I'm Not a Vegetarian, But I Act Like One Most of The Time

A sibling, who will remain nameless, once told me, when I inquired about his drug use, that I needn't worry. It's not like I buy the stuff. Well, I'm not sure that that meant he wasn't a pot head, but I've adopted the approach regarding meat.

When Quinn was born Deanna and I decided to go veg w/ seafood, and it was great. I was hungry at first, constantly, but then I got over it. Then I really got into it. I was cooking really great vegetarian meals. I even lost a few pounds.

Deanna is not a huge fan of meat. I admit I like the taste. But the amount of water and diesel fuel it takes to make a cow, pig, or chicken was really starting to get me down. It also seemed like an area of my life I could tackle in a finite way. Manageable.

Our approach has become more nuanced in the last couple months or so, and I think it's a great development. We still are not buying meat. And we avoid it when appropriate in social settings. However, when it's offered, and not easily avoidable, or when we just want a taste. WE EAT MEAT!! Crazy I know. This does two things. First, and probably less important: we don't lose our ability to digest meat well. Second, and a pretty big hairy deal: we don't have to have some awkward conversation along the lines of,
Audibly: We don't eat meat because of our carbon footprint.
Internally: God I hate this conversation
Oh, really that's interesting, isn't that interesting honey?
Sanctimonious sonofabitch, hey babe get a load of these douche bags!
Well, we figure it's just something we can do--
God I hate this conversation!
Right I get it, we're all doing what we can to be green
Sanctimonious sonofabitch!
Yep doin' what we can.
Accept you, lazy bastard. We are so much better than you!

OK so maybe I can't read minds, but I do hate that conversation.

The reason I see fit expound upon this development is that it seems to be workable, pretty easy, and bear good results. I've cut what was my pretty typical American Meat consumption by at least 85 maybe 90%. American meat consumption is, by most accounts excessive.

So, if we tone it down a bit we'd be in great shape. Look at it as trading heart disease for cleaner air. Win Win!