Radical Torah

As delicious as meat may be to some people, there are serious environmental implications for a carnivorous diet. While global warming has been making headlines in recent months, I believe most people have a limited understanding of some of the causes. On some level it has become a one-dimensional issue; the more I drive, the more I contribute to the slow death of the planet as we know it. But, in fact, according to a 2006 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, what we eat is actually more important that what or how much we drive. It states that animal-based agriculture causes approximately 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, which lead to global warming, an amount greater than that caused by all forms of transportation on the planet combined (about 13.5%).

There are numerous explanations for the laws of Kashrut and the intricate processes required of us if and when we choose to eat meat. These are based on the seemingly simple commandment not to cook a kid in its mother’s milk. One reason given for this statement is that the milk is the life source to the newborn kid. To take its source of nourishment and survival and turn it into the vehicle by which this animal is killed, would be truly disrespectful. I understand the laws of Kashrut as tools towards awareness and mindfulness that there is a life that was taken in order that we may eat. We must recognize the impact of our choices.

So where is the line? When does the impact become so great that we simply decide that we cannot, in good conscience, continue to eat meat? According to Dr. Richard Schwartz, over 70% of the grain grown in the United States is channeled to livestock. The land use practices of the meat industry generally lead to overuse of fuel and water, degrade the land and pollute the water around it, contributing to additional environmental and health problems.

In Schwartz’s article “Global Warming isn’t Kosher,” co-authored by Dan Brooks, it states, “An animal-based diet also uses energy very inefficiently. It requires 78 calories of fossil fuel for each calorie of protein obtained from feedlot-produced beef, but only 2 calories of fossil fuel to produce a calorie of protein from soybeans. Grains and beans require only 2 - 5% as much fossil fuel as beef. The energy needed to produce a pound of grain-fed beef is equivalent to one gallon of gasoline.”

There are numerous studies and articles making a strong case for a vegetarian diet based on moral, environmental, political, economic and spiritual reasons. A few of these are linked below. These sites contain more than just facts but also loads of resources, recipes and information to make this transition smooth. And if you are someone who does eat meat, the shift can be gradual. Become a “meat reductionist” by reducing your meat consumption by one meal a week, and then go from there.

But I also think that the shift to a sustainable and plant-based diet is more than just practical; it is philosophical. It means that we move away from feeling entitled to eat whatever we like, but rather reintroduce the awareness that was required of the Israelites when they were first explained the intricate laws of Kashrut. It means we recognize that we are part of something much larger than our own narrow perspective allows us to see, that we educate ourselves about the repercussions of our lifestyle, and make better, more informed choices.

Signing off,
Nati Passow

Nati Passow is a carpenter, writer and educator living in Philadelphia, PA. He is Co-Director of the Jewish Farm School .

Check out these websites for facts, videos and other resources on the benefits of a vegetarian diet. JewishVeg.com, The Meatrix, GoVeg.com and the E Magazine article, “Another Inconvenient Truth.”