I have been asked many times now "How can you eat meat and yet be an Earth Warrior?" followed by the argument of either we aren't supposed to eat meat, it's healthier, and it's just cruel to raise animals to be killed because they suffer. First off, let me explain what it means to be an Earth Warrior (from what I have come to understand after reading many of SteveSic's posts on OMNIA's blog).
To be an Earth Warrior means to live as Natural, as Green, and as Organically as possible to help ease and combat the damage modern civilization has done to the planet. This, however, does NOT mean we all need to become Vegetarians or Vegans to do this. "Go ahead! Eat Animals! It's okay...(really actually it's quite natural)" -SteveSic, this statement is saying that it's fine for people to eat meat. In his blog, the point that was being made was to stop supporting big corporations that abuse, mistreat, and practically torture their animals before they become food or before they die from the poor conditions. Buy local from farms who feed their animals Organic feed (not some chemical bullshit) and actually let their animals live out their lives as the animals they are before they end up on our tables.
Now, to the points that have always been pressured on me from Vegetarians and Vegans about loving the Earth yet saying I'm not an Earth Warrior because I eat meat.
First point: We aren't supposed to eat meat-
If this was the case, we would never have eaten meat to start with, we would naturally be Vegetarians or Vegans. Our bodies are dependent on both Vegetation and Meat in order to live, develope, and survive, this is why we are called Omnivores. Now, for those who have chosen to become Vegetarians or Vegans, there are supplements out there that help make up for what we can't get in vegetation so they can still live and function properly.
Second point: It's Healthier-
Now, this is debatable. Each person's body functions just a little differently due to the genetic makeup of our genes that have decided to make up our bodies. Some of us don't make enough iron, while others make plenty, some of us have a calcium deficiency while others do not. Whether or not being a Vegetarian or Vegan is healthier really depends on the person. Setting aside my personal belief and medical advancements, I myself do not make enough iron, so I am dependent on helping balance out my iron levels from the meat that I eat. So, it would not be a good idea for me to become strictly Vegetarian or Vegan, because if I did my iron levels would drop and so would my health. (Remember, setting aside medical advancements (i.e. medication and vitamin tablets) and personal belief).
And on a side note, wild game is healthier than red meat, this is due to the lack of bad fats in the body.
Third point: It's Just Cruel-
Not as debatable as the second one since this is based on personal morals rather than something that is factual. Killing another being to eat and live is very much a natural thing, deer kill plants to eat, just as wolves will kill the deer. So death in itself is not cruel, what is cruel is more the conditions that animal grew up in before passing on. If anything, the way animals kill their prey is more cruel than the swift deaths we give, this is because it is a swift death while the animals being hunted are having their throats ripped open, and don't die till they bleed out. If you were to take out the fact it was animals and asked people which of the methods were more cruel than the other, I can assure you people would say the latter was more cruel. So yes, I won't deny killing in general is horrid, but it is in the fashion in which the animal has lived and was killed that truly makes things cruel or just unfortunate. (Remember, what is considered cruel is a personal opinion, so not everyone will be able to agree 100%)
Now, into my personal opinion and belief-
I am a Meat Eating Earth Loving Pagan who would prefer to hunt for her meat, hates hunting for sport, and prefers all of the animal is used instead of being wasted like so many parts of the animals are. I want to live as Natural as possible so I do my best to not depend on modern medicine if it can be helped (this means, no supplements, no vitamins, no medication unless necessary). I do my best to live as Organically as possible, this means that I eat food that does not have chemicals or have been modified on a genetic level where it isn't even food anymore, this also means I do my research and avoid foods that are naturally toxic (example: Potatoes). This also means that the meat that I buy are from farms that are local, that don't feed their animals chemical crap, and that they aren't stuck in very tight spaces (I like my animals running about and jumping merrily in fields). I do my best to live as Green as possible, doing my best to not pollute and recycle when I can.
I see plants, animals, and humans all on the same level when it comes to life and being a living being. I prefer to follow my Natural instinct and partake in both plant and animal just like some bears would. Now, some of you may say "Just because you have the instinct doesn't mean you should follow it, bears and other animals don't have a choice, we do, we can rise above our instincts". The problem with this very thought process is its that kind of process that has put us in this very situation where we are now fighting for the Earth. That kind of thought process sees humans as above animals, and above nature, which then leads to people wanting to control animals and nature, which then leads to raising stock, building towns, leading to modern day.
We are animals, we are a part of nature, every time we forget this or put ourselves above what is natural we grow cold to it. By accepting that as a human, and as an animal, I am a part of the natural cycle of life, as I eat of others, so shall I be eaten from. Whether directly as insects crawl all over my body, killed by a predator while out walking in the woods, or I am burned and turned to ash, which then becomes a part of the soil, in which I am ingested by a plant, and eventually an animal. I give respect to the creatures, and will only take what I need, no more. When I am able to make my dream a reality, I will be able to fully put that into practice. Only take what is needed, and leave the others to continue in the cycle until it is their time whether by old age, disease, or hunted by another animal.
Sadly because of how the world is, it's very difficult to find other like minded people and to be able to grab a piece of land, build a bunch of Hobbit holes, and live in harmony with the Earth. But eventually, I hope I can make that little dream of mine a reality. I would prefer to grow my own vegetation and herbs, and to hunt and gather my food, to live as closely to the old ways as possible.
So, in the end, you can be an Earth Warrior and still eat meat, so long as you know the animals are treated well and allowed to fully live out their lives. Get your eggs and poultry from places that actually allow their chickens to run around outside of a barn, your meat from places that let their animals graze on grass and maybe the occasional organic grain feed. Or if you have the option, don't even buy your meats, hunt your own (just make sure you use all of the animal that can be used and don't waste).
Now let us stop bickering, if you are a Vegetarian or Vegan, I accept that is your choice and you have your reasons, please accept that my choosing to eat meat is my choice for my own reasons. Let's all come together in balance and fight for the planet we love, let's all be an "Earth Warrior"
(Band: OMNIA Song: Earth Warrior
Excerpts pulled from OMNIA Blog Post
Image by OMNIA)
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