The shameful practice of Japanese dolphin slaughter was depicted in the documentary The Cove, which was screened in Australian cinemas last month. It focuses on the activities of dolphin defender Richard O'Barry, who was once a tormentor of dolphins as trainer of the '60s TV dolphin Flipper.
We chastise Japan for such barbarity, and refuse to countenance Japanese claims that eating whale meat is integral to their culture. But we hold fast to our own convictions that meat consumption is part of the national character, and rarely question whether it is sustainable at current levels.
We are keenly aware that meat production is a major contributor to the Australian economy. Perhaps unwittingly, we marginalise the vegetarians among us, and treat activists from groups like PETA with scorn because we have justifiable criticisms of some of their positions.
Meat consumption is in fact an ethical issue. We need to look upon our selection of what to eat as a moral choice, not just a working out of how to satisfy our human urges most effectively. We readily understand that sexual desires need to be met in a context of moral probity, or it's likely we will cause psychological damage to ourselves or others. But gluttony aside, food consumption is most often regarded as morally neutral.
The latest Just Comment briefing from the Edmund Rice Centre challenges our preconceptions about eating meat. It argues that food consumption has serious impacts on climate change, environmental degradation, use of resources, and more. For example, the livestock industry accounts for 18 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, which is higher than the contribution of transport. This is due to the emission by livestock of gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, which are very powerful greenhouse gases.
The briefing paper puts forward eating less meat and animal products as 'one small way for individuals to make an impact on some of the massive injustices facing our world'. It suggests that as little as one meat free day per week can make a difference, and that such an action is readily affordable when compared with other options such as solar panels or a hybrid car.
As the paper suggests, 'our diet is one thing that we have the power to change and make a definite impact with'.
Michael Mullins is editor of Eureka Street.