Today is the vernal equinox and the Great American Meat Out. Both designations are important for homeEcology. The equinox marks the transition into the season of more daylight. It’s also a good time, inspired by images like the one below from NOAA, to think about earth systems, climate change and conditions on earth.
Vernal equinox 2013, shown in a satellite image from NOAA. The northern and southern hemisphere experience equal shares of daylight and darkness on 2 equinoxes per year. Photo courtesy of NOAA (the image of earth is a satellite image; the image of the sun is an illustration).
The Great American Meat Out is an annual call to go vegan for a day. The climate footprint of meat is one of many reasons to eat a plant-based diet. Livestock production for meat is responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions; 18% to 51% of global greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to meat production, according to recent estimates¹,². I’m working with a group to highlight the role of meat-production in climate change. More to come on that later.
I was talking with some people in that group and I said that, after 25 years as a vegetarian, I don’t really think about cooking without meat as anything different than just cooking. And, I said, a lot of familiar foods are vegetarian. When pressed to list them, I got stuck— and I’ve been putting together a mental list since then.
In the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a list of vegetarian and vegan foods that are meat-free in their familiar form, even in the homes of people who never think of eating a vegetarian or vegan meal. Check back on Meatless Mondays for vegetarian breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and desserts that are common in American kitchens.
¹ Livestock’s Long Shadow: environmental issues and options. Steinfeld et al. 2006. Food and Agriculture Organization.
² Livestock and Climate Change. Robert Goodland and Jeff Anhang, 2009. World Watch Institute, November/December, 2009.
author: Susan Ask