I happen to like sushi of tuna. Usually I do not think much of the origin of the tuna even though I admire and respect the beauty of the ocean and it’s species.
An article from the AP I read today, “Chicken of the Sea? Tuna farming getting a boost'” makes me question everything I eat.
The article speaks of how farm raised tuna may begin to be the norm since the wild tuna stocks are under attack largely from Japanese consumption. It says the Japanese, “consume 80% of the world’s Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna.” But I cannot totally blame the Japanese since there are a myriad of sushi restaurants and groceries in the USA and I participate in these myself.
I eat meat only on occasion perhaps because I believe it may not be healthy for you not as much for the concern of the animal, it’s life, or how it is treated prior to being my meal.
I guess we should all think a bit more of what the life of the animal of which we consume is like and it’s value to the Earth should we not?
Strange to think that we spend our lives eating protein from various animals we will never see as an entire being but only as their processed remains.
What gives us as humans the right to believe we can do this without asking if it is ok. It’s just assumed it’s ok. I’m not sure who would we would ask?
Of course vegans champion that they consume nothing with a face or blood but how are we to know if vegetable based life is not perhaps more sacred than animal based life?
We could all go crazy contemplating these issues but I believe it is something that if contemplated may make us waste less and only order what we can consume.
I remember my first trip to an NYC deli. They gave me way more food than 2 people could eat.
They prided themselves on giving you this abundance almost knowing one would need to throw much of it away.
This type of excess permeated the USA at one time and the gigantic landfills at the border of every city are testimony to it. Maybe a good outgrowth of the recession and the new Green movement is people will value what they eat, consider from whence it came, and only use the minimum needed to sustain a decent life.
Feel guilty if you order a triple decker burger or a multi-roll tuna sushi plate and only eat half of it. Just in case the vegans are wrong don’t buy 3 avocados and let 2 sour if you are only to eat 1.
Just consume what you need and less what you want and maybe we will honor the sacrificed life of all those animals and plants whose remains we eat daily a bit more.
PM for the Conserv-A-Store
12-6-09
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