Cyndi's Two Cents

Employer edict: don’t eat meat

Commentary.

I believe that an adult human has every right to decide what they want to eat if they can afford it. If they don’t want to eat meat, that is a choice they should be able to make on their own. I have friends who do not eat meat.  I have friends who do not eat seafood. I have friends that don’t eat vegetables. I have friends that don’t eat dairy products. I have friends that don’t eat eggs.

In most cases their dietary choices are not because they think meat, seafood, vegetables, dairy or eggs are bad for the environment or that farm animals are treated poorly.  Two friends developed an allergy to red meat after being bitten by a tick many years ago.  A few others are allergic to seafood.  A couple are lactose-intolerant.  Others simply don’t like certain foods.

Although groups like Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) talk about making sure animals on the farm are treated in a way that “reflects humane sensibilities” the overwhelming message is “don’t eat meat.”

Compass Group, the world’s largest food service provider and Aramark, the largest U.S. – based food service company collaborated last year to create new menus and recipes.  This includes an all-plant-based dining station at numerous universities across the country.

While talking about humane treatment of farm animals out of one side of its mouth, HSUS is promoting a vegan diet and investing in cooking classes for chefs at the afore-mentioned companies to create meat-free meals.  In the words of Wayne Pacelle, former CEO of HSUS, “these programs will influence thousands of chefs responsible for millions of meals a day.”

Citing the environmental impact of eating meat, Bloomberg Business News and several other national publications reported last month that the co-founder of WeWork, a New York City -based multibillion-dollar international real estate start-up, let the company’s 6,000 employees around the world know they can no longer expense meals that include red meat, poultry or pork.  Meat is also banned at all corporate events held on WeWork grounds.

Even the more “granola crunchy”-leaning publications reporting this story called laughable this so-called concern over the environment because WeWork manages 10 million square feet of office space in 76 cities around the world across its 406 locations. If they really wanted to make a difference environmentally, they would start with some energy efficiency measures to be implemented in tenant contracts.

All this talk about meat is making me hungry.  It’s state fair season across the Midwest and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into a big old turkey leg, pork chop on a stick and a ribeye sandwich.  That’s 3 meals I’ve got planned so far.  After all the walking I do on the grounds, we a deserve a crème puff or strawberry shake as well!

As a human adult, I will eat what I want to eat if I can afford to pay for it.