I am very happy if it helps the environment, but I am even more interested in doing it for health reasons.
I have read a fair amount on the subject, and I believe that the way agribusiness works is not too environmentally friendly for producing either livestock or crops. It takes a LOT of oil to produce, fertilize, and transport our grains and veggies in the "usual" way it is done. And the modern way of raising livestock seems to be very unnatural, cramped, and not eco friendly, either. I personally believe that integrated systems of alternating certain kinds of livestock (especially chickens or fish) with certain crops can create a sort of symbiotic system in which each benefit, and the land can produce more in a balanced sort of way. It is being done already, but is generally on a relatively small scale, and does not produce food as cheaply as our giant agribusiness practices do.
I personally believe that if every suburban household who ever kept a pet, kept 2 - 6 hens (instead of, or in addition to, other pets), and fed them partially with table scraps and leftovers that would be thrown away, and used their manure for gardening, and let them eat the bugs in the lawn, it would teach children about ecology and recycling in a much more direct and graphic way than the environmentalists in charge try to do right now. And it would provide families with free range, healthy eggs, and eventually, chicken soup, if they want to go that route. Without a rooster, the hens would cause far less noise, dirt, and potential danger than the typical family dog. But our zoning laws seem to be all about trying to disavow our rural or natural heritage.
I also believe that anyone who eats meat should, at least once, raise and slaughter some kind of animal (such as chickens) just so that they realize exactly what is involved, and not be allowed to believe that meat is manufactured in plastic wrappers. I have raised lots of chickens, turkeys, pigs, etc, and have butchered and eaten them. So did our grandparents and ancestors. It keeps us in touch with nature, and keeps us from losing touch with reality. Chickens and goats can be raised on certain kinds of land that are not suitable for crops. All of this reasoning is not to excuse the way most of our western livestock is raised today - I do realize that it is usually not done in the ideal, humane, eco-friendly way that I propose. I am just saying that it CAN be done that way, especially on small scale, family mini-farms. And that our usual way of raising plants is not too great, either.
I have read about the way that Quorn is produced and it sounds more environmentally friendly than the way most crops are produced. Unfortunately, it is made in the UK, so the transportation around the world makes it more expensive to both the consumer and the environment. But I am guessing that if it becomes popular enough, they will set up production in other places. It has been popular in the UK for decades, but only introduced here in 2002. So it may take some time. But of course, the idea of eating fungus (even though mushrooms are also fungus), doesn't sound more appealing to most people than the thought of eating dead, decaying animals. It all just depends on how it is marketed, and how people get used to thinking about it.
Sorry to ramble on, but I had to put my 2 cents in about a subject that is important to me. But as I said, I am actually more interested in the health benefits than anything else. And now that I am in my mid fifties, I believe that an anti inflammatory diet with lots of fresh plants will be much more healthful than the junk food diet I grew up on.
So much for more environmentally frieendly, eh?
