Dana lives in Seattle, and Tracie lives in Germany. We are businesswomen, writers and humorists. We write about life, dating, and today's modern women.
And so it’s Labor Day. Each year on the first Monday in September, we Americans observe this national holiday. For many, it is the marking the end of summer. We put away our linen whites, and fire up the backyard barbecues.
Federal, state and local governments are closed. Although the reason for this day is to recognize the 12 hour long, harsh, unsafe, working conditions during the 19th century, as many tried to earn a living, this day has morphed into a leisure day of good food, fun, family and friends.
As I prepare to head to a Covid-friendly friend’s backyard, I’m reminded of how my vision has changed on what I will devour this Labor Day Monday. It has been 4 years since I ate a steak. I can’t recall the last time I enjoyed a hot dog filled with mustard and relish running over. A stop at Dicks, Seattle’s favorite drive in diner where I used to order two plain burgers, now suffices with their homestyle fries.
Although my dietary adjustments was really relationship based, my fiancé cooks, and I eat and he hasn’t had meat in decades. He was open to my eating meat, but I decided to join him and I must say I do feel better. We eat chicken and fish, so I have not felt deprived. I can’t say that like my daughter, I’m on the Tofu or Beyond Burger wagon, but I’m definitely satisfied. But an added bonus was when I joined my friends on a project which is releasing this Wednesday. We have gained an understanding of how our planet is under duress and what we can do to make necessary changes.
Simple concessions such as taking a shorter shower, ride your bike to work to curb emissions, and reducing consumption of meat help greatly. Shockingly, a vice reports that more than 1800 gallons of water is behind every pound of meat. On average, the water we use in our households is about 98 gallons a day, says a U.S, Geological Survey. I’m sure during this Pandemic, these numbers are even greater. It takes more than 1,000 gallons of water a day per person to produce the food and drinks in the average U.S. diet. A 1/3 pound burger requires 660 gallons of water!
O.K. it’s Labor Day, so if you wanna enjoy your burger, go ahead, but with the above figures in mind. Next week, try starting Meat Free Mondays. It will improve your health and that of the planet.
Read more about it: https://www.paulmccartney.com/causes/meat-free-monday
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