Speaking of inconvenient truths

I love meat. I am particularly enamored of red meat. I come by my predilection quite honestly: my Grandpa Thompson (as well as many of his uncles) worked in the Chicago Stockyards. He used to force feed fatty beef to my dad, who holds a vomitorious disdain for fat-streaked meat to this day.

I'm not big on fat, myself. I've taught my kids the unfortunate habit of inspecting meat with an plan to operate on it, intent on removing any of that icky white stuff. But lean red meat, with just enough fat to make it tasty? Mmmm, says me. I'm a steak and potatoes kind of girl. More's the pity for my cholesterol levels.

Now I find out that more's the pity for my environment, too. Apparently the animal rights groups are banding together to bandy about research indicating that raising animals for meat is worse for the environment than driving around one of those penis-envy Hummers.

I am so bummed. I've worked really hard at the whole avoiding my car thing. I ride my bike around town (sometimes, at least). I always bundle my errands, preferably combined with picking up a teenager or two. I drive a low-emissions vehicle. And I'm teaching my college student how to ride the bus rather than mom's taxi service. While I'm not driving a Prius, I'm not driving a Lincoln Town Car, either.

But not eat meat? It sounds like a bitter cold and drab culinary world to me. How do I love meat? Prepared too many ways to count. Think thick slabs of steak, possibly with a little pat of butter dribbling down the side (I know, I know). Sweet spicy chicken satay. Juicy burgers on the grill. Andouille sausage nestled in a pasta dish.

Of course, the real reason I can't give up meat and go veggie is that, um, I don't like vegetables. I particularly do not care for green vegetables. The starchy ones, the ones that are bad for you? Those I like. Corn, carrots (uncooked, please--or with brown sugar on them), potatoes of all kinds. Other than that? Not so much.

So what's a good green girl to do? Choke down the broccoli, pass on the pork chops? I know it doesn't have to be all or nothing. I can do good by cutting back on meat, serve it less often. But, while I'd be very happy to drive a Prius or do some other car-related good deed for Mother Earth, I sheepishly admit becoming one of those people, not wanting to make changes in my life because they would be rather inconvenient for me.

Pretty soon, I'll have to join the shamed smokers, huddling on street corners, furtively clutching my burger, hurting both myself and the environment to feed my bloody addiction . . . .

On the horns of a dilemma,
Liz