Georgia Magazine - July 2013 - (Page 6)

Where’s the beef? stead of one about rural Georgia. My interest was heightened as I read “Hold the meat: Vegetarian restaurants serve up something for everyone” by Deborah Geering in the February 2013 issue [see page 22; bit.ly/veg0213]. The article is wellwritten and very sympathetic to the “struggles” of vegetarians. I favor freedom of choice when it comes to food my fellow citizens and EMC members put on their plates, so I am writing as a fan of GEORGIA Magazine, a proud Rayle Electric Membership Corp. (EMC) member and a concerned cattleman from Northeast Georgia. I enjoy your magazine each month with the great coverage of upcoming community events, positive stories about Georgia youth and interesting pieces on our state. Lately, however, I have felt more like I am reading an urban publication inCelebrating the Georgia lifestyle GEMC ® Established 1945 P.O. Box 1707, Tucker GA 30085 • (800) 544-4362, in Georgia; (770) 270-6500 Website: www.georgiamagazine.org • Email: magazine@georgiaemc.com How to get in touch Subscriptions: Contact your electric cooperative first; they may send the magazine by request. Or, send check or money order for $9.95 (12 issues) or $15.95 (24 issues) to address above. You may also subscribe online or call (770) 270-6500 to be billed. Please allow 4-6 weeks for first issue. Letters to the editor: Please in- clude your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity and space. Change of address: 1) If you personally subscribe, mail your address change to the above address; or 2) if you receive the magazine through your local electric co-op, please write or call that office directly. Article submissions: Submitted articles or ideas for feature stories or regular columns are welcome for review. Please send “Story Ideas” to the above address. Guidelines available online at georgiamagazine.org/contactus.asp?menu=7. “Snapshot” submissions: Please send photos (no professional shots), along with names of parents of children in photos, city of residence of people in photo, electric cooperative (if served by one), phone number and full mailing address to: “Snapshot,” at the address above. Or send information and digital (300 dpi) photos to snapshot@georgiaemc.com. (Photos become magazine property.) GEORGIA Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Manuscripts, “My Georgia” submissions: Stories limited photographs and artwork must be accompanied to 500 words. Photos required for publication. by self-addressed, stamped envelopes to be Postal mail or email (mygeorgia@georgiaemc.com) returned. GEORGIA Magazine reserves the right accepted. Digital images, 300 dpi, accepted. Writto edit any material published. ers of published stories receive a $100 gift card. Advertising: Contact Laurel George, (404) 541-0628, or Laine Wood, (770) 289-5700, or (800) 544-4362 (in Georgia). National advertising representative: National Country Market, (800) 626-1181. Visit www.georgiamagazine.org for more of everything you love about Georgia! web exclusive Look for this icon throughout the magazine. When you see it, go online to our digital edition for BONUS content. web exclusive Also online: • Additional calendar listings • Back issues • Past recipes • Readership survey MAGS MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION OF THE SOUTHEAST 6 More online at www.georgiamagazine.org this article did not raise a huge level of concern. Move forward two months and my level of concern was raised greatly as I read the April 2013 issue and “10 Earth-friendly kitchen tips: This Earth Day, make your home ‘greener’ with these simple ideas.” [See page 44; bit.ly/greenkitchen413.] The article, again by Geering, is well-written but contained several items of concern. No. 8 on the top 10 list, “Buy sustainably grown” contained several interesting quips, such as insinuating that conventional agriculture is responsible for “contamination of our water.” I must say I was alarmed when I read No. 9, “Eat less meat.” I was shocked to read how my family and I were painted as destroying the environment when we always considered ourselves environmental stewards. Of course the recipes in the April issue were meatless as well. I would like to offer a few facts for your consideration: As to the environmental efficiency and sustainability of beef production: Cattle in the U.S. spend approximately 80 percent of their lives on pastureland, and 80 percent of that pastureland is considered unsuitable for crop production. The study [“Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment”] Geering cites was published in 2003, but in years before and the 10 years since, it is important to note that our cattle community is committed to continuously improving our efficiency. In fact, a study published in 2011 in the Journal of Animal Science found that from 1977 to 2007, the carbon footprint of beef production was reduced by 16.3 percent. As to water usage in beef production: The Water Education Foundation study Geering cites indicates 2,400 gallons of water are used to produce each pound of beef. According to a peer-reviewed Journal of Animal Science article, “Estimation of the water requirement for beef production in the United States” (1993), it takes 441 gallons of water to proGEORGIA MAGAZINE http://bit.ly/veg0213 http://www.bit.ly/greenkitchen413 http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org/contactus.asp?menu=7 http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://on.fb.me/georgiamagazine http://twitter.com/georgiamagazine http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - July 2013

Georgia Magazine - July 2013
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Liberty Notes
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar of Events
Georgia’s Energy Outlook
Currents
Fly-in or Drive-In
“Air Fare America”
Wood Basket of the World
Link to Video on Georgia’s Tree Industry
Lighten Up!
Control What You Consume
Around Georgia
Enhancing your adventure
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Snapshot
More Snapshot photos
Plant of the month
July’s online trivia contest
Georgia Grown spotlight

Georgia Magazine - July 2013