Saturday, April 14, 2012

Sustainability Isn't Just About How It's Raised

An article in the New York Times on April 12, 2012 argues that sustainable meat cannot possibly be truly sustainable because raising animals sustainably requires far more resources (land, feed, etc.) and contributes more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

But the author, James E. McWilliams, entirely misses a crucial point of sustainability. Sustainability isn't just about production; it's also about consumption. McWilliams argues, "If we raised all the cows in the United States on grass (all 100 million of them), cattle would require (using the figure of 10 acres per cow) almost half the country’s land (and this figure excludes space needed for pastured chicken and pigs)." Well, I'd believe that, but it presupposes that we would continue raising the same number of cattle and eating the same amount of meat.

My family buys sustainable meat almost exclusively. The vast majority of that meat we get from Chestnut Farms meat CSA. Each month, we pick up a cooler filled with 10 pounds of beef, chicken, lamb, and pork, for which we pay $88. That may seem like a steep price to pay for meat, but it's what allows Chestnut Farms to produce high quality, sustainable, organic meat. We also purchase eggs from them and occasionally buy some goat meat for curry, ham or bacon ends for beans, or smoked polish sausage.

And, in general, that's all the meat we buy for the month. We do buy more meat for special occasions, such as a Thanksgiving turkey or a leg of lamb for Easter, but that's a rare indulgence. Now, think carefully about the amount of meat you bought last month. Did it exceed ten pounds? Fifteen? Twenty? Thirty?

American cuisine revolves around meat. It's the entree, the main dish, and everything else in a meal is generally selected to support it. We eat far, far more meat than we need, resulting in unsustainable meat production practices and poor health. What if you were to change meat from starring to supporting role? This evening for dinner, my husband made carbonara sauce using eggs, heavy cream, and three strips of Chestnut Farms bacon. It was completely delicious - yes, fatty, but we plowed our garden today and were in serious need of extra calories after all the digging. Most of our meat dishes are heavily supplemented with vegetables. When I make burritos, I use ground beef cooked with potatoes and carrots, served with brown rice and black or pinto beans, along with lettuce and tomatoes and a substantial vegetable side dish such as calabacitas (zucchini, corn, onions, and cilantro, topped with cheese).

We do supplement our meat with fish, but again, the fish tends to be a spice or condiment rather than the main course. We'll eat pickled herring as an appetizer, or my husband will make kale and sardine stew (this is much, much tastier than it sounds). I love making smoked trout salad with onions, apples, capers, pickles or cucumbers, pecans, and fresh herbs. We also grow our own gourmet mushrooms and use them as a delicious protein source.

By eating less meat, we are eating healthier, saving money, and helping reduce our burden on the environment. Sustainable eating starts on the farm and ends at the dinner table.