vegan for the past 3 or so years now

Been vegetarian for about 12 years now. Been vegan on and off through that period (the longest run probably about a year). Like a lot of people here it started as a moral issue for me and still is to a certain extent but its also just the way I live my life now. I´m aware that I´m not changing the world but it does make me feel better about myself somewhat. Not that I judge people for eating meat. To each his own really.

I've lived on a vegan diet for a number of years and a vegetarian diet too for that matter but I am begging to see that grazing cows are fundamental for soil health and respect for the land. Also, I am starting to realize that consuming only locally grown organic foodstuffs is the best way to live. Most vegan people I have encountered think that following a vegan lifestyle is good for the enviornment but how can the carbon footprint of emissions left by transporting these vegan goods thousands of miles be good? I don't know, I just try and buy the best local shit that I can and grow what I can't find...

You should maybe read up a bit on actual agricultural practices in the modern world...

As Yosef666 points out cows are rarely pasture raised, they're generally stuck in huge crowded pens and then fed grains (or other stuff) to fatten them up. So you're actually producing a lot of excess produce just to feed the cows. There are still grass fed cows whose meat is generally available only at local organic groceries. As for the emissions thing, it is definitely better to go local, but at the same time eating vegan creates more market demand for those products which will create more vegan friendly farms hopefully closer to home. As it is though, a lot of shit is being shipped all over the US from California which has a big carbon footprint.

Thanks for the suggestion mate but you don't need to read much about industrial agricutural practices to understand what is going on today; it's very obvious. That does not mean that things are shit all over. There are places that exist that actually thrive only on local organic foodstuffs. I know it sounds crazy but people don't have to be victimized and bullied into eating and living on garbage... It's a matter of choice or ignorance.

Small family run organic farms do exist and no waste is involved. Even the shit they can't sell is donated to food banks. I don't see how eating vegan creates any more demand than eating omnivorously creates demand for. Not only is shit being shipped from California but South America... food is big business.

I've been vegan close to seven years now. I dont do it for any reasons anymore. I'm just use to it and I guess I still do it because of all the nasty crap they spike food with and for personal anti industrial ethics. Mass production is kind of a pressing issue when it comes to how long resources will last and how much damage it's doing in the long run.

Due to the lack of or insane price of local grass feed beef I decided to go back to vegan for this year.... There is a soy shop in the area that has a good price on local, organic tofu and chocolate soy milk( )....

I know it is best for the land to let the animals roam and fertilize then destroying good land to make way for farms but it is so difficult to afford the prices here.

If you have ever seen "Good Food" you should know that the PNW is a large community of organic local farmers that respect the land. In contrast, I feel like I lack testosterone on a vegan diet but I feel much leaner. I think there is plenty of protein available in plant form that is much more economical but I think animal protein form is much more unrefined then say beans imo.

Long time vegetarian. (8 years) Had a small gap after I got married when I ate meat. (2 years) The Mrs. is not a vegetarian at all.

So, I had an unfortunate vege-break. Back on the wagon (3 years), so 11 years total. Not in a row. Bummed on that.

When I was younger I had a lot of ethical reasons, the more I get into it, the more I get bummed out. I can't guarantee that every piece of meat I would touch if i was eating it was free roaming and had a good life. It was still killed for me to eat it. Bottom line for me now is that I'm not willing to kill an animal personally to eat, so I won't eat meat. Nothing has to die so I can eat.

But of course, you start thinking about where you get your vegetables from. Anyone who says they eat ONLY organic or LOCAL or whatever are total assholes, and usually liars. The only exemption being those raw foodist nutters. I've just been trying to stay as close to those things as possible and trying to ignore foods that are sourced questionably. Like, all my vegetarian friends who enjoy fresh tomatoes in the middle of the winter... and haven't canned them.

It's too bad to think that a lot of vegetarians are really making shit lives for humans and are supporting earth destruction. I can't say I'm perfect at all, but I try to think about it.

Also, junk food vegans have been pissing me off lately. The kind that only eat chips and food that is designed to look and taste like meat. I'm all for the occasional veggie burger, but sometimes I look at all the meat-imitation shit, which admittedly is a great thing for people who have a hard time going vege, or for the occasional fun meal - but really... riblet shaped soy bbq? Fucking lame. All the punks around me are vegan, but I've never seen one eat a salad. It's all coconut milk ice cream and tempeh philly cheese steak sandwiches.