It’s Earth Day! Be kind to your mother.

It’s Earth day. Another day made for Hallmark. This one, though, makes more sense than most holidays. It calls for us to celebrate our planet and to try to protect our environment. We take far too many things for granite (yes, that is a stupid pun). As with all holidays, we should not do a kindness on this one day and spend the rest of the year doing the opposite. If we want to make Earth day truly meaningful, it requires a year round effort to be more conscious of the world we live in. One of the best ways to do this is to eat more sustainably. Let’s do what we can to avoid Lisa Simpson and Greta Thunberg’s dire predictions.

First some energy history around transitioning fuel sources

People complain that they don’t want to transition to different fuels or foods. There is some economic validity to resistance to change. But, if we look back to the history of energy, we see that oil overtook coal, wood, and whale oil as the biggest energy source in the late 19th century. To this day, oil is still number one. Coal and natural gas are in a tight race for 2nd and 3rd place. At the time these 3 took over, wood and whale oil were the biggest energy industries in America.

People in those industries had to transition to new jobs and a new way of life, as did the general public. The big 3 have also run into competition from New technologies. Nuclear gave them a run for their money, but its dangerous nature has kept it in a distant 4th place. In recent years the combination of renewable energy sources: solar, Hydro, biomass, and others have taken over that 4th place slot. The way it stands now:

1. oil 35%
2. Coal 23%
3. Natural gas 21%
4. Renewables 14%
5. Nuclear 7%

These numbers may be a little outdated. But, they are in the general ballpark. As you can see, renewable energy is gaining in popularity. In fact, the combination of renewables, natural gas, and nuclear have a greater market-share than their dirtier competitors: oil and coal. So, those who are worried about a shift aren’t paying attention to the market. Cleaner energies are in high demand.

The drawback to alternative energies is that it changes the way of life of energy producers and consumers alike. It is simply a transition. Think of the whaling industry in the 19th century. Thousands of sailors had to find a new way of life when crude oil was introduced. It was a shock to the system. But, eventually, they did find a new way of life. And, there was little to no government assistance in those days. Today, we have government and industry all working to transition to cleaner energy sources.

The Transition

Transition is an important word here. We are not doing a wholesale overnight shutdown of huge industries. People rely on the coal and oil industries for their livelihood. Think of the miner in West Virginia and the oil drillers in Texas and Alaska. This is the life they knew going back 3 or more generations. They work for mega corporations doing repetitive, dangerous, physical jobs. To ask them to put down their tools and pick up a calculator is unreasonable. Some people have an acumen for certain types of work (just like a musician, writer, accountant, car mechanic, electrician, or dentist). Their talents lie in manual labor.

You can’t expect a fish to sing or a bluebird to swim. These workers will need to be retrained. Luckily, renewable energies require building and maintenance of equipment. There will be plenty of manual labor jobs. But, this won’t happen overnight. The public needs to increase the demand for newer fuels, and industry leaders have to pivot toward a new economy. Plus, we have the issue of what to do with the old equipment. Think about it. What is going to happen to all the gas run cars, trucks, buses, and other motor vehicles on the road today? And, what about boats, planes, and spacecraft?

This is why it is going to take some time and patience. Natural gas and renewables combined are on par with the oil industry’s share of the market. But, there is still a long way to go. Most people can’t afford to buy new cars, especially with the price-tag of new technology.

Enough about energy: It’s Earth day, let’s talk food.

The world has existed for millennia. It has changed again and again. Creatures, big and small, have come and gone. All come from the Earth and return to her in the end. Some things grow and return quicker than others. Plants and insects have the quickest recycle time. That is why they are the best food source for us. The lifespan of a plant is measured in weeks to months. Animals last years. This is why we call plants sustainable. They grow, we harvest them, they return to reproduce and/or replace in less time than it takes us to mature (some of us still haven’t done that).

Livestock reach full size in a shorter period than humans. Modern raising techniques can bring chicken and lamb to market in the time it takes to grow corn. Cattle take over a year. But, to get them to grow, it takes a lot of vegetable matter. Corn is widely used to feed cattle.It takes 1.5 to 2 acres of corn to grow one cow. That cow yields about 430 pounds of meat.

vegetables, on the other hand, can yield 10,000 pounds per acre. So, eating animals doesn’t make sense from a mathematical perspective. And, it doesn’t make sense from a nutritional perspective. You can plant a wide variety of vegetables to create a balanced diet on that same acre. While there are types of protein and nutrients abundant in animal meat that are rare or non existent in plants, animals have a dearth of other nutrients abundant in plants. Plus, animals are prone to diseases and impurities that may be hazardous to humans.

So, what should we eat?

A plant based diet makes the most sense for a variety of reasons. By far, it is the most efficient use of land. In addition, it is far more humane and respectful. And, of course, plants clean our air instead of polluting it. For those who think they can’t live without meat, try it. It won’t hurt. You can take baby steps by eating things like impossible burgers. But, that isn’t necessary. Pasta is always an option. And, you can make some nice hearty stews. Start with an occasional vegan meal, and build up from there. Meatless Monday is a start.

You don’t have to, nor should you, change your diet overnight. One step at a time. Humans are omnivores. That means we can eat just about anything. But, looking at our anatomy, the preference is evident. We have teeth designed for ripping, tearing, shredding, and gnashing. The majority of our teeth are made for gnashing, which is what you do with vegetables. Also, our digestive system is suited to extracting carbohydrates and nutrients found in plant based materials, not animal products. People who limit animal protein intake, generally, have fewer digestive issues or related health issues.

It’s not a question of what we want to eat, but what we should eat. As sentient beings, we are able to decide for ourselves. We can give in to base desires for meat, fat, and sugars or we can choose to eat what our body needs. If you are on the move all day long like our ancestors, moving for survival, you require a lot of calories. However, if you are sitting at a desk for 8 hours or hanging out on the couch binging Netflix, your dietary needs change. Most people land somewhere between there.

It’s Earth day! Let’s eat in a manner that honors her.

Today, we should eat as nature intended us to. We can share with all creatures great and small. Here is an idea for an Earth day menu (click on the links for recipes):

1. Marjoram scented Baba Ganoush with Fresh Vegetable crudites
2. Ginger Golden Beet Bisque with Crispy Shallots
3. Quinoa and Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushroom served with Saffron Sunchoke Puree, Roasted Baby Carrots, and drizzled with Balsamic reduction and Basil Oil
4. Vegan chocolate Pave with Kiwi Salad and Grand Marnier berry drizzle

This menu is designed to highlight a wide variety of foods that are plant based without trying to substitute meat. We have colors, textures, and taste sensations that put most animal based plates to shame. We cover the major food groups (including chocolate) in a menu that provides a well balanced, nutritional celebration that won’t sit in your belly for years. Many people think that eating vegan is just salads and broccoli. This is a negative stereotype. So, we didn’t include one here;, because, you don’t win friends with salad…

We aren’t trying to push veganism on people like a religion. As stated above, people should transition to a better way of life for themselves and the planet. One of the things that separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom is our ability to analyze, rationalize, and create based on logical concepts. If a plant based diet provides better health benefits, more efficient use of land, and a healthier environment, it is definitely worth looking into. We can transition to a better world, starting with earth day. We could be Heroes, if just for one day…