Happy New Year. With the festivities over, we hope you return to routine life well fed, well rested and full of good intentions to eat more vegetables. Meat and five veg is so last century; we are on a mission to make it ten or even 20; good for our health, and good for the planet. We reckon that ‘meat as a celebration or seasoning’ is a good approach – one we’ve been peddling for a good long time and that seems increasingly on trend. I really do believe in the joy of veg, so I am resolved to do a bit more encouraging and celebrating and a bit less lecturing and preaching. Resolution number one.
Over the break I caught up on my mail, including a number of messages from vets irritated by my December newsletter titled ‘Dying for Cheap Meat’, where I focused on how over-prescription of antibiotics in agriculture contributes to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. On reflection I regret the unjustified swipe at vets in general; many are actively fighting over-prescription and I shouldn’t have tarred all of them with the brush prompted by the irresponsible minority. If you’re a vet, but not one of those vets, I am sorry. It wasn’t my first such blunder and I hope I’ve learned my lesson. Resolution number two.
One particularly thoughtful vet reminded me of a wise aunt, who, after hearing me on the radio bad-mouthing Monsanto, advised me not to “Demonise my foe”. Overstating an argument by selectively gathering only the evidence that suits your position and then getting angry and indignant can make for a good read, but too often alienates potential allies and undermines your point; you are liable to win the battle but lose the war. This is what puts me off most blogs and social media. So I go into the New Year resolved to be more considered in my missives and to help turn our collective hopes of positive change into reality – a better approach than wielding the crude tool of angry jabs – even when I’m especially incensed about an issue. The challenge is to manage it without being boring, but I will do my best. Resolution number three.
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