I just got an email from Greenpeace, asking me if I was eating an endangered species. Given that I really don't like fish, I would imagine the answer is no since my deviation from vegetarianism is restricted to chicken and the occasional (very occasional - as in fewer than five) burger.
Anyway, here's what my campaigning chums tell me:
Bluefin tuna is an endangered species, and it's the oceanic equivalent of a tiger, rhino, or panda - yet it is still being served up as expensive sushi in restaurants. In London alone, there are dozens of venues serving up bluefin, although Nobu is probably the most high-profile culprit.
Funnily enough, I've been thinking about going back to being vegetarian. It's a combination of things; first, ages ago, there was a post by Dietgirl that really got me yearning for proper veggie fodder. There were lots of links to ace sites with yummy recipes on offer. (And for the record, Shauna isn't vegetarian.) Second, I've been very affected by my friends being involved in battery farm chicken rescue (they are not militant - just giving hens a better life - and working, 100 per cent, with the farmers). In fact, I have offered to volunteer myself - timetable permitting. And that's when I started to feel really uneasy about eating chicken... And finally, after going to Glastonbury, I just ate so well (well, let me rephrase that - I LOVED what I ate) and it was totally vegetarian. There was so much choice. My husband ensured, however, that he ate meat and that was fine with me.
So, I'm not making any declarations but it's on my mind. Which means it will probably happen. Four years ago, when I started the weight-loss malarkey for real, I started to crave low-fat protein sources. And after decades, yes, decades of being flesh-free, I started with a fish. Lemon sole, to be precise. I phoned a friend for absolution. I felt soooo guilty. The chicken came months later. I just felt my body crave it...
The burger didn't happen until last year. After the miscarriage. I went to Byron with a fellow LighterLifer - she said I needed red meat! And I didn't argue. I shocked myself. And worried that this was the beginning of the end. But it wasn't. Even though I absolutely loved what I ate, I really did, I still haven't had bacon - the vegetarian's downfall - or anything else.
I don't ever, ever lecture people on their food choices. I just like to encourage them to make a choice that doesn't involve intensive farming. So, if you're not a regular at Nobu, maybe you can sign the tuna pledge, too? If you're interested, click here...
And, if you're not, that's OK, too.
Sometimes I feel like my head is going explode from all this food stuff... not only worrying if i'll get fatter but the environment and endangered species and whatnot. then if you go vegetarian you end up eating more soy and soy is destorying amazon rainforests and whatnot... what to bloody do!?
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/forests/amazon-traders-renew-promise-boycott-soya-cheating-farmers-20090416
Posted by: Account Deleted | July 15, 2009 at 04:07 PM
Expensive sushi restaurants, huh? I think I can be pretty sure that I've never had this!
I eat meat and fish (and most things actually although I am awfully fussy) but I won't eat foie gras because it's so cruel and I won't eat white veal for the same reason. I should eat more British and rose veal as it shows farmers that we don't care that the meat isn't white and so they don't need to treat their calves so badly.
That's the ethical stuff but with far dodgier rationale, I don't eat rabbit or horse either - because I see both as pets. All this is better than my unbelievably shallow brother who will eat anything he thinks is 'ugly'. Yup, nice. I'm sure he'd euthanase me too given the chance - he's horrified by my lack of designer togs!
I have toyed with the idea of vegetarianism because I do love animals - but I also love meat. I do feel as long as I buy ethically reared meat that I am doing my bit to keep happy cows etc in the fields.
love
Peridot x
Posted by: Peridot | July 15, 2009 at 04:17 PM
I too got that email today and I have duly pledged. Recently I've gone from "doing my best" in shops but buying non-ethical stuff if there's no choice, to never buying anything I can't truly justify even if that means I have to totally change my eating plans. I'm getting organised and shop a lot more locally. It makes buying a sarnie on the run in Rotherham difficult though!
Well done for publicising the issue - I think about these things but seldom get round to doing them...hangs head...
Lesley x
Posted by: Lesley | July 15, 2009 at 06:56 PM