On Sunday I ventured down with Danni to the Australian Greens' fundraiser at the Noise Bar in Brunswick. There were some nifty bands, and I had been a bit excited in advance to know there was vegan and gluten free food available. Some of it was provided by Anikee at Radical Grocery! Awesome!
Anyway, given they're the Greens, I was a bit disappointed to find out there was also meat being served. The MC spent a while talking about how great this organic, free-range meat was, and where you could purchase it, and then was all 'also, Radical Grocery' without mentioning its awesomeveganness, and I know it's all about outreach and not alienating people but seriously. The organisation I work for is filled with people who get really sulky when the catering is all vegetarian, but nobody complains because it's always prefaced with, 'this event is vegetarian so that we're a bit better for the environment,' so if they can do it, why can't the Greens?
I am sure everyone is sick of us dirty filthy vegan hippies going on about how great it is for the environment to cut out animal products (or at least meat), so here is just one link! It is all about science! At Science Daily, Conscious Choice of Food Can Substantially Mitigate Climate Change, Research Finds. OH YEAH.
OH GREENS. It would not have been difficult for you to set an example! Debunk the happy meat myth!
Showing posts with label environmentalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environmentalism. Show all posts
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Thursday, 20 August 2009
movie: the age of stupid
This post is not about food! Well, in a round about way it is, but not really.
One of the reasons why I became a dedicated and passionate eater of no meat was because of my work in and concern about sustainability and climate change. I can link to figures and facts if you like (just ask),* but I'm sure most people reading this blog already know them, or know of them. The contribution of the meat production process to climate change is so significant, in its disproportionate water use, energy use and land use, that it's just so important to consider in personal change.
Anyway, there's this movie that just came out in Australia yesterday. It was filmed on the tiniest budget, the crew earned literally survival wages, and they've no budget for advertising or anything. I thought it was only screening for two days, but it appears to be screening for a week in some places (certainly in Carousel and Garden City in Perth it's screening until next week), so I'd like to take this opportunity to briefly pimp it here.
The Age of Stupid is a movie/documentary/post-apocalyptic thing featuring Pete Postlethwaite as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055, looking back on documentary footage of 2008 and wondering why we didn't stop climate change when we had a chance. It touches on less meat for about half a second, and is more focused on bigger things, community groups and corporations, but I still think it is worth the watch. I've been feeling complacent, lately, in my little bubble. I mean, sustainability and climate change is what I do. So I'm doing enough, right? But this was a well-timed push up the bum, just as I'm about to start a new job.
The trailer can be watched on youtube.
Go see it! After Australia I understand it will be moving on to other countries, so you can see it even if you're not in Australia. Or, if you have seen it, let me know what you thought!
*here are my favourites:
* To produce one kilogram of oven dry wheat grain, it takes 715 – 750 litres of water
* For 1 kg maize, 540 – 630 litres
* For 1 kg soybeans, 1650 – 2200 litres
* For 1 kg paddy rice, 1550 litres
* For 1 kg beef, 50,000 – 100,000 litres
* For 1 kg clean wool, 170,000 litres
from the CSIRO
One of the reasons why I became a dedicated and passionate eater of no meat was because of my work in and concern about sustainability and climate change. I can link to figures and facts if you like (just ask),* but I'm sure most people reading this blog already know them, or know of them. The contribution of the meat production process to climate change is so significant, in its disproportionate water use, energy use and land use, that it's just so important to consider in personal change.
Anyway, there's this movie that just came out in Australia yesterday. It was filmed on the tiniest budget, the crew earned literally survival wages, and they've no budget for advertising or anything. I thought it was only screening for two days, but it appears to be screening for a week in some places (certainly in Carousel and Garden City in Perth it's screening until next week), so I'd like to take this opportunity to briefly pimp it here.
The Age of Stupid is a movie/documentary/post-apocalyptic thing featuring Pete Postlethwaite as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055, looking back on documentary footage of 2008 and wondering why we didn't stop climate change when we had a chance. It touches on less meat for about half a second, and is more focused on bigger things, community groups and corporations, but I still think it is worth the watch. I've been feeling complacent, lately, in my little bubble. I mean, sustainability and climate change is what I do. So I'm doing enough, right? But this was a well-timed push up the bum, just as I'm about to start a new job.
The trailer can be watched on youtube.
Go see it! After Australia I understand it will be moving on to other countries, so you can see it even if you're not in Australia. Or, if you have seen it, let me know what you thought!
*here are my favourites:
* To produce one kilogram of oven dry wheat grain, it takes 715 – 750 litres of water
* For 1 kg maize, 540 – 630 litres
* For 1 kg soybeans, 1650 – 2200 litres
* For 1 kg paddy rice, 1550 litres
* For 1 kg beef, 50,000 – 100,000 litres
* For 1 kg clean wool, 170,000 litres
from the CSIRO
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
