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Is local grass fed beef actually more environmentally friendly?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 11:48 am
by Third Person Groove
Grass fed beef vs exotic produce

So many vegans do eat more bananas kiwis oranges grape fruit ect... Since those produce are shipped all over the place it does seem like local grass fed cows are more environmentally friendly. Of course not all meat eaters can sustain on grass fed cows and if we switched the grazing land with crops for legumes it could feed us just as well if not better.

The reality is the current situation for people that buy only local grass fed beef might be eating more environmentally friendly than many vegans?

Re: Is local grass fed beef actually more environmentally friendly?

Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 6:21 pm
by brimstoneSalad
Bananas actually have pretty good yield for a fruit, and they're shipped by ocean in huge amounts, so it's not as bad as you'd think.
Not great per gram of protein, but per calorie or as a source of potassium and a few other nutrients they're pretty decent.

The more concerning fruits are those that have lower yield and spoil quickly... I wouldn't be surprised if there are some tropical fruits in some places that could be worse than local pastured beef, but where something is produced doesn't mean much unless it's shipped by air.

Also, as you said, legumes are going to be better either way. If vegans are skipping their beans in favor of more fruits, they're making a health mistake and not just an environmental one, so probably practicing an unsustainable diet in more ways than one.
I think there's definitely a good argument for going easy on the tropical fruit, particularly aside from bananas (which in moderation can make sense).

A bean and grain focused diet is the most sustainable all around.