Going Local to Solve Global Problems?
My posts lately have been concentrating on getting our HSE program going but I did mention last post that I watched the documentary Cowspiracy on Netflix and had some thoughts that bring me back to earlier ideas for Live and Learn New Mexico!
For those of you who have followed the L&LNM blog for a while, you read the post about Bosque Farms and how it was once the dairy capital of NM blah blah.
I was living on an amazing property that had been built by WPA projects during the Depression. I proposed the idea that we start to live life on a community, rather than global, level -- that we bring NM's power back by bringing back some of those WPA-type programs.
Then I watched Cowspiracy and I had to rethink all the ideas I had regarding Bosque Farms. Everything. In a nutshell, Cowspiracy's message is that we are destroying our world by raising and killing animals for food, a practice that causes 51% of the global warming problem.
Foiled Plans
I can no longer promote the idea of bringing the dairies back to Bosque Farms because of what I learned from the movie but maybe there are alternatives.
The community started out intended for regular farming but the soil was too alkaline. Today, though, organic gardening can be done many ways that don't require the use of the native soil, right? Are there ways to treat soil to lower the alkaline levels? I don't know. I do know, however, that dairies are not realistic or responsible.
Personally, I am ready to give up meat and dairy, not only to curb global warming but also because I'm against cruelty to animals, and agribusiness is exactly that. I gave up bacon and most beef (Chelsey's on east Central has a great green chile cheeseburger that I crave every few weeks). I increased my intake of plant-based foods, and I'm healthier for it. I can give up meat.
But is the nation ready to give it up? No! You can tell by those Arby's commercials that announce they have the meats. Bacon is bigger than ever.
In the movie, I heard more than once the question of how to "feed the world" but isn't that part of the problem? What if we tried to scale down and start with our own communities? What if each community had its own farmers who raised only enough meat/dairy to feed that community and mega corporations were put out of business? Would doing this bring jobs to communities?
If we can't give up animal products entirely, would bringing things back to the community level make enough of a difference? Would there be as many animals slaughtered for food? Would the global warming situation be as dire? Something to think about.
Okay, that's a lot for a Monday. Go out this week and learn something interesting about your community.
For those of you who have followed the L&LNM blog for a while, you read the post about Bosque Farms and how it was once the dairy capital of NM blah blah.
I was living on an amazing property that had been built by WPA projects during the Depression. I proposed the idea that we start to live life on a community, rather than global, level -- that we bring NM's power back by bringing back some of those WPA-type programs.
Then I watched Cowspiracy and I had to rethink all the ideas I had regarding Bosque Farms. Everything. In a nutshell, Cowspiracy's message is that we are destroying our world by raising and killing animals for food, a practice that causes 51% of the global warming problem.
Foiled Plans
I can no longer promote the idea of bringing the dairies back to Bosque Farms because of what I learned from the movie but maybe there are alternatives.
The community started out intended for regular farming but the soil was too alkaline. Today, though, organic gardening can be done many ways that don't require the use of the native soil, right? Are there ways to treat soil to lower the alkaline levels? I don't know. I do know, however, that dairies are not realistic or responsible.
Personally, I am ready to give up meat and dairy, not only to curb global warming but also because I'm against cruelty to animals, and agribusiness is exactly that. I gave up bacon and most beef (Chelsey's on east Central has a great green chile cheeseburger that I crave every few weeks). I increased my intake of plant-based foods, and I'm healthier for it. I can give up meat.
But is the nation ready to give it up? No! You can tell by those Arby's commercials that announce they have the meats. Bacon is bigger than ever.
Stronger communities
Let's revisit the idea of bringing life back to the community level. We are a world that more and more looks at issues from a global perspective but maybe we should pull back a little, slow down, and get to know the real, not virtual, communities we live in.In the movie, I heard more than once the question of how to "feed the world" but isn't that part of the problem? What if we tried to scale down and start with our own communities? What if each community had its own farmers who raised only enough meat/dairy to feed that community and mega corporations were put out of business? Would doing this bring jobs to communities?
If we can't give up animal products entirely, would bringing things back to the community level make enough of a difference? Would there be as many animals slaughtered for food? Would the global warming situation be as dire? Something to think about.Okay, that's a lot for a Monday. Go out this week and learn something interesting about your community.
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