Meat's World

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

But (for example) if we start to eat food produced locally and prevent food from being flown in from around the world, then surely farmers in third-world countries will suffer, right? So what on earth are we supposed to do? On one hand, we are saving the planet but on the other hand we are once again provoking the downfall of newly repaired communities in the third world and single-handedly driving the demise of recently implemented infrastructure. Sadly the only people that suffer, as usual, are the people who have very little to lose in the first place, the people who depend entirely on what little trade our countries do with them. So what is the right thing for us to do? The truth is, I just don’t know. I wish I had the answers to these questions and so many more. The one thing I’m hoping to do is to help some of you understand a little more about the decisions you make and the impact they have on the world. I, for one, didn’t really understand a lot of the aforementioned issues properly until a few years ago and they have certainly had an impact on my decision making when it comes to buying food and produce.

So is this how things are going to be for the foreseeable future? Without a shadow of a doubt, I can say that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Not only is the food in our supermarkets controversial in farming terms and environmental terms, it also costs us more money than ever before but more importantly, it’s costing us our health and very often our lives. There is a global demand for “Bigger, Better, Faster, Cheaper” food. Food packed with additives, preservatives, sugar, salt, fat, nitrates and also kinds of nasties that are killing us and our children.

Although it’s easy to blame the supermarkets, you need to understand that the number one rule of thumb in trade is “Supply-and-demand”. If we didn’t demand it, they wouldn’t make money supplying it! It is WE the consumer that are demanding and detrimentally accepting these foods. So how on earth do we have the right to question the rapidly increasing rate of obesity, heart disease and diabetes in world? What we put in out mouths is affecting our health, costing our governments (and ultimately we the taxpayer) billions in medical costs which are burning a whole in the global economy… and for what? All because we are too lazy to cook, so we opt for the easy choice. Fast food? Convenience food? Ready meals? Shame on us.

I’m not trying to influence anyone into changing their entire way of eating. Not all of us can afford to spend a little more to get the best of everything and therefore economy food has its place in our culture and inevitably will always do so, unless our governments place an all out ban on processed foods. But perhaps we could at least try to avoid blatantly unhealthy junk foods at the very least, because we know that it’s bad for us. If what we describe as ‘normal’ food, such as eggs, poultry, fruit and vegetables are now under question, why on earth are we eating processed trash foods that we 100% aware are contributing to our untimely demise? Stupidity, irresponsibility and a lack of knowledge, these are the only possible reasons for making poorly-informed decisions on our purchases.

I believe we need to take small steps in order to change ourselves and our habits. If enough of us start to make small changes that we could uphold long term, just imagine the impact it would have on the world? One of my new year’s resolutions was to cut out junk food entirely. This may sound harsh, but it’s not as bad as you would think. I have vowed to cut out the obvious offenders like McDonalds, Burger King, KFC etc. But the fact is that I adore burgers! But you know what? I make burgers that are ten times better (and sometimes even a little bigger) than McDonalds and the other usual suspects, but at least I know exactly what goes into them and hands down they contain less fat, are lower in calories, are better for you and are much tastier than their fast food counterparts.

Nothing will make me stop eating the food I love, but I will not consent to eating food ‘Unconsciously’ any longer. Food that contains ingredients that I can’t spell or even begin to understand the purpose or effect of. All I know is nothing can substitute the benefits of simplicity. For me, a burger should contain 2 basic ingredients… ground beef and onion. Adding salt, pepper and a little egg is completely up to the individual. Perhaps when you next visit your local fast food burger joint (or even the freezers of your local supermarket) why not count the number of ingredients listed in your burger patty? If they contain more ingredients than you can count on one hand, then I think you should be extremely concerned.

Whether you sat up and took note of what I had to say or if “Ignorance is bliss” for you… Either way, I wish you well. The only thing I can tell you is the more of us that start to question what we eat, make better choices and demand better practises, the easier it will be to force supermarkets to sell produce that won’t damage our health, economy or environment. We were given a voice so it could be heard. We were given a mind so we could think for ourselves and question things that come our way. Silence and ignorance is not the way to a better life. Stand up and be counted…. Enjoyment comes with responsibility. Don’t shrug your social responsibility, you owe it to yourself to be aware and conscious about the things you choose to purchase and consume. Let us start small, but let us start now. We only have this life in which to make a difference, so we should do the best we can before it’s too late.

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]