Educate, don’t evangelize
(Re: “Promote veganism more,” Letters, Feb. 18, 2021).
Erica Sodos says that going vegan is “the best action we can take to help the environment and animals.” Not so; food choices are only one small piece.
Bluntly, humans must stop breeding like rabbits. Each additional person requires not just food, but clean water and air, a place to live, shelter (usually heated), clothing, sewer and sanitation, energy and more. A touch of “civilization” adds utensils, appliances, transportation, etc. The Earth cannot sustain its present population (let alone keep growing). If every human on the planet went vegan it would only help a little, certainly nowhere near enough to push us back to sustainability.
Sodos claims that nearly all animals we eat are killed as “babies” — an unhelpfully emotive word. Moreover it’s simply inaccurate. With few exceptions (veal, for example) the animals are mature. She also asserts that they live “horrific lives” — which was true but consumer awareness has changed that, and will continue to do so.
Food columns should educate us (and more). But veganism is a set of ethical principles not generally accepted, in part because they’re at odds with our evolved biology. As such, how much should this one viewpoint be “promoted” in contrast to say keto, paleo, etc.? Educate, don’t evangelize.
Dick Dunn/Hygiene
Make Colorado a
conservation leader
I am a concerned Coloradan. Throughout the last 15 years of my life I’ve watched as the natural lands around me have been developed, forever changing my home. Born and raised in Boulder, the Rocky Mountains have given me the opportunity to make outdoor resources part of my daily life, teaching me the importance of conservation and environmental stewardship. With increasing drought, wildfires and extreme weather events, Colorado is on the front lines of land loss issues.
According to scientists, protecting 30% of public land is the bare minimum needed to save nature and ameliorate the worst impacts of climate change. From 2001-2017, Colorado lost over 1,000 square miles of natural lands to development for human purposes such as residential areas, energy development and transportation.
The conservation movement is gaining momentum. President Biden has laid out a 10-year goal of conserving 30% of the U.S. by 2030, an inclusive and bold vision for safeguarding America’s lands, water and wildlife. Let’s continue to accelerate this by uniting to protect 30% of Colorado’s public lands, or 20 million total acres, by 2030.
Colorado is an outdoor mecca that provides world class outdoor recreation, not to mention endless hunting and angling opportunities, that I believe must be safeguarded for generations to come. Step forward with us to protect Colorado’s greatest asset — nature. We need your help asking Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper to publicly support the 30×30 Executive Order and make Colorado a conservation leader. Thank you for your support thus far, let’s keep it up!
Ava Williams/Boulder
