Nature Challenge Newsletter

Dear Nature Challenge Champion,

This month we’re offering useful tips and simple suggestions to reduce your meat consumption. Canadians eat more than twice as much meat as the global average and this has serious environmental impacts.

Read on to see how easy it is to reduce meat from your diet. (And you don’t have to become a vegetarian to make a difference.) By designating one day a week to be meat-free, you’ll be conserving valuable water, energy and land resources. I think you’ll be amazed to see how such a simple lifestyle change can make a difference to our environment.

If you have any tips and recipes to share, be sure to visit our online community.

 

PS: You can still visit last month’s newsletter. 

Contents:

1. Eat Less Meat? What for?
2. Celebrity of the month
3. Protein options
4. Action of the month
5. Enjoy veggies--even in winter!
6. Tip of the month
7. Canadian of the month
8. Great veggie recipes
9. Meat and fish tips
10. Workplace tip of the month

Eat less meat? What for?

Although many people reduce their meat consumption for health or humanitarian concerns, there are also environmental reasons for eating less meat.

Meat production requires a tremendous amount of resources such as water and fossil fuels, while runoff from livestock operations may pollute rivers, lakes and even drinking water.

What are YOU looking at?

Did you know:

• Roughly one-fifth of the world's land is used for grazing. That's twice the area used for growing crops. Much of this land once provided habitat for flora and fauna before being cleared for livestock.
  
  
• Feedlots cause water pollution. Nearly 21 per cent of the average Canadian's contribution to common water pollution is caused by meat consumption from high-density farms. By designating just one "meat free" day a week you'll help reduce common water pollutants by as much as 21 kilograms annually.
  
  
• Meat production requires more water than raising crops. For example, 283 grams (10 oz) of beef requires 85 times more water to produce than the same amount of potatoes.
  
  
• What's good for the earth can also be good for you! Reducing meat consumption  lowers the risks of heart disease and stroke. Eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes improves your cardiovascular health and reduces the risks of obesity, diabetes and cancer.

CELEBRITY OF THE MONTH

Neil Osborne

Lead singer of Canada’s multi-platinum recording act, 54-40, Neil loves this recipe from Salt Spring Island Cooking (Macmillan Canada, 1993). He says it even pleases those who think they can’t live without meat! Neil recently took the Nature Challenge after 54-40 performed during the David Suzuki Foundation’s Human Element Tour.

See Neil’s recipe for vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie and other great vegetarian recipes.

Plenty of protein options besides meat

Many people are afraid that eating less meat means they won’t get adequate protein or other essential nutrients. But there’s no need to worry. In fact, most western adults (and some children) tend to suffer from excess protein. Even vegetarians frequently consume too much protein. As long as you eat a variety of foods including grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts or seeds and a small amount of fat, you'll get all the nutrients you need.

The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research recommend we consume:

• More than seven servings of a variety of grains, legumes, roots, tubers and plantains that haven't been heavily processed.
• 5-10 servings daily of a variety of vegetables and fruits all year long with a minimum of two green vegetables and one citrus fruit.

TASTY MEAT ALTERNATIVES

Meat supplies us with protein, fat, some B vitamins and minerals (mostly iron and zinc). Additionally, fish supplies vitamins A, D and F. All of these nutrients can be found in other sources.

Veggie Protein Alternatives

Nuts and Seeds: Hazelnuts Brazil Nuts, Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts, Sesame Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, and Sunflower Seeds.

Legumes: Beans (black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, lima beans, soya beans, chickpeas etc.), Peas (green and yellow peas, black-eyed peas), Lentils (red and green lentils), and Groundnuts (such as peanuts).

Grains and Cereals: Rice, Wheat, Millet, Quinoa, Teff, Barley, Buckwheat, Corn, Spelt, Kamut, Oats, Rye and Amaranth. Cooking instructions.

Vegetables: Some raw vegetables are required for good health and digestion, otherwise vegetables may be lightly steamed, sautéed or baked to best preserve nutrient content. Sea vegetables are especially nutritious (kelp, alaria, dulse).

Remember: Food choices should be local and organic whenever possible!

