On the 27th of March, the middle and high school eco council had a Q&A session with Mr.Allrad to discuss some eco-friendly changes regarding the school meal.
Major topics that were analysed were:
Having a no meat day at school
Promoting to eat less red meat
Preferring more sustainable meat
What is the environmental impact of vegetarian meals
A part of the Q&A followed as such:
There’s a reason a lot of young kids are told that eating meat will make them grow up big and strong. Indeed, red meat is a great source of iron, which is needed to make hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein found in red blood cells. Without enough iron, this whole process slows down. This means that iron plays an essential role in maintaining a person’s energy levels. According to the health guide from the New York Times, a subject with iron deficiency can expect to feel a lack of energy, shortness of breath, and headache. However, some vegetables contain as much iron (such as legumes, tofu, bean peas and so on) as meats and are as much beneficial as meat, the only difference is that these vegetables are produced eco friendly and have a better impact on the environment than red meat.
So why should we still eat meat if it’s iron property is easily and more eco-friendly replaceable?
Meat has a very large water consumption of 75% which reduces the water in our planet. Meat also has many alternatives for it’s iron source such as legumes and vegetables bubut meat is better than any other plant-based source. As a result the reduction of meat would be a perfect solution and a more eco friendly decision.
A plant-based diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, legumes and nuts, is rich in fiber, vitamins and other nutrients. People who don't eat meat — like vegetarians — generally eat fewer calories and less fat, weigh less, and have a lower risk of heart disease than nonvegetarians do.
Even reducing meat intake has a protective effect. Research shows that people who eat red meat are at an increased risk of death from heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Processed meats also increase the risk of death from these diseases.
So why should we still eat as much meat as we are doing today if it is that risky?
Vegetarian sources such as soybeans and avocados have a large impact on the environment. For example soybeans require a lot of landscape, acid-neutralising lime, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. These chemicals from the production of soybeans contaminate forests, rivers, and destroy wildlife. Moreover, avocados require a large amount of water, and many trees are being cut in Mexico to provide woodland to grow avocado crops.
Hence a valid solution would be to subtract the amount of meat and the portion of meat eaten per day and eat seasonal fruits and vegetables.
To conclude, we thank Mr.Allrad again for participating in our Q&A session and we hope that he appreciated discussing these topics and enjoyed noticing a variety of thoughts and opinions about them as much as we did. See you soon and stay tuned!
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