This is a tough subject. Most of us enjoy the all -American breakfast of eggs and bacon, especially on the weekend. It’s a staple of family cooking and shopping. Foodies create dishes using bacon with more flair such as bacon bowls, goat cheese wrapped in bacon, pasta primavera with bacon. Then, there’s bacon jam and soup too.
Our taste buds love fat and salt so bacon has the perfect combination. Once thought of as a comfort food in lean times, bacon has taken center stage in foodie cooking, advertising. So, sales have risen. What are the implications for more pig products? The above video addresses a problem we mentioned in this week’s podcast with my guest Ellen Moyer.
We briefly addressed the power of choice too, how one choice such as “I want bacon with my eggs” leads us to all the implications needed to bring that choice home to our table. When we buy bacon at the supermarket we cast a vote. Increased need means we need more pigs. How are they taken care of? More pigs mean more poo and when manure is so concentrated it becomes a problem of where to put it. And if antibiotics and steroids, hormones are used en masse, these substances get into our soil, water, and air. Pig poo, in particular, is a major problem in certain areas. As the above video shows, neighborhoods are coated with the fine spray and the smell. It’s on everything. In Iowa and Minnesota, concentrated pig poo creates a foam and then that explodes, killing pigs.
The Modern Farmer states: “The University of Minnesota reported that in September of 2011, a half a dozen flash-fires related to pig manure sprung up in the UpperMidwest. The worst of the string killed 1,500 pigs and left one worker with severe burns.”
congerdesign / Pixabay
Our food system is complex. We rely on convenience in our supermarkets, so what we purchase creates a demand. Every purchase casts a vote and the implications are huge. Ellen and others suggest, reducing meat consumption by one meal per week. Let’s look at 4 implications of choosing organic meat:
- Organic manure supports healthy soil management, healthy soils produce healthy nutrient-rich foods.
- Decreases the amount of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers/neurotoxins that seep into our soil, water, and air.
- Rainforests are often cleared for grazing. Our choices can decrease this practice and restore a more positive ecosystem.
- Our pocketbooks: decreasing our meat consumption by one meal /week saves us money.
Lastly, remember we vote with our dollars. Choose wisely.
What is your reaction to the above video? Send us your stories/comments. Please like and share. Thanks.
Judith
Judith Dreyer, MS, BSN, Writer, Speaker, and Workshop Presenter, Master Gardener.
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