Saving the planet › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

PHOTO BY SATOMI HONDA

Monday 03rd August, 01:00 PM JST

Wearing outfits made from real lettuce leaves, three “Lettuce Ladies” from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia-Pacific greet passersby in Shibuya on Monday. PETA says that switching to a vegetarian diet is the most effective thing that anyone can do to fight climate change and reduce environmental destruction.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 121 Total Comments Show All

USARonin at 09:53 PM JST - 4th August

Why aren't they usin' their own word for 'vegetarian'?

'Cause English is more chic?
cleo at 11:18 PM JST - 4th August

we would be considered "noble savages" from what I am picking up from your postings

You're picking up wrong. (Or maybe making it up as you go along). I don't find anything noble in being a savage. I'm all for living - responsibly - in the 21st century. I don't understand the mindset of those who hark back to the 'good old days' when life was short, savage and brutal.

I think that probably means that nature had intended for us to eat meat (you can eat too much veggies too).

As I said before, the occasional grub or bug, maybe a hamster, yes. A stag or bison shared out between the whole tribe once in a blue moon is a far cry from the 300 gm a day every day your average American chomps his way through.

It's possible to eat too much of anything, of course. But it's a whole lot easier to eat too much meat than it is to eat too many veggies. Unless the veggies are tiny new potatoes boiled and dressed in butter and chopped mint. It's all too easy to eat too many of them little rascals. :-)

That would also mean that we stop growing corn to make ethanol too.

Not necessarily, it wouldn't. Food and fuel are two separate problems (or should be - ethanol from corn means burning food instead of eating it, which I don't think is a good thing.) But it's hardly relevant here.

If land is being misused, it probably is being misused to expand our cities and build more roads and not for better use for farming.

Probably? You're basing your whole argument on probably?? Why not check a few facts and figures before banging on the keyboard, instead of relying on preconceived ideas?

a more Ethical way to mass grow and produce meat to bring to the table

That's a contradiction in terms. There is no way meat can be mass-produced in large enough quantities and cheaply enough to keep the world population chugging along on 300 gm a day while at the same time ensuring an acceptable level of welfare for the animals. If you look after the animals properly, production goes down and the price goes up. Push for low prices and high volume, and the animals suffer.
usaexpat at 11:34 PM JST - 4th August

Cleo: I admire your committment to forcing us to accept your chosen lifestyle but I'm not having any of it. If your PERSONAL choice to be a vegeitatrian makes you feel that you are above us barbarians than good on you. By the way do you wear leather or drink milk or eat eggs or are you a strict vegan? If you utilize any animal products and I mean any then you are not being honest with yourself. The leather in your shoes came from a cow that made my burger and you are still part of the cycle you are campaigning so hard against.
cleo at 12:39 AM JST - 5th August

I admire your committment to forcing us to accept your chosen lifestyle

Forcing? No one's forcing anyone to do anything. It's called having a discussion. If you feel you're being forced to do anything, the feeling must come from your own insecurity. Nothing to do with me.

I don't own any leather shoes. I eat free-range eggs. Milk is a problem, but without dairy I'd have a helluvajob keeping Mr cleo on board. Compromise sucks, dunnit?
abromofo at 06:30 PM JST - 5th August

That's a contradiction in terms.

Mmm, no it's not, Cleo. Your thinking is very black and white. Allow yourself to see the shades of grey. It will open up a whole new world for you.
cleo at 06:48 PM JST - 5th August

abromofo -

You're promoting grey ethics?

I explained why it was a contradiction in terms. Perhaps you'd like to explain the wonderful shades of grey you see in mass-produced ethical meat from happy animals.
DanManjt at 12:12 AM JST - 6th August

Saving the Planet.

Sounds messianic.
usaexpat at 12:15 AM JST - 6th August

Cleo, I agree with abromofo, you are thinking of this in absolutes without nuance. I'll state again that personal choices are just that. In my house we buy our meat and fish from local sources and we don't consume dairy as both my children are allergic. Do I think these choices are better for the planet or urge others to do the same? No, I don't care it's simply how we choose to live our lives. I agree with you that mass farming of animals (if you look into chickens it's the worst) is appalling. However I don't think meat consumption is the issue it's where you get your meat and whether your willing to pay more for meat that comes from animals that are well treated.
Bento at 06:38 PM JST - 6th August

cleo..be thy vegan or not?
cleo at 06:51 PM JST - 6th August

Not vegan, vegetarian.

(thy is the possessive adjective - I think you mean Art thou vegan? unless you're from the West Country, in which case you're forgiven the be. :-))
Wolfpack at 07:31 AM JST - 9th August

Those crazy PETA chicks sure are stupid standing out in public wearing nothing but vegetation. But what is important is not that we should all stop eating meat, but that they look pretty hot wearing lettuce :-)
hworta269 at 02:00 PM JST - 9th August

I would eat the lettuce off those girls though!
TheguyNextdoor at 12:02 PM JST - 12th August

The chick in the middle needs some sun, but you get me some salt and a couple of other veggies, I'd eat.
HonestDictator at 08:42 AM JST - 22nd August

I'd like to recommend a really good book for these flakes. Not everyone is meant to be vegetarian and not everyone is meant to be filling up on meat either. The book is "Eat Right for your Blood type" by Dr.Peter J. D'Adamo. This would help the Omnivores vs. Vegetarian debate to die down considerably.
hedgehog88 at 12:07 AM JST - 30th August

They are standing at the Shibuya intersection with that costume, all men would become wolves.