Jason, I think the issue of not using animal products has to do with how the animals are treated. Just because we don't kill them doesn't mean that we treat them well.
Eggs right now are usually produced in intense factory farms where the hens have horrible lives.
There are issues with milk production. The cow has to give birth to a calf before she can produce milk. The fate of that calf is enough to put you off milk drinking forever. The cows are not treated well either.
If we went back to kinder ways of producing milk and eggs, eating them would not be such an ethical issue.
I think factory eggs are larger because of the intense way they are produced. They are worth more money that way. It is harder on the chickens and not better for us. We would be better to eat the smaller healthier eggs.
LPC you are right, there are many good vitamin/nutritional supplements. I have to take Vit D3 supplements. Canadians as a country are probably Vit D deficient most of the time. Our day length is short and it is often too cold to get sun when it is shinning. I don't get much ocean fish because I live way inland. I take a Vit D3 pill every day and that is enough.
I think we are all doing what we can to eat ethically. It matters where you live. Some places have different food options. In the extreme north, meat is the only food available. I live in a big city. Some of you live on farms or in the country. We all have different food options. What I see as important is the fact that we are all thinking about what we eat and where it comes from. We are making conscious choices.
I was not a vegetarian when this thread was started a year and a half ago.
I think I can say that I am mostly vegetarian right now. That is certainly the direction I am going. I am not happy with the way animals are raised for food. At least I am making conscious choices based on what I know about our food system. I haven't said to much about the issue because I wasn't sure if I could make the change. So far so good.
Eggs right now are usually produced in intense factory farms where the hens have horrible lives.
There are issues with milk production. The cow has to give birth to a calf before she can produce milk. The fate of that calf is enough to put you off milk drinking forever. The cows are not treated well either.
If we went back to kinder ways of producing milk and eggs, eating them would not be such an ethical issue.
Quote: But another thought I have is the size of the egg! Sadly, barn hens seem to produce HUGE eggs. Incredible sizes. That I am sure, is something to do with human interference, and obviously connected with 'productivity'.
I think factory eggs are larger because of the intense way they are produced. They are worth more money that way. It is harder on the chickens and not better for us. We would be better to eat the smaller healthier eggs.
LPC you are right, there are many good vitamin/nutritional supplements. I have to take Vit D3 supplements. Canadians as a country are probably Vit D deficient most of the time. Our day length is short and it is often too cold to get sun when it is shinning. I don't get much ocean fish because I live way inland. I take a Vit D3 pill every day and that is enough.
I think we are all doing what we can to eat ethically. It matters where you live. Some places have different food options. In the extreme north, meat is the only food available. I live in a big city. Some of you live on farms or in the country. We all have different food options. What I see as important is the fact that we are all thinking about what we eat and where it comes from. We are making conscious choices.
I was not a vegetarian when this thread was started a year and a half ago.
I think I can say that I am mostly vegetarian right now. That is certainly the direction I am going. I am not happy with the way animals are raised for food. At least I am making conscious choices based on what I know about our food system. I haven't said to much about the issue because I wasn't sure if I could make the change. So far so good.
![[Image: IMG_9091.JPG]](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rtQnRVnpHuw/Upv4HXYM20I/AAAAAAAAAqo/K5MmSTvkZdA/w296-h229-p-no/IMG_9091.JPG)
Catherine