More information on vegetarian sources of fat, vitamins and minerals.

-------------------------- ACTION OF THE MONTH --------------------------

THIS FAX ACTION IS NOW CLOSED. Letters sent to date: 178

Send a free fax to the Minister of Agriculture and Agrifood Lyle Vanclief, urging him to develop ecologically sound guidelines to deal with sewage from livestock operations.

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Enjoy veggies--even in winter!

Canned and dry beans, as well as whole grains are relatively easy to buy and store year-round. Raw, fresh nuts and seeds may be more difficult to find but can be ordered through food co-operatives or online if your local stores don't stock them. Keep these foods cool and dry at all times so they don't mold or become rancid. Grains, nuts and seeds in particular should be kept in a refrigerator or freezer until needed.

In winter, obtaining fresh, local produce is more difficult. Here are some ways to ensure you have access to vegetables when there’s snow on the ground:

1. Winter storage. When stored properly, fresh vegetables keep most of their food value and flavour. Good winter keepers include potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, Jerusalem artichokes, sweet potatoes, turnips, rutabagas, winter squash, onions and garlic.More information.

2. Winter gardening. Certain varieties of vegetables may be left in the garden over winter with mulch or other covers and harvested as needed when the weather warms up. Green vegetables such as spinach, chard, kale, mustard, collards and leeks can be planted in autumn for winter use. More information.

3. Freezing and Canning Produce. You can freeze most vegetables and fruits -- if you know how.
Tips on freezing produce.
Tips on canning produce.

4. Dehydrating Produce. This method of preserving food removes water from produce and preserves its nutritional value. Best of all, food dehydrators are relatively inexpensive. For a comparison of the nutrient values of a selection of frozen, canned and dehydrated produce, see the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Research Services Division report.

CANADIAN OF THE MONTH:
Gilles and Vicki Fecteau, Toronto

"As a vegetarian who didn't convert until age 50, let me assure you that you will be able to find excellent meals that are meat free, without compromising taste.

While I am a vegetarian and animal rights activist, I recognize this lifestyle isn't for everybody. However, every seven people taking the challenge will provide the same benefits to the environment as a single person going vegetarian full-time. When you add the health benefit of taking this challenge, it's clearly a win-win situation.

I suggest trying Burger King's veggie burger – I quite enjoy it. Also have a look at www.veggierevolution.com it has several menu plans that should make it easy to take the challenge. My wife and I have also found that we can still go out and have good vegetarian selection. We rarely go to vegetarian restaurants but favour local establishments with a reasonable vegetarian selection. It's amazing what we’ve found. For example, one of our neighborhood sport bars has the best vegetarian burger in Toronto (Mad Monty's Pub at 2655 Yonge St.). Not exactly the place you would expect a good vegetarian meal!"

MEAT AND FISH TIPS

When you eat meat and fish here are some good rules to follow:

• Ideally, locally produced organic meat is best since farms tend to be smaller and don’t use the antibiotics and hormones associated with conventional livestock operations. You’ll also support a local producer and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transporting food.
  
  
• Don’t eat farmed salmon. Salmon feedlots consume huge amounts of feed and release antibiotics into marine environments. Escapees from these farms also compete with wild stocks for important habitat. For more information download the David Suzuki Foundation's brochure, "Why You Shouldn’t Eat Farmed Salmon"
  
  
• If you eat wild fish, make sure you’re not buying endangered species or fish from areas where harvesting causes other environmental problems. The best source of information is the seafood watch card.

WORKPLACE TIP OF THE MONTH

Hold a pot-luck vegetarian lunch and have everyone bring their recipes to exchange. You might be surprised by the culinary skills of your co-workers!

Note: If you plan on becoming a vegan or vegetarian, be sure to research the topic, or seek professional assistance from a Registered Nutritional Consultant (R.N.C.). Also visit www.vegetariantimes.com.

Learn more about David Suzuki’s Challenge:

Read about the science behind the 10 steps. (Adobe PDF document)

Read the Green Guide, a comprehensive look at the 10 steps. (Adobe PDF document)