCBs. Mmm, yum. Of course we could switch to wild caught, right? Wild caught fishing would be much better for the environment, trawling the bottom of the waterways, bringing up blooms of algae, choking out life of other creatures, damaging our coral reefs. Overfishing of certain species leading to the depletion of creatures dependent on them for survival. Of course we could switch to all organic, right? I know one woman who has a daughter who is allergic to nearly everything. In hopes for better health, her mother has opted to purchase all organic for this one daughter. For that child alone, she spends over $400/month on groceries. Is this manageable for the average family? Of course even then, one must put on their thinking cap and plow through the many misleading phrases used in the Organic Movement. "Natural", "All Natural", "Made with Organic Ingredients", yes even "Free-range" and "Free-roaming" are misleading. Of course, is it really better for the environment having been shipped 2,000 miles? Instead of meatless Mondays, I am led to believe that to truly make an impact it must be Meal-less Mondays. Or perhaps Anorexic August, or even Abortion April. There are too many people on this planet, consuming like locusts. This is not limited to food, people. How many people take things to the repair shop these days? No, we throw it out instead. We need the latest and greatest in technology and instead of upgrading with a part or fixing what is broken, we toss out the entire object and get new. Do we really need to be plugged in to everything all the time? Do you really need that new cell-phone? Can't you walk the three blocks to the store when you only need butter? Do you really need a new car, or could you just take it in for a tune-up? __________________ I am only a little spoon in a huge world of soup.