Talk about food.

Did the recent meat recalls set off a veggie alarm in your brain? Well, we all know how great vegetarianism is for the planet. But, if you’re not ready to take the veggie plunge, at least try getting your meat from a less-alarming source (not always easy – but there are some things to watch for). Here are some typical minimum requirements for eco-meat labels:

* Organic – animals get access to the outdoors (cows, sheep, and goats get pasture time), bedding materials, and aren’t injected with hormones or antibiotics.
* Cage-free Poultry – birds aren’t kept in cages.
* Free-range – animals are given access to the outdoors.
* Pasture-raised and grass-fed – animals get access to the outdoors and can graze.
* Humanely raised – animals get exercise and their cages are big enough for them to move in.
* Hormone-free – cows aren’t injected with any hormones (using hormones on chickens and pigs is already against the law).
* Shop Around – for organic and free-range meat.
* Just Ask – your butcher where the meat you’re buying came from.

Benefits would be: Letting animal rights activists sleep more soundly. Free-range animals, for example, are allowed to spend time outdoors and have more space than those at conventional factory farms. You can also waking up to energy savings. According to a study, organic farming uses 30% less energy than factory farms for the same yields. And, you will have healthier and bright-eyed life. Organic animals are raised without antibiotics or artificial hormones, and aren’t genetically modified.

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