Climate change blame game, a request for book comments, ANOTHER zuke recipe, and the wisdom of a child
9/23/2023
What’s Going On?
Climate change blame game, that’s what’s going on. For example, yes, factory-farmed/grain-fed beef is causing an excessive release of methane into our atmosphere. And I just now discovered that grass-fed cows release even more methane than those that are grain-fed. Here is the summary of an article comparing the two methods:
There are tradeoffs in different aspects of sustainability when comparing grain-finished and grass-finished beef production systems. Grain-finished beef has a lower carbon footprint than grass-finished beef due to more efficient utilization of feed in the finishing phase, fewer days on feed and greater amount of beef produced per animal. However, grass-finished beef contributes to sustainable beef production by utilizing forage resources during finishing to produce food from human-inedible plants.
https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/carbon-footprint-comparison-between-grass-and-grain-finished-beef.html
Caveat: The article cited above is from 2017.
I am planning to write an article pointing out the pros and cons of each method; however, I will be pointing out a major con to factory farming, which is that the factory-farmed method produces a less nutritious product at a price low enough for most people to eat way more meat/protein than is needed or good for one’s health. The low cost increases the demand since it is so easily available via so many venues. And the adverse health effects are not being as well-publicized as they could be. Of course. In fact, the public is often told via advertising that we don’t get enough protein. This is simply not true for anyone who is able to afford to eat on a regular basis.
Never mind that the method also causes a lot of environmental pollution. There is more to this, of course.
I will share a link to the article I write about all this once it is complete. I am sure I will learn a lot more as I do the research.
In my opinion, the menthane issue, while valid, is being used to distract from the extreme effect that burning fossil fuels has on climate change.
It is a very complicated issue. Attempts to either simplify it and/or blame just one or two things are not helping our environment.
And don’t get me started on the arguments against electric vehicles. The best solution, of course, would be for those living in cities or suburbs who are physically able to do so to walk or bike more. At least some public transportation in rural areas would be helpful as well. Again - it’s complicated. But I do feel that many naysayers criticizing every and all the ways or ideas as to mitigating climate change from burning fossil fuels are getting their information from those who want to continue profiting from burning fossil fuels.
What to Do?
Eat less beef, unless you are already eating a modest amount. And when you do eat beef, purchase grass-fed beef from a local farmer if it is available in your area and you can afford it. Getting it shipped to you will cost way too much for many, but if you eat meat (I do!), don’t live in an area that has local beef farmers, and can afford to have it shipped to you, your health will thank you.
And don’t forget Bison! Grass-fed bison has an even better nutritional profile than beef! I luckily live near a farm, Yankee Farmers Market, that raises bison for meat. It’s good stuff. If you don’t live near a bison farm, Yankee Farmers Market also ships throughout the USA.
NOTE: I’ll have footnotes as to the health benefits of grass-fed beef and bison in my upcoming article, as well as any info on methane and bison. I will also address the issue of vegans assuming that everyone will be healthier if they don’t eat meat. Not everyone who is vegan makes that claim and/or guilt-trips others, but some do, and they are wrong to assume it is true for all people.
In addition, as a way to fight disinformation or simple lack of information about all kinds of climate change issues, you can always check out the action alerts available via the Action Alert page of Earthjustice, which is, as you probably know by now, one of my favorite climate change-addressing organizations.
What to Read?
As I mentioned previously, I have a stack of books that I planned to read while recovering from knee surgery. However, said surgery has been postponed. Since it was not even going to happen until this coming Tuesday, I have not read any of them yet.
How about this? The books are listed below.
If you have read any of them, let me and others know your thoughts about the book and/or give a simple thumbs up or down about it in the comments section at the end of this newsletter. (There is a comment icon to click for those getting this via email.)
You do NOT have to be a subscriber to comment! Someday, yes, but not yet.
The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother
by James McBride
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
America Gospel by Jon Meacham
Bad Girls Go Everywhere: The Life of Helen Gurly Brown
by Jennifer Scanlon
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler.
The title of this last one caught my eye as I perused the bookshelves in the Sutton NH dump’s “giveaway/takeaway” section. I have NO CLUE if it is any good. We’ll find out, won’t we. 😉
I don’t add books to my Bookshop.org bookstore unless I have read them and recommend them. If you want to beat me to it, here is my standard spiel, sans the bit about my bookshop.
To purchase a used copy of a book, check More Than Words first, then Thriftbooks.
To support the author of the book and independent bookstores, go to Bookshop.org.
And, as I always say, there is a good chance you can find what you want at your local library.
What's Cooking?
Zucchini! Something new! I know, haha. But I DID find another way to use a good-sized zucchini. Here is the link to the recipe I tried out:
This was pretty darn good. A few notes:
I used one big zucchini that weighed about two pounds instead of the called-for several smaller zukes. I just quartered them instead of halving them before seasoning and roasting.
You could easily incorporate tahini or another nut butter into this dip to make what we could call a Central American or Mexican* version of Baba Ghanoush.
*Did you know? Zucchini is native to Central America and Mexico as per Where Is Zucchini Mostly Grown? - Sweetish Hill, although this same site notes that: “Zucchini descends from squashes first domesticated in Mesoamerica over 7,000 years ago, but the zucchini itself was bred in Milan in the late 19th century.” I guess that makes it an international star.
In any case, I hope you enjoy this addition to my collection of zucchini recipes.
What Else?
Why are some people mean? It’s not like when you dump someone’s bucket out it fills yours up. - Noah, 8 years old.
A friend of mine recently shared that her son Noah said this. Wow. Noah is one wise kiddo.
His words remind me of the memes going around about equal rights:
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It’s not pie.
Sigh. I think that, instead of getting into writing an essay on the thoughts these words bring up for me, I will leave you to appreciate them as is.
And, below, here is a picture of my cat. Just for fun. 😊
Be kind,
Wendy