Quote (dos350 @ Aug 11 2019 07:09pm)

keep it on topic of dogmeat thanks boiz

Quote (Handcuffs @ Aug 12 2019 04:09am)

Personally, I don't do eggs because of the conditions that chickens are kept in and because, at least in factory egg production, they kill/grind up living male chicks because they won't ever produce eggs and they produce too little meat to make it profitable to keep/feed them into maturity. Now, I could certainly buy local, free-range eggs, but in so doing I think I would be contributing to a movement not in which we abandon the utilization of animals but instead one that does it in less unethical ways. Part of the challenge too is that even when supporting local free-range, you're allowing them to maintain the chicken/operation until the chicken gets killed off for meat anyway despite it not being your actual purchase. Local free-range is absolutely 100% better than factory farming, but I'd still rather be removed from the system altogether as much as I can.

I don't eat honey myself, because I don't each much of anything with honey to begin with, so that was very easy for me to "give up".

Quote (BrendanSchaub @ Aug 11 2019 07:23pm)

To be clear, factory farming is abhorrent and the main reason why I became a vegetarian.
If I had the land, I'd get a few chickens of my own. They lay eggs anyway, and without a rooster nearby, there's no chance of accidentally eating a fertilized egg. I don't exactly see eating eggs as (ab)using the chickens, at least not to the same extent as dairy production, no matter how 'well' the cows/goats/sheep themselves are treated.

I cut out sugar as well, and I like a sweet tea or coffee now and again.

I guess my basis for vegetarianism is to reduce suffering, and I'm not sure where the suffering comes in to the bees/chickens.

Quote (BrendanSchaub @ Aug 11 2019 07:23pm)

To be clear, factory farming is abhorrent and the main reason why I became a vegetarian.
If I had the land, I'd get a few chickens of my own. They lay eggs anyway, and without a rooster nearby, there's no chance of accidentally eating a fertilized egg. I don't exactly see eating eggs as (ab)using the chickens, at least not to the same extent as dairy production, no matter how 'well' the cows/goats/sheep themselves are treated.

I cut out sugar as well, and I like a sweet tea or coffee now and again. (Edit: I've been using agave syrup, but apparantly that's bad too...)

I guess my basis for vegetarianism is to reduce suffering, and I'm not sure where the suffering comes in to the bees/chickens.

Quote (Handcuffs @ Aug 12 2019 04:27am)

I think any choice that is more ethical than factory farming is inherently good. I have no militarism in my veganism, so I don't think that eggs and/or honey are bad. Certainly, having your own chickens and apiary is the way to go, I think.

I suppose I've been vegan for so long that I don't miss eggs and am not in want of them.

Quote (Beowulf @ Aug 12 2019 04:32am)

had chickens most my life and eat eggs as a mostly vegan (vegan most of the time but pro conservation hunting and willing to eat meat of something I personally kill) and they are like cats when people own and take care of them

they always follow around, try to get in the house, want treats like affection etc etc

eating eggs from chickens cared for personally is completely ethical imo

Quote (BrendanSchaub @ Aug 11 2019 07:34pm)

Fair enough, brother.

I'm a climber tho, and perhaps have a larger need for protein to maintain strength than others.

Any thoughts on the viability of insect farming to minimize use of land/water to produce large quantities of food?

Quote (BrendanSchaub @ Aug 11 2019 09:58pm)

Another conundrum I've been struggling with is eating insects. Seems like good protein, acquired quickly with low environmental impact.
It seems to make sense from certain viewpoints, but I struggle with the sentience issue. I mean, I don't eat shellfish, and they're more than likely less sentient than most insects...

Quote (Handcuffs @ Aug 12 2019 04:40am)

I think insect farming, if it takes off at all, will take off in other countries. Right now I don't see it taking off in the United States and instead think plant-based protein will be increasingly our future, specifically in soy and mycoproteins.