The best thing a government can do is end all meat, dairy, and egg production. Assuming this isn't possible, the next best thing they can do is attempt to increase the price of animal products(the opposite of what many governments do today) and if possible decrease the price of vegan food. How do you go about doing this? Should governments be getting involved with this?
The price
- Thread starter rainforests1
- Start date
Yes, they should. I suppose part of the solution is to better highlight the costs (health, environment) to society of meat production and consumption, and demand of our politicians that they stop subsidizing it, tax it (to recover costs to society), and that they support measures for alternative food sources. It's not too much to ask.
We need imaginative ways of highlighting these costs so the issue can become a more visible part of the public discourse. (TV/radio/news shows etc.)
beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
No, the gov't should not get involved in pricing most consumer goods in a free market, unless prices become so exorbitant that people are dropping dead from starvation in the street.
In a world where the First Lady is demonized for trying to encourage kids to eat healthy and exercise, and where people are outraged on behalf of their children and grandchildren if schools remove soda vending machines from their premises, what makes you think that price incentives for eating vegan wouldn't cause a huge backlash against any politician proposing such incentives?
Actually, "the government" should simply stop to prefer meat and dairy by subsidies, legislation like ag-gag laws, preferential buying (school lunches, anyone), and free use of vital scarce ressources like water and waste water and similar.
But, who is "the government"?
In the best case, they are faithful representatives of the public ... which is 95 % meat-eaters and thus not really interested in furthering veganism, regardless of how healthy it is.
In the worst case ... well, you know how lobbying works.
But, who is "the government"?
In the best case, they are faithful representatives of the public ... which is 95 % meat-eaters and thus not really interested in furthering veganism, regardless of how healthy it is.
In the worst case ... well, you know how lobbying works.
Absolutely.
This doesn't have to be about veganism. It should be about making good decisions so that mankind has a future on this planet. Population growth combined with rampant carnism is a recipe for environmental disaster. We have to stop doing things that are unsustainable such as wasting resources on meat production and find alternative, sustainable food sources, which happen to be vegan ones. As an added bonus, they are also healthier.
I agree.
But tell that to a Pampers brand manager at P&G who is looking forward to convince 1 billion potential Chinese customers to prefer his product over traditional ways to solve the problem. All in the name of progress, of course.
Obviously you'd have to look at the many problems associated with meat(health care costs, climate change, etc.) that most people aren't aware of. Given the circumstances today, I'd be much more optimistic about foreign countries than the United States.
I think that most people are AWARE of the problems. They just don't care enough to give up the taste of meat.
Here is a psychologist's take on why people don't care about the environment.
Why Do Smart, Caring People Ignore Environmental Issues? | Psychology Today
I find a lot of human behaviour quite confusing. I do sometimes explain to people why I'm vegan, or why I don't have a car, or have children, or why I don't use air travel etc... but people just look blank or try and justify their own actions. I'm really glad I don't have any kids that will inherit the serious environmental problems we are making/have made.
ETA - I saw these images recently in The Guardian, images of overconsumption.
Overpopulation, overconsumption – in pictures | Global Development Professionals Network | The Guardian
Why Do Smart, Caring People Ignore Environmental Issues? | Psychology Today
I find a lot of human behaviour quite confusing. I do sometimes explain to people why I'm vegan, or why I don't have a car, or have children, or why I don't use air travel etc... but people just look blank or try and justify their own actions. I'm really glad I don't have any kids that will inherit the serious environmental problems we are making/have made.
ETA - I saw these images recently in The Guardian, images of overconsumption.
Overpopulation, overconsumption – in pictures | Global Development Professionals Network | The Guardian
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Clueless Git
Plant powered
Aye, the removal of subsidies combined with an equalisation of animal cruelty laws would send the price of meat and dairy through the roof.
The whole subsidy thing is bizzare anyway ...
It doesn't make meat and dairy genuinely cheap for one thing. The only source of subsidies is taxes. That means that ALL taxpayers are simply pre-paying, through their taxes, for the meat and diary elements of their's (and everyone else's) food.
The main beneficiaries are land owners. Taxpayers are basicaly providing them a way to lock off vast amounts of land and make money from doing so. Bit of a double whammy on the taxpayer that one. It makes land artificialy in short supply and that sends the cost of land for housing, leisure and industry through the roof.
The secondary beneficiaries are arable farmers. A meat eating population needs about ten ten times more of their product than a vegan population would.
The rub in that being that alongside the meat industry and the big landowners the arable farmers have vested interest in suppressing the spread of veganism in any way they can.
veganwhat
Forum Novice
Unfortunately, our government is being paid by the meat and dairy industry...so, it's definitely going to be a battle to make some changes.
I've checked the price of family farm meat at the local co-op. It's very expensive.
Clueless Git
Plant powered
In the UK we have 'hereditary peers' who inherit both the title of 'Lord' and the massive land estates that come with them.
Hereditary peers get an automatic 'right' (sic) to form the unelected part of our government and law making system; The House of Lords.
Being born as a major supplier to the meat industry, and a part of the huntin'fishin'n'shootin' set, guarantees you a position in government over here.
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