urban homesteading series: meatless monday

Now this might not be in accordance with a lot of homesteaders but it fits into my vision of it at least.

Homesteading is caring for nature, working with it not against it.

And mass cultivation of meat animals is not really a part of this.

I will say that **I do really enjoy a good steak** but also realize that cattle eat a lot, drink even more and no one farts like them.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that livestock production is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

On top of that about two thirds of all land is used for animals, either growing their food or grazing pasture.

80% of all land cleared in the amazon if for growing animal foods and that is a lot of land if you look at it. So if the meat consumption continues to grow so will the deforestation.

And there are similar figures that look at the fresh water consumption and we all know that sweet water is the next thing after oil that the governments will start fighting over.

So my solution is NOT that we all turn vegan or vegetarian overnight. That would not work for me and I am certain it would not for you either. But what we can do is reduce our meat consumption.

This is basically a way of eating that people have started calling "the reducetarian" check their website https://reducetarian.org/

A really good intiative is [meatless Monday](http://www.meatlessmonday.com/the-global-movement/) . This was started in 2003 and has turned into a worldwide movement

Another good option to try is vegan before six

The combination of both options might indeed be the best way to go for me personally (I will leave your choice up to you of course) and as it is Monday tonight I guess there is a vegetable curry on the menu for me, or I might just check out the really jummy looking recipes that @amy-goodrich posts a lot

Here are some tips to help you along:

1. Eat a smaller portion of meat. If you must have meat with your meal then make it the side and not the main part of your meal and focus more on vegetables

2. Don’t do it alone. Talk to your partner or formulate it as a challenge for the whole family and get the kids involved.

3. If you are on a budget then meat is more expensive but those fancy looking vegetables can be as well so try to stick to whole foods like beans, rice, tofu, lentils and fresh produce.

4. Try to find one new product you could use in your cooking every time you are in the supermarket and also try to cool local and in season (check my post about this here )

5. Change your home environment. Make plant-based and meat-free foods more accessible in your kitchen, like prominently displaying them on the kitchen counter. Maybe start a little herb garden in the kitchen.

6. Use concrete strategies. Meatless Monday and Vegan Before Six are ways to put little rules on what you do and that makes it easier to follow

7. Keep it simple. There are those super complicated recipes with vague sounding ingredients but that is not needed, a burrito without chicken and extra guacamole works just as well

source

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/eatfortheplanet/
https://reducetarian.org/

if you want more of the Urban homesteading series you can find them here:

13 steps to becoming an URBAN HOMESTEADER
How to: reduce household waste
How to: create your own balcony garden
How to: Make your own...
How to: go local and in season
How to: reduce on electricity...

So what is your take on this... does it have merit and would it be something that you would be able to do as well or are you just ambivalent to this whole topic?